Lomography x Zenit New Petzval Lens Artist Interview: Conrad Bauer

Actor, Skateboarder, Photographer, Lomography Store Staff; this guy definitely has talent! He is also the first person I know who was brave enough to shoot his very first Lomography Petzval photos with an analogue Nikon camera. Enjoy a beautiful snowy day in Berlin and meet our LomoAmigo Conrad Bauer.

NAME: Conrad Bauer
LOCATION: Berlin
COUNTRY: Germany
LOMOHOME: conradbauer
USED CAMERA: Nikon FE2
USED FILMS: Ilford HP5, Lomography B&W Lady Grey

Hey Conrad, please introduce yourself to our Community.

Hey there! My name is Conrad Bauer, I live in Berlin and I'm 24 years old. I've been a skateboarder for about 15 years and have been lucky enough to have made some sponsorship deals during this time. I also played in several films, including 'This Ain't California', where I played the skateboard legend Marco Sladek, or 'Move On', a film by Mad Mikkesen, whom I also met in real life. And since last year I've also been part of the Lomography store staff in Berlin.

You are the first one I know who was brave enough to shoot his first Petzval photos with a film camera. How was shooting analogue with the lens? Which camera and films did you use?

It was great! I liked the overall weight of the camera, but you have to be careful to keep it really steady while focusing. So if you went out clubbing the night before, the next day is not really the time for a portrait shooting, (laughs). At first I thought I would always forget to change the aperture plates, but after a few minutes it was no big deal anymore.

I shot with my Nikon FE2 camera, an Ilford HP5 and a Lomography B&W Lady Grey film.

What should you definitely consider or avoid while shooting analogue with the lens?

You definitely have to be careful to take out the aperture plate after shooting your photo, otherwise, you will probably lose them if you carry your camera around your neck like I do.

You took some very nice winter portraits. Who are in the pictures and where did you have your shoot?

The girl is a friend of mine and the other guy is Barnabas, a skate buddy. Both have had some modeling experience in the past, so I was sure that the photos with them would turn out well. The photos of Doreen were taken in Kreuzberg in Victoria Park, because I like that place a lot, especially in the summertime. And the photos with Barnabas were taken in "Mitte", because I really like the old style of the architecture in parts of that area.

Which photograph is your favorite and why?

Oh, a tough question ... I really like all the pictures with Doreen on it! The vertical one where you can see the road in the background and the multiple exposures came out pretty nice though. Even without using a tripod. But the first picture in the second gallery, this is actually my favorite one. I love the light, the style and the depth of it.

What do you like most about the Lomography Petzval Lens?

It is a wonderful portrait lens! It was also funny how quickly you get into contact with strangers just because of the lens. When I left my apartment for the first time, an older gentleman directly asked if I have welded the lens by myself... and of course, I like the bokeh effect!

On your Tumblr account we see a lot of black and white photography. What's special about black-and-white film photography for you?

I like the contrast. B&W photography is timeless and always in style because you don't have to pay attention to the color compositions. Of course, I also like color photos, but the color has to harmonize perfectly.

What photo opportunities or projects would you like to use the Petzval lens for in the future?

I would love to shoot portraits in the summertime! With a lot of flowers in the background... and yes, even colored photos! ;)

Tell us 4 reasons why everyone has to own this lens?

It's simply a perfect portrait lens! It was a lot of fun to work with it, because the lens is stable, has style and is pretty manageable. It is worth every penny!

Thanks for the interview Conrad!

Check out his Tumblr account for more of his work!

The Lomography x Zenit Petzval Lens is available for pre-order in our online shop. The lenses will be delivered on a first-come, first-served basis - so grab this chance to get one of the first models of this piece of photographic history!

written by zonderbar on 2014-01-27 #people #test #black-and-white #interview #review #analogue #digital #zenit #artist #lomoamigo #film-photography #petzval #petzval-artist-interview #conrad-bauer