A few words about me and my background
My name is Volker Schoemig, born in 1971.
I am a qualified stone restorer and multimedia designer, and have earned my living in a wide variety of professional fields. As well as having a passion for music and playing numerous musical instruments, I am an enthusiastic amateur photographer.
Shot with: X-E5 / XF35mm F2
My journey into the world of photography began towards the end of my school days, which was probably around 1990. A photography course was offered at my school at the time. The prerequisite was, of course, to have a camera, and so I became the proud owner of a Nikon F-301 with a Nikkor 50mm/f1.8 lens.
I still own this kit today, and the camera and lens continue to perform flawlessly whenever I’m out and about shooting ‘analogue’ – which, admittedly, is now a very rare occurrence.
But anyway, returning to my school days.
Back then, we still learnt to develop negative film ourselves and to expose prints on photographic paper. This was done exclusively with black-and-white film, and I believe that the foundations for my love of black-and-white photography were laid back then. Although in the years that followed, whilst I was travelling in places such as Sweden, Norway and Australia, I used almost entirely slide film for my photographs.
I can no longer recall the exact reason, but around the turn of the millennium, I lost interest in photography. Even my introduction to digital image editing – which was, of course, a key aspect of my work as a multimedia designer at the time, and a profession I loved – failed to breathe new life into my personal passion for photography.
Perhaps it was also because I couldn’t really get to grips with the cameras that were known to me (and, by the way, affordable) at the time. I suppose I missed the ‘analogue’ feel and the excitement that a high-quality, tactile piece of technical equipment can evoke just by looking at it.
It must have been sometime between 2012 and 2013 – around the time my girlfriend and I started planning a trip on the Norwegian Hurtigruten for 2015 – when I came across two digital cameras that caught my eye. Because one thing was clear: going on a trip like that without the option of taking photos with a suitable camera – I’d end up kicking myself for not having done it.
The models in question were the Nikon Coolpix P7100 and the Fujifilm FinePix X10 (there was also an X100, but that was beyond my budget). Both had a design and haptic feel that made me want to pick them up and head out with them – something I hadn’t felt in a long time. The decision as to which camera to go for in the end was quite simple: the X10 wasn’t available for the foreseeable future, so I went for the P7100.
I spent the following weeks and months getting familiar with the camera; taking photos with it was enjoyable, and I managed to take some good shots during the Hurtigruten cruise.
Shot with: Nikon Coolpix P7100
Shortly afterwards, however, the P7100’s sensor started playing up: it displayed a thick vertical stripe across the entire image, and when I checked with my local retailer, they told me that a repair wouldn’t be worth it as it would be too expensive. The warranty had just expired. Blimey.
Feeling a bit down and looking for an alternative, my dealer showed me the Fujifilm X-T1 – and I was blown away. What a camera! What a feel to it! And what a price.
Anyway, I just had to have it. So I put some money aside, waited, and just under a year later I finally had it.
I’ve been hooked on Fujifilm ever since.
Over the years, I’ve added quite a few cameras and lenses to my collection, and for me, some of the photos I’ve taken with my Fujis are truly magical. That’s probably not even down to the features, the technology, or what each camera and lens has to offer.
No. For me, it’s the sheer pleasure and simple joy of taking one of the cameras with me, being aware of my surroundings, and savouring the moments. The very act of taking photographs, of looking, of adjusting the camera brings a deep sense of satisfaction. I forget about everyday life and everything else going on around me, and I’m completely relaxed when I’m out and about with the camera in my hand.
And every now and then, all of this comes together to create an extraordinary photograph.
Disclaimer
I am not paid by Fujifilm, nor do I receive any benefits from them. I write here out of personal enthusiasm and because of my fascination with black-and-white photography, which my Fujifilm cameras allow me to practise – almost as if I were back in the analogue era.
Leave a comment