Hello, my name is Andreas. I’m 46 years old, a proud father of two children, and I live in Germany. First of all, I would like to sincerely thank Fuji X Passion for the wonderful opportunity to briefly share my love for photography and Fujifilm.
I’ve enjoyed photography passionately since my youth. My very first camera was a gift from my father – a Carena Super Zoom with “fuzzy logic.” I took my first steps into digital photography with a Nikon D90. Sadly, during a holiday in Italy, I dropped it and it broke. What followed was a rather gloomy year without a camera – until my wonderful wife gifted me a Fujifilm X-S10 for my birthday, along with the XF16-80mm f4 kit lens. From that day on, my hobby transformed into a true passion – into fujixpassion!
RIGHT: Fuji X-S10 . Fuji XF16-80mmF4 @54.50mm . F/7.1 . 1/90″ . ISO 800
RIGHT: Fuji X-S10 . Fuji XF16-80mmF4 @80mm . F/4.0 . 1/110″ . ISO 800
For about four years now, I’ve been enjoying my Fuji and rarely go anywhere without it. I mostly shoot in JPG and love using Fujifilm’s film simulations. My go-to is Classic Chrome, with its pleasing color tones and beautiful contrast. In post-processing, I usually just add a bit of contrast and vibrancy – nothing more. For editing, I use the free version of Lightroom or sometimes Apple’s built-in photo editor.
My trusty 16-80mm f4 lens still gets the most use. While it may have its limitations, its versatile focal range makes it an ideal travel companion and a true all-rounder. Over time, I’ve expanded my gear with a Fuji XF 55-200mm f3.5-4.8 and three Viltrox prime lenses: the 13mm f1.4, 27mm f1.2, and 56mm f1.4.
This summer, we spent a wonderful week on the island of Lanzarote – a fascinating place with its rugged volcanic landscapes and stunning, high-contrast colors. We were also deeply impressed by the architectural and cultural influence of César Manrique.
RIGHT: Fuji X-S10 . Fuji XF16-80mmF4 @22.30mm . F/18 . 1/120″ . ISO 160
RIGHT: Fuji X-S10 . Fuji XF55-200mmF3.5-4.8 @200mm . F/4.8 . 1/480″ . ISO 800
One day, while jogging along the coast near the airport, I discovered a fantastic viewpoint overlooking the runway – a spot where planes fly in directly overhead as they land. When I got back, I told my kids about it, and they were instantly excited. So we packed our things – me with my Fuji, the 16-80mm, and the 55-200mm zoom lens – and headed out just before dusk.
It turned into a thrilling family outing. We had never seen planes land from so close. We could hear the tires screech as they hit the tarmac and saw smoke rise from the runway. Further down, with the sea as a backdrop, planes roared right above our heads. It was incredibly loud – a soundscape that, combined with the crashing waves, felt like a thunderstorm. My kids and even my wife were absolutely amazed. It truly felt like you could reach up and touch the planes.
RIGHT: Fuji X-S10 . Fuji XF55-200mmF3.5-4.8 @77.90mm . F/6.4 . 1/220″ . ISO 640
RIGHT: Fuji X-S10 . Fuji XF16-80mmF4 @16mm . F/5.6 . 1/40″ . ISO 800
As the evening light faded, the atmosphere became even more magical. But with the low light and the speed of the planes, my zoom lenses at f4 and f3.5-4.8 quickly reached their limits. Even increasing the ISO to 800 only helped for a short while. Sadly, I had left my new Viltrox 27mm f1.2 at home.
So instead of continuing to shoot, we simply enjoyed the moment – the sunset by the sea, the thunder of landing aircraft, the waves crashing on the shore. Even without more photos, it was an unforgettable evening.
I wish you all lots of joy in your photography! Do it for yourselves and enjoy every moment. And a big thank you to Fuji X Passion for this amazing platform and the inspiring selection of beautiful images!
The post The story behind the photo: Discovering Lanzarote’s skies appeared first on Fuji X Passion.