For the release of its full-frame mirrorless camera, the Nikon Zf, Nikon challenged me to take photos based on the theme of 'standing the test of time'. The idea was to take photos that appear timeless, so that the viewer wouldn’t know whether they were taken in 1913 or 2023.
While I was on a boat on my way to Vancouver Island, Canada, I was immediately inspired by the vintage-style leather seats. It was almost as if I had taken the picture in my head before I even pulled out the camera. I asked my friend to be part of the frame. Luckily, he was dressed in what appears to be a 'timeless' outfit, so it all just clicked into place.
I asked him to look out of the window to convey the journey and the emotion that a boat crossing can evoke – the hope of a new beginning or the melancholy of
a life left behind. I wanted everyone to see themselves in the photo and what their own journey might look like. Traveling leaves no one indifferent; we all go through emotions when we leave or return, and this is the message I wanted my final image to depict.
The biggest challenge was to take the photo without anyone else in the field of view. It's a popular public transport route that fills up quickly so, as soon as I saw the potential, I ran and asked my friend to sit down so I could take the photo. I knew if anyone else sat down the image would be ruined. It must have taken me two minutes to take the photo and was worth every second.
Tech details
Camera: Nikon Zf
Lens: Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S
Aperture: f/4.5
Shutter speed: 1/400 sec
ISO: 320
Take a look at the best Nikon cameras, along with the best Nikon lenses and the best Nikon Z lenses specifically for mirrorless models like the Zf.
