Knut Koivisto is a professional portrait photographer who isn’t afraid to travel to extreme places in the name of art. He often works in the harsh environments of northern Europe, so he needs a camera that is not only easy to carry, but able to withstand the elements. Knut’s latest project was no exception. We caught up with him upon his return to find out how the FUJIFILM X-Pro3 performed.

 

“I wanted to go to a remote place in the north that was beautiful and wild,” says Knut. “I wanted to see the people living on the edge of our world, so I went to the Lofoten archipelago, a series of islands in Norway, in the Arctic Circle, that stretches out into the Atlantic Ocean.”

 

Knut’s aim was to explore a different side to this beautiful place. Most people will only ever experience Lofoten as a holiday destination or a stop on a tour, but Knut wanted to find out about the kind of person that chooses to call it their home.

 

“The project is called ‘Living on the Edge – the People of Lofoten’ and I think the name sums it up,” says Knut. “I wanted to meet the people who choose to live in an environment that can be harsh at times and is far from urban development and all the things that attract young people,” he explains.

 

The result? He was greeted by a welcoming community, happy to invite him into their lives. “I found warm and friendly people, enjoying the closeness of nature,” says Knut. But to create a genuine representation of this lifestyle, he needed the right tool. That’s where X-Pro3 came in.

 

“Documentary photography is all about a truthful moment in time. It speaks about us humans and the times and conditions we’re living in,” he explains. “It's harder to do than I expected when I started out, but I’m practicing and slowly, slowly I'm getting there.

 

X-Pro3 is a beautiful, classical camera that doesn’t scare people when you photograph. With a smaller, quieter camera like this, you can be more intimate. It becomes a more enjoyable experience for your subject, encouraging them to shine in a pleasant way.”

Knut has been making photographs for a long time, but he believes that with X-Pro3 he has found the ideal image-making tool. “I’ve owned every camera you can imagine, but for me, X-Pro3 is the perfect camera. It's like having a friend with me when I go out. It performs and I can trust it,” he says.

 

“What I love about it is that I can go out with nothing but the camera and two primes in my pocket and I have all I need with me,” Knut adds. “Whether I’m stepping out into my backyard or traveling to the other side of the world, it’s easy to bring the best equipment with me.

 

Knut goes on to talk about his first impressions of the camera and how they evolved as he began shooting, beginning with the stylish, durable body and unique 180° hidden tilting LCD touchscreen. “The first thing I noticed was how beautiful it was. The use of titanium has given it a fresh feeling and I couldn't take my eyes off it,” he enthuses. “I can imagine there are a few people getting a little confused by the hidden tilting LCD screen, but for me it felt quite natural. I love to use the viewfinder, it's how I used to photograph when I started out as a young boy, so I only flip out the display when I need to use it.”

 

However, possibly his favorite feature was X-Pro3's viewfinder. “The thing that really blew my mind was the ability to switch off all information in the viewfinder with a single push of a button. Now I have a camera behaving just like ones I grew up with, but with all the modernity of a state-of-the-art camera,” Knut enthuses.

 

When combined, these factors mean he now has a tool to help him fully focus on his subject. “I can strip away all the information I don't need in the shooting moment. I switch off all viewfinder information except the autofocus indication to give myself a clear image of what I’m shooting and with the hidden display I am not distracted by a screen on the back of the camera. It's brilliant, I can be totally in the moment,” Knut says.

Knut has spent a long time in the industry, but his main inspiration continues to be people. “I’m a people photographer. That's what I do for a living, I constantly get inspired by meeting people, whether it’s out on location or in my studio,” he tells us. “I want my portraits to still be meaningful in ten years. Photography is a time machine. I love to study really old photographs and think about the people in them. Who were they? What were their dreams? It's a frozen slice of time preserved forever. It just blows my mind when I think about it.

 

“I think it’s an often-overlooked fact that your images tell stories. Only you can tell your story, that’s what makes you unique.”

 

We finished by asking Knut how the X-Pro3 would fit into his setup and he told us that, with its perfect marriage between classic photographic heritage and cutting-edge technology, X-Pro3 is a camera he’ll hold close to his heart. “X-Pro3 will be my personal camera, the one following me home in the evening.”

 

He concludes: “If you want to find a camera that brings you the shooting experience of the last 50 or so years, then look no further than X-Pro3. It seamlessly combines classical features and modern technology like no other camera I know!”

 

X-Pro3 is now available to buy across the USA. Read the full specifications here, or contact your nearest FUJIFILM Authorized Dealer.

It's like having a friend with me when I go out. It performs and I can trust it

About The Photographer


X-Photographer Knut Koivisto has built a strong reputation creating no-nonsense portraits of some of Sweden’s most recognizable faces. Knut splits his time between his work as an on-set stills photographer and an educator at Fotografiska Akademin.

Website: koivisto.se

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