Lumia Instagramer of the Week: Olivier Wong
“I never believed I’d become such an active member of this inspiring community and learn so much about photography.”
We’ve no doubt that these words spoken by this week’s Lumia Instagramer ring true for plenty of other people too. Clearly, we’re a bit biased, but we think you’d be hard pressed to find such a passionate and talented group of smartphone photography lovers anywhere else on the planet. Olivier Wong, a 25 year-old French engineer living in Paris is a prime example of what we mean. Since joining Instagram last October he’s photography has blossomed and he’s gained thousands of followers. To see why, simply scroll down. But first let us hear more from the man himself.
Which Lumia do you have and what do you like most about it?
I have a Lumia 1020 since April, earned after winning the Lumia Lowlight competition. What I like the most about the Lumia 1020 is obviously its amazing 41 MP camera, especially the ability to shoot in RAW and to choose the camera settings manually. Besides, its lowlight capabilities are truly outstanding for a phone!
Where do you shoot most of your photos and what sort of photos do you like to take best?
I shoot the most of my photos in Paris, which is a city with infinite possibilities of photography. Firstly, I like to shoot lowlight and long exposure shots. With its ability to go up to 4 secs shutter speed and its OIS, the Lumia 1020 produces some amazing results in lowlight and at night. I equipped it with a tripod and some ND filters (ND8 and ND32) that make the difference.
Another sort of pictures I enjoy a lot are puddlegram. I discovered this kind of photography after Morten Nordstrom was featured here on Conversations and quickly became addicted to this style. The rainy weather in Paris really helps to achieve beautiful reflections of the buildings and monuments.
What are your top tips for taking Instagram photos on your Lumia?
1. Be creative. People on Instagram are eager to see pictures that they have not seen before. Try to find an unusual point of view that will make your picture unique and impress your world.
2. Find yourself a style, improve it and become a master in it. People love to see how you progress and the evolution of your pictures.
3. Learn to use the manual settings of your Lumia. This will allow you to take pictures in every condition and situation.
Which five Lumia instagramers do you recommend everyone to follow?
It is always difficult to choose a few among the numerous inspiring instagramers out there, but the following people are those with whom I have the most empathy with,
What are your top 10 favourite Lumia instagram pics?
Eiffel Tower Reflection – I really like the combination of car roof reflection and car light trails.
Eiffel Tower classic long exposure – This LE shot has been taken ten thousand times but this one, taken with my Lumia 1020 and the ND8xND32 filters, has something special, what do you think?!
Extra long exposure of Notre Dame – This picture results from the stacking of 18 pictures shot at 1.6 secs with a ND32 filter.
Paris from the top – Seeing Paris from the air is an amazing experience everyone should enjoy at least once.
Dandelion – The zooming capability of the Lumia allows me get some nice bokeh in the background.
La Défense – This is the business district where I work. After a heavy rain, the ground turns into a huge mirror and offers plenty of puddlegrams.
Parisian street reflection – Parisian buildings are always nice to catch in the puddles.
Pyramid of the Louvre – This puddlegram is one of the most famous in Paris and still is a huge treat for me, especially at sunset.
Bridge reflection – When sunset meets puddle, you surely have me happy!
Awesome IGers – Since I am on Instagram, I have met some amazing photographers who gave me many advices and tips on photography.
We’re totally in love with all of Olivier’s photos and we hope you are too. If so be sure to follow him on Instagram and let us know in the comments which is your favourite. And as always, if you’d like to see your work showcased here, you can either follow us on Instagram or share your best pics with #Lumia…or both!