PREMIUM COMPACTS
One camera, fixed lens:
Premium compacts are professional-level cameras that are typically used for street photography, yet can be used to shoot a much wider range of subjects than you might expect. We speak to photographers who use the limitations of their cameras as a catalyst for creativity and a sense of liberation…
Annalaura Pretaroli
Annalaura Pretaroli is an Italian photographer who began shooting photos of her Barbie dolls at the age of ten using disposable cameras that came free with washing powder, and so her photographic journey blossomed. www.annalaurapretaroli.com Instagram @annalaurapretaroli
Premium compact cameras are best known for street and travel photography, which makes sense considering their small size and excellent image quality. But they’re much more versatile than they’re often given credit for, and Annalaura Pretaroli’s flower photography is a stunning example of how she uses her Ricoh GR III in a highly effective way that belies expectations. Her flower photography takes full advantage of the features and functionality that are provided by this tiny camera.
Flower and macro photography are most commonly associated with interchangeable-lens cameras sporting a macro lens alongside the use of accessories such as macro focus rails for precise manual focusing. But the GR III, which is the smallest premium compact camera available with an APS-C sensor, has some stellar close-up functionality; when set to Normal Mode, the minimum focusing distance is just 0.1m to infinity, which is reduced to an incredible 6mm to 1.2cm in Macro Mode. So not only is it small and convenient for Annalaura to carry around in her handbag, it also provides the capabilities she needs to capture macro images alongside wider flower shots.
Annalaura explains, ‘I like the fact that it fits in my pocket and can be carried everywhere without hassle. It’s a little camera that performs well for its dimensions, making it practical alongside being lightweight.’ She continues, ‘I chose the Ricoh GR III after testing the macro function in low light; the autofocus was much faster than I expected, and even at a very close-up range, the images came out sharp considering the slow shutter I had used.’ She mainly uses her GR III for capturing nature shots, which is a subject she became passionate about when she lived close to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
While flowers and nature are Annalaura’s core subject area, she also shoots architecture and portraits with her GR III. She explains that she prefers, ‘50mm for flowers and 35mm for wider scenes. The 28mm equivalent focal length of the GR III works best for architecture, but for everything else, I can shoot wider and crop in when editing, although I don’t tend to crop much. Anything more than a 10-15% cropping means my photo was not framed properly to start with.’
