APERTURE: F/4

SHUTTER SPEED: 1/30 SEC

CAMERA: HASSELBLAD X1D II 50C

FOCAL LENGTH:45MM (XCD 3,5/45)

© MARTIN Kubečka

WEEKLY WINNER

Martin Kubečka

PEZINOK, SLOVAKIA

What made you become the photographer you are today?

I never thought about being a professional photographer. The only thing I’ve ever wanted was to catch unique moments and emotions in life that will never happen again. It’s as if I stop time and make memories with my camera. The more I travelled and experienced new cultures, the more I created my own style of photographs. Japan has the biggest impact on my production – especially Tokyo, where I usually stay for a few months every year, which is incredibly energetic and totally different from my homeland. Thanks to this, I see the world of photography from a different perspective.

What does the X System camera do for your photography?

My transition to shooting with Hasselblad started with an analog 500CM. When I was trying to find this model in a used camera store in Japan, the new X1D II 50C had just been released. So, I decided that it was the right time to move my production forward with the X System. It has incredible dynamic range and a wide scale of colours, which I appreciate while taking street photographs as well as in the studio. Its compact size is the ideal choice for travelling.

Tell us the story behind how you created your image.

This image was created while testing my new lighting gear, which allowed me to also put the sensor of the X1D II 50C to the test. My aim was to shoot a simple portrait where the emphasis was put more on colours and the face of the model. As I wanted to make this simple portrait unique, I took inspiration from the show “Stranger Things”, specifically the character Eleven’s usual dark expression.