Petzval Photography: A Philosophy, According to Michael Fiukowski

For Michael Fiukowski, taking photos with the New Petzval 85 Art Lens is a philosophy. The manual focus encourages him to be more experimental, and when shooting portraits, he seeks for creative ways to position his subject and make the most of the Petzval’s bokeh effect. He finds the lens fascinating, and tells us why.

Please introduce yourself to the Lomography Community.

First I want to thank you for letting me present my work here. Also a big thanks to all models and the people who have supported me to make all these photos possible. I’m Michael Fiukowski and I’ve been a freelance photographer since 2013. If you want to be specific, I’m shooting weddings almost every weekend. 2007 I got my first DSLR, a Canon EOS 400D. I began with party photos, then there was portrait photography and now I’m into wedding photography. I love details and love to be guided by the atmosphere on a location, whether it is on a shooting or on a wedding. To transport the atmosphere into an image is the most important task a photographer has is to get the observer fully involved.

You are the proud owner of a New Petzval 85 Art Lens. Why did you buy it?

That is a very good question. I first noticed the New Petzval when I saw it on the camera of Jonas Hafner. When there is something golden in front of your eyes you ask for it, of course. I was also extremely fascinated by the bokeh.

With the years I have turned into a real bokeh fan. In the beginning it was the model which was in the center of it all but then the symbiosis with the background became very important, too. For me, bokeh is as important as the subject of the photo. Especially with the New Petzval 85 I’m always happy when there is a tree with leaves and the sun shining through, so you get strong contrasts and an unique bokeh, this is what i love about this lens. Furthermore I wanted a portrait lens and 85mm focal length is perfect for that. As I also wanted a strong, unique bokeh effect, so I decided against the products of competitors like Canon, Sigma, etc. In addition you have to focus manually with the Petzval, so you can experiment a lot and you photograph more intentional. Where can I use it, at what light conditions, which background – It is kind of a philosophy with the Petzval. I love it! It makes photography to what it is. A wonderful art which unfolds its whole power with the right handling.

What have you already captured with the Petzval?

As I turned into a portrait photographer portraits, of course. In the beginning I did only TFP shootings with it because I wasn’t sure yet if I could use the Petzval for commercial photography. I first tested it with various models on the Oben2015-Meetup which we had in May this year in the Harz. I took photos of Fine from Magdeburg, Therese Franke (on a stone in the blue lake in Blankenburg) or Emmeline at the sandstone caves, but also Anne Krämer (another photographer with enormous charisma). On a meetup in Brandenburg a.d. Havel I also had the opportunity to photograph Lisa Mayer who is not only a great photographer but also a model with awesome charisma. Furthermore Marilla from Berlin who appears very positive and who has a special look with her freckles. I try to capture natural models with the Petzval. I could also convince some other photographers to buy the New Petzval themselves because they were fascinated by the swirly bokeh.

What are the characteristics of a perfect portrait, in your opinion?

I can only answer this from my own subjective feeling. For me the characteristic of the face plays a very important role. Can I capture and transport the character and the personality with the photo? It has to have a deep impact. A portrait at which I can look longer than five seconds is really close to perfection. The eyes have to fascinate you. A look which wants to say something. Or to make a long story, a dramatic happening visible. To tell a whole life only just with a portrait. This is perfection for me.

Which person (dead or alive) would you like to photograph with the New Petzval 58 Art Lens?

Probably Ché Guevara, Albert Einstein or Mother Teresa or even Mr. Petzval himself. But here and now there is just one person I would like to photograph and this is Theresa Buchen.

Do you have any tips or tricks for beginners with the Petzval?

As I’m a sort of a beginner myself I can give some tips which were very helpful for me. It is, of course, difficult to shoot a portrait from long distance with the small viewfinder of a DSLR. Especially with an aperture of f/2.2 this may lead to problems. I took all of the photos that you can see here with an aperture of f/2.8. So I have the sharpness in the center and a very awesome bokeh effect.

Also, try to train your eyes. I just went to an optician who certified me a 100% eyesight. So I had less problems with the manual focusing, but it is still challenging. But you will get used to it very quickly. If you can’t do it without, use the live view. For me, sharpness is not the most important thing. If the atmosphere is great, those imperfections don’t matter. But if you want to get a sharp photo, use the live view. Choose the display detail, zoom and focus. I usually shot using the viewfinder though.

You should definitively think about the background. This is also described and illustrated in the enclosed booklet. Look out for much green which is illuminated by the sun. This will result in some nice photos. And don’t place the model directly in front of the bush but with some distance to achieve a nice effect of depth of field which lets the bokeh swirl.

Apart from that: Trial and error.

What do you think about the New Petzval 58 Bokeh Control Art Lens?

I have to admit that I already fancied it and that I would really love to test it. As I’m going to Iceland for a week on October 1, this would be the perfect opportunity to create an art reportage. I photographed a lot with a focal length of 50mm for portraits back then, this length is perfect for portraits from head till toes. The shorter the focal length, the more impressed the observer is. And when you can adjust and define the bokeh yourself, there are no limits for your creativity anymore. I’m looking forward to this lens!

Learn more about Michael Fiukowski and his work on his website, Facebook page and Instagram account.

The Lomography Petzval 85 Art Lens is a reinvention of the iconic Petzval lens that blew the lid of photography many years ago. It comes in signature brass and black finish and can be used on Canon and Nikon mounts. Grab a Petzval Art Lens at the online shop.

written by zonderbar on 2015-07-26 #people #interview #lomoamigo #petzval #new-petzval-85 #michael-fiukowski
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