Bramley Apple

Practicing on Milla.

Before the next shooting, I need to familiarize myself with how the Fujifilm GFX 50S II works with "Martin", the Zeiss T* 1,4/85mm Planar ZF (named after the Patron that sponsored part of the purchase).
That's why I'm going back to the only set I shot with this combination so far, and that is the one with Milla.

And speaking about the next shooting, I'm afraid Dovile is not replying to my messages, so that one is not going to happen, not this time anyway...
I'm left with Demi on ...

Adapting to new equipment.

The arrival of a new camera is always traumatic in some respects, and stimulating in others.
The Sony A7 (this shooting of Martina happened in that period) was disappointing in many ways, as it feels like a toy, compared to the Leica M240 and the Nikon D810 I had been using before for my project.
On the other hand, it has been a revelation, because it proved to me that a mirrorless camera was the way to go if I wanted to extract the most from any classical manual focus lens, like my bel...

Cubist masterpiece.

I usually classify my pictures as front, side or back views, just to allow an easy search in case you have preferences.
But it is not so easy to classify this specific photo as Annalisa is gracefully twisting and showing all 3 aspects in the same frame.
The face is almost frontal, the bust is mostly on the side, whilst the bottom is still perfectly visible as if it was a back view.
As a bonus track on this splendid pose, Annalisa is also showing us both soles of her feet, let's call ...

Doing my best is not always enough.

Stelladiplastica is a person I love very much, but as a model I'm not sure I did a good enough job with her.
On the other hand, leaving out the fact she was not totally n4ked, and the fair eyebrows make her look weird, some photos we shot are really good portraits!
This photo, for example, works very well with the sunlight bouncing off the floor.
She is a great model, no doubt about that, even if was unable to make the most out of her.

If you want to learn more about the Bramle...

Shading Ania's beauty.

The Contax-Zeiss Sonnar T* 85mm f2.8 I was using on Ania during this shooting (and many others), is the smaller brother of the new Zeiss T* 1,4/85mm Planar ZF, named "Martin" after the generous Patron that contributed to its purchase.

The Sonnar design is simpler and less expensive, but still capable of great results, as you can see in this photo.
In Consonno I realized that this Sonnar badly needed a lens hood to avoid flares.

The Planar design is superior, but still can't do ...

Bitching around.

I was hoping to see Lauretta again the past Spring, she was supposed to make another trip in this area and we were supposed to work again together.
Unfortunately I heard nothing more from her since, but I will keep my hears wide open, because I enjoyed this model very much!
She definitely is my favorite bitch, if we believe what she has written on her right ribs.

If you want to learn more about the Bramley Apple Project or Archives, or D...

Sepia.

Shooting number 20 has been the last one with Martina, at least until now.
But I still didn't manage to book the next one!
I will keep trying to shoot with her again and break this spell the number 20 appears to have cast on us, and in the future we will remember this shooting only because the black and white pictures were sepia toned, and NOT because it was the last one with Martina, I PROMISE!

2 more photos today from this same shooting on my regular social media and on DA Subsc...

Always leave the door open for luck.

Sophy, from our second shooting together, in January 2023.
With this one, we've reached 50 photos of Sophy on Patreon alone, I suggest you celebrate this milestone by looking back at her full collection.
I'm still checking her movements, to see if we can manage to work again together, and I hope we get lucky once more!

One more portrait of her on my regular social media feed today, but not as HOT as this one.

If you want to learn more about the Bramley Apple Project or 2025-05-07 07:30:01 +0000 UTC View Post

No escape.

Another new model has contacted me for June, and she is truly beautiful, I hope we can make it happen!

Today we go back to August 2023, to check out another photo of Mary, on this red background.
Another photo with this pair of handcuffs I love so much, and I should never forget to bring for every shooting!
But the star of the show is Mary's gaze, that leaves us no escape, even if she is using only one eye...
In that eye, you can even see my silhouette framed by the window.
...

Gazing towards the horizon.

In this photo, Anneth was standing on a workbench in one of the workshops in Merate's house, whilst I was standing on the floor and looking up with the camera.
That's why the light bulb appears in the background and as a kicker-backlight source, whilst the small window is taking care of lightning her face for the photo.
I like this point of view because it makes her big breast stand out even more than usual, whilst the front boob is out of focus, as if the poor lens was unable to keep b...

f 2.8

After the photo of tomorrow, here is a lightly wider frame shot with the GFX and "Martin" at f 2.8.
With this aperture closed a couple of stops, and from more far away, the model is much better in focus, most of her body looks sharp, and details look delicious, like both eyes, the lips, the red hair, and the hands.
Milla looks gorgeous, whilst the background is still pleasantly blurred.
After all, what matters more to me, and presumably to you, is what is IN FOCUS, not what is out of...

f 1.4

YouTubers are very fond of shooting lenses wide open, but apertures of 1.4 or even wider may have some drawbacks.
Focusing is very difficult, especially when shooting close ups on the medium format sensors of the Fujifilm GFX 50S II.
Albeit "Martin", the Zeiss T* 1,4/85mm Planar ZF (named after the Patron that sponsored part of the purchase) is very sharp even at the widest aperture, and the painterly bokeh in the background is very poetic, the body of the model is fading into oblivion ...

Handcuffed on the balcony.

I stopped working with this Italian photographer that was finding new models for me, and providing a location in Milano to work in.
Most girls were not talking English, most models were backing off the agreed details about the shootings, and location hosts were frequently asking to pay for the location usage a second time.
For all of these logistical and/or communication problems, I decided to give up this collaboration and find the models for myself, and this proved a good idea, as I'm...

Memories.

May 2019, on the terrace of an abandoned house, with the risk of falling down on the right of the frame.
But it was a beautiful location, the only urbex site I visited with Martina.
Great memories captured on sensor for the joy of posterity.

2 more photos of Martina from this shooting later today elsewhere.

If you want to learn more about the Bramley Apple Project or Archives, or DA subscriptions, ask me on 2025-05-01 07:30:02 +0000 UTC View Post

Stay away from Ebay!

This photo of Jiulia was shot with the Nikon 105mm f1.8 AI-s, another great lens, but unfortunately I had bought the wrong copy in 2020 from an Ebay auction, albeit for a very good price.
This lens presents 2 huge problems:
- the grease inside the focusing ring has dried up and focus is VERY hard to turn.
- the lenses inside are fogged by small droplets of condensation that left circular traces of limescale. The photos do not appear to be affected too much by this dirt inside, not ev...

Taking chances.

Some of you might remember Demi, from back in July 2018, one of my most appreciated models of all times.
We never managed to work together a second time, until now.
I've booked a shooting with her on May the 24th, close to 7 years after the first one, and I'm curious to see how she looks now, and how my new gear is going to portray her beauty.

On the 28th, just 4 days after Demi, I have another shooting booked, this time with a brand new model, and I was reading on her IG profile ...

Cold look.

The apartment where I met Cristiana for the first time had 2 bathrooms, both so dark to require the use of a flash, and both with the same look.
And you can work in all conditions, if you're motivated by the mission to preserve the beauty of a young lady like Cristiana for posterity.
Funny how these pictures feel so hot, even if the dominant colors are cold in nature, I wonder why is this happening...

If you want to learn more about the Bramley Apple Project or  2025-04-28 07:30:01 +0000 UTC View Post