Simon Z Chetrit: Exploring the World of Natura

Our Local Lomographer and highlighted New York creative this time around is Simon Z Chetrit, whose blissful enjoyment of capturing the unique individuals in this metropolis has lead to a significant body of work, one that inspires awe in both the nature of the photographs as well as the open creative sphere of individuals that we live in tandem with across the city and the diversity of those who are all trying to "make it" here. Below we can hear a bit more about this ongoing project, shot on the rare Fuji Natura 1600 35mm film:

"I first discovered Natura while looking for a new 35mm point and shoot- I had a few years where every summer I would get a new point and shoot... Eventually, I discovered the Fuji Natura S and the Natura 1600 color film to accompany it, and it was life-changing."

"I've always wanted a light, trustworthy setup with which I could easily photograph at night, and at last, here it was. And it didn't only excel at night... The flexibility, the latitude, the versatility of the film, it just lets me focus on the more creative elements and connecting with the person in front of me. It's such a simplified, sincere way of shooting, every single time I take a picture with this camera I absolutely love it. And since it's relatively obscure, there are very few ways to achieve this same look and color palate without shooting the film directly."

"I feel I've yet to see the full extent of the color range of this film, and I've shot more than almost anyone. Every single roll I get back, every frame I take, I learn more, understand more, and become more in sync with it. With this camera and film in my hand, an evening out can easily become a full-fledged proper shoot, with all the deep sophisticated tones, lighting and framing that that would imply. It's a great feeling to go out and just walk around at night and photograph strangers in the street lights and neons of the city and feel that you've possibly created something really beautiful with such a lovely little device and film."

Keep checking in, as we will be interviewing Simon about his photographic process and workflow in another magazine spread shortly! In the meantime, be sure to check out Simon's website. Follow us on Instagram as we begin to highlight more local NYC based creatives in the coming weeks!

written by blaskovichs on 2017-10-14 #people #fuji-natura