135 ☼ Revealing 'The Best Medicine' Project

Testing a crazy 50mm f1.0 lens

Mar 10, 2024

Dear friends,

In this week's letter, I share a preview of a brand new portrait project called The Best Medicine, and my thoughts on testing a gorgeous f1.0 lens. That’s right, f1.0!

Everything in this issue was shot on a Fujifilm X-E4 and a Fujifilm XF 50mm f/1.0 R WR lens lens, both kindly provided by my friends at MPB.com.

☀️ Shout out to the good folks at Squarespace for helping make this issue possible ☀️

Housekeeping - More Photo Walks!

I’m thrilled to announced that after the success of the first Process Photo Walk, I have scheduled two more this spring. There will be limited spots so RSVP now. <3

Amsterdam — Sunday, May 5th. RSVP here. Co-organized by Barry van Weldam and the Analog Club Amsterdam.
Antwerp — Saturday, May 18th. RSVP here. Co-organized by Jason Kravitz and the Aminus3 photography community.

A New Project: The Best Medicine

This week, I'm excited to share a glimpse into a brand new long-term project, "The Best Medicine." It's a portrait series about people who use humor as a force for good, offering joy, consolation, and perspective to a world full of fear and sadness.

For this project, I have teamed up with the brilliant and lovely Raquel Palmas, a fantastic comedian and cast member at Boom Chicago. Our first session featured the legendary Joe Bill, co-founder of the ground-breaking Annoyance Theater in Chicago and an improv virtuoso and artistic director. Joe's love and warmth spilled into the room at Studio 13 in Amsterdam during our shoot, leaving us all laughing and smiling.

Instead of dividing the portrait session and the interview section into two separate parts of the day, we decided to merge them. With lots of light and the impressive speed of the lens and camera, I was able to freeze emotions and capture genuine expressions as Joe's vibrant personality got into a flow state as he told stories and answered questions. (See above and below)

Still, I had to make use of the beautiful space and the shallow depth of field this lens allowed for and during certain parts of the conversation I asked Joe to briefly sit still for a more traditional and calm portrait. (see below)

Thankfully, I also had the chance to embrace my experimental side and create some more unconventional images in the impressionistic style I’ve been developing over the course of the past few years. This lens really suited this style. (See below)

Now, let's talk gear. I had the pleasure of working with the Fujifilm X-E4 paired with the hefty Fujifilm XF 50mm f/1.0 R WR lens. This lens, weighing almost 1kg, looks a bit ridiculous on the tiny X-E4 body, but let me tell you, the results were just wonderful.

Sure, this lens might not be the most convenient or sensible choice for everyone, but the character it brings to the shots is something special. In comparison to my Canon 85mm 1.2, I'd say both lenses more than hold their own, but that distinct Fujifilm charm might just tip the scales in some situations.

Speaking of the X-E4, it caught me off guard with its compact size – even smaller than the X100 series without a lens. With every additional year as a professional photographer, I'm increasingly drawn to shooting with smaller cameras. This body has everything I adore about the Fujifilm X-series, now in an even more portable package. Imagine the possibilities for street photography with a normal sized lens!

But let's swing back to "The Best Medicine." I'm thrilled about this project and grateful for Raquel's talent and collaboration. We have a few exciting shoots lined up for the coming months and are pitching more icons of humor. This is a long-term project and it’ll be a little while before you see more, so we can work on it quietly until it’s ready.

So stay tuned for more updates. Alongside this, there's my ongoing Creatives In/AMS project, the upcoming NOTICE Journal book series, and the mysterious Process Photo Club developments – lots brewing for 2024!

That’s it for this week! So, my friends, keep those cameras close, remember that action comes before inspiration, and get out there to find your own unique voice.

If you enjoyed this issue I’d love for you to share it with friends.

Next Week: I will be writing you from Finland with my first impressions of my Field Studies artist residency.

Keep shooting and take good care of yourselves and others. <3

Wesley

PS Extra special thanks to my intern Guido de Bruin for assisting during this shoot, to Raquel for her creative collaboration, to Joe for making the time to sit for us, and to Studio 13 for the beautiful space.

PPS Don’t forget to sign up for the Process Projected newsletter—work by inspiring contemporary photographers twice a month.

Gear & Tools Used

Camera: All images were shot on the Fujifilm X-E4 with a Fujifilm XF 50mm f/1.0 R WR lens. I really enjoyed working with this camera and the lens was wonderful and fun to shoot with. The body is on the more affordable end whereas the lens is a bit pricey, as any highly specialized niche lens would be. All in all, recommended!

These links take you to MPB.com, my go-to place to buy, sell, and trade used cameras and lenses. I love their service and am a paying customer. MPB caters to over 625,000 visual storytellers and provides a 6-month warranty. Thanks for the support, MPB! <3

Lab: All my analog work is developed and scanned by my friends at Carmencita Film Lab. They’re my favorite lab in the world. Use code “PROCESS” to get a free upgrade.

Website: Shout out to Squarespace for supporting Process. If you need a website, I highly recommend using Squarespace. I’ve been a paying customer for over 10 years (!!?). It’s an easy, professional, and affordable way to have a beautiful portfolio website and webshop. Use the code PROCESS10 for 10% off your first order.