Spotlight on readers’ excellent images and how they captured them
James Cranch, Exeter
James is a train guard. See his work at Instagram.com/james.cranch
My parents have been photographers my entire life. However, with a typical child’s perspective I didn’t want to do the same thing as them, so instead of picking up a camera I picked up a guitar. That changed a couple of years ago when I asked my dad to teach me how to use a camera and I’ve been obsessed ever since!
I tend to focus on heavy shadows and patches of light, ideally with a solitary subject. I find I’m more drawn to black & white, though recently I have been mixing in a bit more colour.
I love that I can grab my camera and spend the day walking around in a world of my own. You start noticing things you may not have before.
I get inspiration from other photographers on social media as well as photography books.
Sony Alpha 6000.
Fujifilm X-T5, Fujifilm 18-55mm F2.8-4, Fujifilm 35mm F2.
Currently it’s the Fujifilm 35mm F2. I find the size, quality and price of it unbeatable. Its near- 50mm full-frame equivalent is the focal length I’m most comfortable with.
Peak Design leash and wrist strap, such a quick and convenient system for switching straps.
This is tough as I already have my dream set-up! However, if Leica were to make a 50mm version of its Q series this answer might change!
I only use Lightroom CC.
There’s a long list including Mark Fearnley, Phil Penman, Saul Leiter, Alan Schaller and many others. I also get just as much inspiration from photographers I consider friends such as Steve Barnard, Lee Gerrard, AJ Oloughlin, Nina Hussein, Thomas Burroughs and of course my parents, David and Lindsay Cranch.
Street by Phil Penman, The Americans by Robert Frank and The Unseen Saul Leiter.
Shoot everything and always have your camera with you. Phone cameras are great, but for me they can never replace the feel of an actual camera.
There’s no real story behind any of my images. It’s pretty much a case of I see something, I like it, I shoot it.
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