Clara Pereira and Her Love for the Diana F+ Medium Format Camera

We got to know documentary and portrait photographer Clara Pereira a couple of years ago, when she shared with us her project Ilhas/Islands (Madeira/New York), entirely shot with our Diana F+ medium format camera between 2010 and 2014. Today she's back with some stunning black and white photos taken in her hometown: Madeira Island, Portugal.

Hi Clara, welcome back to our Online Magazine! Last time we interviewed you, you had an upcoming photo exhibition. How did it go? And how life has been treating you since we last spoke?

Hi, thank you for having me back. The exhibition was successful. It was such a treat to have those prints up and share the work. The public responded very well and I was, of course, very pleased with it. Life has been good, without major challenges, can’t complain.

From these amazing shots we can see that you still carry with you our dear Diana F+ camera. After so many years using it, does it still have a soft spot in your heart? And if so, why?

Absolutely! I love this camera. I have been using it for the last 12 or 14 years. Being a low tech person, this camera is almost perfect for me, it allows me to focus on making images in a very simple way. I like the look of it, like a vintage toy. I also like that people don’t take me seriously or get intimidated when they see this camera, which allows me to move freely and get up close for more candid shots. Needless to say, I like the image results, its soft focus and the vignetting. It has its own challenges and light leaks are a bummer sometimes, but you have to embrace it all.

This series was shot with our Berlin Kino 120 film and it was the first time for you trying it. What do you think about the results?

When you’re accustomed to the same film, it's rare to actually try some new one, at least for me, so I’m glad I gave it a shot with this one (Berlin Kino 120), and I’m happy with the results. It offers good contrast and a good range of overtones and it has a nice sharpness to it, if I can say that. Plus it’s the same ISO I always use, 400, which gives me a nice range for shooting on the streets. Definitely one that I will use more.

Can you please tell us more about the location where this series was shot?

These were taken at my hometown, Madeira Island, Portugal, while visiting family and friends. Although it was the end of Fall we had great weather, so locals and tourists enjoyed the sunshine and went for a swim, and of course, I did it too and took my Diana F+ just in case.

During your last interview you mentioned that you were working on a photography book. How is it going so far?

I wish I could say it was ready but it’s been a slow process. I started working on a different project and the book got sidelined for a while. With that said, I’m still working on it and it’s coming together!

Do you have any new interesting projects or collaborations planned that you would like to share with us?

I’m working on a project about and with Veterans of the Portuguese Colonial War. The war ended 50 years ago. It’s been very interesting and rewarding to connect with the veterans and families and learn more about our history. Although part of this work was published, it’s still an on-going project.

Check all works from Clara at www.clarapereiraphotography.com.

written by melissaperitore on 2024-11-14 #gear #people #places #portugal #diana-f #berlin-kino