First of all: you don’t need to know anything about cameras to get stunning photos from me. To be honest, that’s actually my job, not yours. During the shoot, you should be thinking about yourself, not the technical side of things.
Even so, I’m sometimes asked what I actually use to take photos. And because the answer says something about how important your photos are to me, I’d like to share it here – without any technical jargon, I promise.
What exactly is a medium-format camera?
At the heart of every digital camera is the sensor – the surface that captures light. In most cameras, even very good professional models, this sensor is about the same size as a standard 35mm slide.
A medium-format camera has a significantly larger sensor. A larger surface area means that each individual pixel receives more light and has more space. And that’s exactly what you can see – particularly in the areas that matter most in boudoir photography.
Medium format is traditionally the tool of choice for fashion, advertising and fine art photography. It is larger, more unobtrusive and more demanding than an ordinary camera. For a shoot that’s all about intimacy, light and skin, it’s the obvious choice for me.
Why a Hasselblad, of all things?
My medium-format camera is a Hasselblad. For photographers, this name is something of a promise. The Swedish manufacturer has been building cameras to the highest standards for decades – it has been used to create legendary portraits, major fashion spreads and even the famous photographs of the first moon landing in 1969.
What really wins me over about the Hasselblad, however, isn’t its history, but the way it renders skin. Hasselblad has developed its own colour reproduction system, designed to produce natural, true-to-life skin tones. Soft rosé and peach tones, warm shadows, the finest gradations – exactly what makes a boudoir photograph special. As a result, many images require hardly any adjustments before they achieve my signature look.
And to be perfectly honest: very few boudoir photographers work with medium format, and even fewer with a Hasselblad. It’s a conscious choice – more expensive, more labour-intensive and slower than the usual approach. I made this choice because I want your photos to look good not just today on your mobile, but in twenty years’ time too – in an album, on the wall and in your memories.
So with me, you don’t just get a photo shoot – you get images of a quality you’d normally only see in magazines, galleries and advertising campaigns.
What's in it for you?
Skin that looks like skin
Skin is the most challenging subject of all. It has countless subtle shades, gentle transitions between light and shadow, warmth and texture. A medium-format camera captures these subtleties particularly naturally: transitions appear soft rather than jagged, and skin tones look vibrant rather than flat and lifeless.
That also means I don’t have to retouch the photos as much to achieve a beautiful result. Your skin can look just like your skin – but in the best possible light.
This particular depth
Medium-format photographs often have a look that is difficult to describe but can be felt immediately: a sense of calm depth, a gentle separation from the background, almost three-dimensional. Many say the pictures look ‘as if they’ve come straight out of a magazine’. That is precisely why.
Light and shadow with soul
The difference is particularly evident in dark, dramatic images or in bright window light: details are preserved in the shadows, whilst nothing is overexposed in the bright areas. This results in images with atmosphere – rather than black holes or white spots.
Pictures that want to go on the wall
Many of my clients commission an album or have a photograph printed in large format. This is where medium format really comes into its own: even in large formats, the images remain delicate, smooth and rich in detail. A print that will be with you for years to come deserves precisely this level of quality.
And why not always use medium format?
A medium-format camera is a calm, unhurried tool. It’s perfect for portraits, details and staged moments. For fast-moving action – a sudden laugh, a scarf flying through the air, water splashing – I also reach for a fast Canon camera.
That way, I’ve got the right tool for every moment. And all you’ll notice is that I change cameras every now and then.
What else lies behind your pictures
The camera is just one part of it. To ensure everything comes together perfectly in the end, there are a few other things that need to be in place:
- Light that I can shape. In the studio, I work with professional studio lighting. This allows me to create exactly the right atmosphere for you – regardless of the weather or the time of day.
- Careful editing. I edit every image myself in Capture One, using my own visual style – warm, timeless, and respectful of your natural appearance.
- Colours that look just right in print. We carry out our editing on the latest Macs with high-quality screens, so that what you see on screen looks exactly the same in the album.
- Confidentiality. Your photos are stored securely and are only visible to you in your password-protected gallery. Nothing will be published without your express consent.
In the end, it’s not the camera that counts
As lovely as all that is, the best photo isn’t created by technology, but by trust. It’s created in that moment when you forget about the camera, take a deep breath and simply be yourself.
The technology simply ensures that this moment is captured as it deserves to be – in every detail.
Has this sparked your curiosity?
If you’d like to see what your own story would look like in medium format, let’s have a chat. There’s no obligation – we can talk on the phone or over a coffee in the studio. And if you’d like, you’re welcome to have a look through the viewfinder whilst we’re at it.
Real. Sensual. Unapologetically You.
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