The English writer Samuel Johnson famously said, “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.”
When you look at this week’s featured Lumia Instagramer, Alban Xhakaj, you get a sense of what he means. Originally from Albania, Alban now lives in one of the world’s most vibrant cities and his photographs captures that in a variety of wonderful ways. But before you take a look at his amazing selection of photos, let’s hear from the man himself about life with his Lumia.
So, first things first Alban, which Nokia Lumia do you have and what do you most like about it?
I’ve had the yellow Nokia Lumia 1020 since the beginning of February and I must say that it’s one of the most beautiful pieces of technology ever created. I love this phone! That camera hump on the back of the phone makes it feel so unique. I love rhe 41mp sensor, the PureView technology, the Optical Image Stabilisation and the fantastic manual controls available including 4s of shutter speed.
Add to that the manual ISO and focus and the dedicated camera button and you understand why it’s the best camera smartphone yet and replaces any need for a DSLR. Another thing I should mention is the Camera Grip. It’s amazingly designed for one handed use, plus the extra battery, camera button and the tripod mount make it really useful.
Where do you shoot most of your photos and what sort of photos do you like to take best?
I’m currently living in London so all my pictures are taken here. London is a big city with a lot of beautiful places so every time I go out I try and shoot something new. I also really enjoy taking shots of nature. On top of that I like to experiment a lot. I do everything from puddlegrams to long exposure,macro to street photography. And lately I’ve also started doing some light painting photography.
What are your top tips for taking Instagram photos on your Lumia?
Use the square framing grid so you know what you are taking a photo of will fit once cropped for Instagram.
Set the full 5mp+ 38mp resolution so you can crop them later.
Remember editing is part of photography and this is where you can really create your own style.
Which five Lumia instagramers do you recommend everyone to follow?
There are loads of amazing instagramers out there, but these are my favourite five currently.
@robmulally – is my favorite instagramer. I love his creativity and ideas. He always does things differently.
@lonled – Shooting in 16:9, his landscapes are so beautiful and he does a very good job editing. I can look at his pictures for ages.
@albene_dictine – You can find every type of picture you can think of in his galley. There’s macro, landscape, long exposure, tiny planets and more.
@recycler1020 – His pictures always have a lot of meaning behind them.
@anapuzar – I love the way she takes macro pictures. The different subject with beautiful colours are awesome.
A picture that shows two of the most Iconic buildings in London with some amazing colours.
When I was little I searched on internet for The London Eye plenty of times and dreamt of taking a picture like this. Now that dream has came true.
One morning, after some heavy rain in the night, the sky was filled with beautiful red colours. I couldn’t wait to capture it.
In this picture my cousin is making our Albanian flag’s symbol, the eagle with two heads. I found a different way of taking it. Close to a puddle!
This is a small lake near Canary Warf in central London. I like the colours of the buildings and the boats reflected in it.
This was my first long exposure picture after I bought a tripod. Big Ben is on the right side and a London Bus is passing in front of it.
The way I’ve rotated this makes it a bit different and gives it an interesting perspective.
This is St Paul’s cathedral and a man without a “head” reflecting in the water.
I was a bit nervous trying this, but managed to do it with the help of my cousin. It was my first time steel wool picture. We went close to a puddle and tried to make a nice composition.
Alban has an amazing skill in capturing the magical things about London, so if you’d like to see more of his work, why not follow him on Instagram. And if you’re a Lumia Instagramer who’d like to see their life showcased here, follow us on Instagram or share your best pics with #Lumia, or both. In the meantime, we love to know which of Alban’s photos you loved best.