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Kayla Connors is making moves

Kayla Connors isn’t afraid to go out of her way to get the right shot, whether that’s crafting a story about her subject or finding higher ground. “If there’s really something I want to do, I’ll figure it out. If I need to climb a tree, I’ll climb a tree.”

We spoke to the up-and-coming fashion photographer, whose work is featured in the new Capture One for iPhone campaign, about what gives her the freedom to move.

“I think what first drew me to photography was that it feels like you can step into someone’s world for a minute,” says Kayla, speaking to us from her apartment in London accompanied by her black cat, Munch.

“There’s an element of fantasy in fashion photography that I love. A familiarity of your mom giving you clothes when you were a kid or wearing your grandmother’s bag.”

Growing up in Switzerland, the now 25-year-old moved to the UK in 2017 to pursue her photography dream at Central Saint Martin. Last year, she graduated with an MA in Fashion Communication and since then, her work has been featured in publications like Dazed and Another Magazine.

Kayla tends to center women in her work. For her, having an emotional connection and a story in her head about her subjects is paramount to help her get the expression she is looking for. So much so that she tends to create a narrative for every shoot she does.

“In order for the team to be on the same page and for me to have a clearer story, I like [the model] to become like a character. So, we’re not just shooting pretty dresses in a pretty location,” she explains.

Her work, a lot of which she shoots on film, radiates with a feeling of softness and an introspective view of her subjects.

“I think a lot of myself is in my work, so it’s going to be a female perspective. Even if I’m shooting men, I’m going to shoot them as a woman.”

Yet, she is conscious about avoiding what she describes as “female gaze photography”, explaining that she feels that this is overdone. Instead, she likes to opt for a more subtle way of drawing out the experience of being a girl. With recurring themes in her work being sisterhood, motherhood, and the feminine urge to run away with your best friend, she wants the women she shoots to not look overly sexualized or passive.

“I think there’s always strength there because that’s how I see women. But it’s not a conscious decision. I think that just comes through naturally.”

Preferring to shoot outdoors, Kayla says her work has brought her to just about every location in London. But when out on location, trying to get the movement and space she needs for her work with a lot of equipment is not always practical.

“If we’re shooting outdoors and I can’t have an Eizo on set, I still want a way for my clients and for my team to just be able to see everything and make changes from,” says Kayla.

Having had the chance to use Capture One for iPhone ahead of its release, Kayla has seen some of the ways the app has given her the freedom she needs to create her images.

“When I’m doing smaller editorials, I’ll look at the screen on my digital camera, especially when I am also shooting film, because I use it to test for lighting,” she says.

“But sometimes, if it’s super sunny or if it auto adjusts the brightness on the screen, it can affect how I light for my film. Whereas on my phone, you can see it more clearly and I can just zoom in quickly so I can see that it’s the right lighting and say ‘Let’s go for it’,” she says, noting the relief of being able to go through and make selects on her phone and sharing them with her team to make sure she has the right shots by the end of a shoot.

With new tools and technology designed to automate and simplify parts of a photographer’s workflow becoming readily available, Kayla believes that the future is bright for photographers who manage to bring emotion to their work.

“I’m really not scared by AI or all the other new technology. I think if you can bring something creative to the table, no matter what technology can do, there’s always something beautiful about being human made. Right?”

“That certain time at a certain place with a certain stylist, a certain feeling, and all of that, even with whatever’s happening politically, socially, on that day will come through in the image somehow.”

“I’m just excited about all of the new possibilities.”

See more of Kayla’s work on her Instagram.

Download Capture One for iPhone here

“I am alive, these are my days.” Wika Wójcikiewicz is rebranding aging

Frustrated by the way aging in women is seen in Polish society, Wika Wójcikiewicz has set out to debunk the myth that life ends after 50.

“What is the difference between my body and a woman who’s 70 years old? It’s literally just wrinkles,” asserts the soon-to-be photography graduate Wika Wójcikiewicz.

Having spent a good part of the past six months on the road, Wika has travelled across her home country Poland to capture the inner lives of four women in their 70s who are not satisfied with being contained to an outdated view of what it means to get older.
Her finishing project for her bachelor’s in photography at London College of Communication “Life is not boring, you are”, goes beyond what is normally seen of “women of a certain age” and documents their colorful lives.

“Many young people consider age as something that we should be scared of, as something lonely, boring and full of limitations. We are told that our minds and bodies are the most beautiful in our 20s, hence we should enjoy it until we can, indicating one day it will finish,” she says, adding that older people often feel forgotten by society.

She was first inspired to investigate the way women in the later parts of their lives are seen after seeing a music video by Polish singer Maria Peszek featuring older women floating nude in a lake.

“It was shocking, because you don’t really see much nudity in my country because it’s Catholic.” She explains that nudity in general, but in particular by older women, is expected to be kept inside the house and not out in the open.
Not being able to get the video out of her head, Wika decided to reach out to some of the women who were featured in the clip to get to know more and propose a new project.

With two women from Peszek’s video and two from her own network deciding to join – each of them having different reasons for being in the project – she underlines that her focus was not necessarily to show nudity but to use photography as a tool to connect to another generation.

With her all-female crew, she has traveled around Poland, staying with the four women and getting to know their routines, quirks, and desires. Each shoot reflects an idea raised by one of the women who would co-direct the team to reimagine their living rooms, kitchens, and bedrooms as spaces that could embody mantras about freedom, confidence, and playfulness.

“It was just genuinely a fun time,” says the 22-year-old photographer.

Chapter one

As a stand-up comedian, Ms. Basia is used to the limelight. She admits that she loves the camera and constantly looks for lens-based opportunities and a chance to work with young people. Wika describes her as “fire”.

“Do we always need to find a bigger purpose? I am participating in this project because once an opportunity comes my way, I cannot say no to it,” says Ms. Basia.

“No one knows how much longer I will be on this planet. I want to enjoy it as much as possible. My happiness is the most important to me.”

Chapter two

“She loved it,” Wika recounts about her interaction with Ms. Ewa. A retired psychologist and a photographer herself, now has the chance to be in front of the camera. Living in a catholic country, she points out the double standard of what is seen as acceptable.

“We live in a prudish society. People do really horrible stuff and it’s dismissed. I am showing a bit of my nudity and people see it as inappropriate,” says Ms. Ewa.

“I am 70 years old; I cannot look like 20 years old. Give me a break!”

Chapter three

Currently fighting a tumor, Ms. Dorota is not ready to give in to her illness. She wants to take the bull by the horns and enjoy creative processes as long as she can.

“Through deep analyzing of myself, I have finally started liking myself. I feel the most confident now,” she says.

“However, you all have to remember that confidence is something that has to be built.”

Chapter four

Ms. Gosia is Wika’s aunt. Today, she spends time taking care of an older relative, but in her youth, she was a musician. “She has a beautiful voice,” says Wika.

Wishing to take part in the project to feel beautiful again and to vary her everyday life, Ms. Gosia reveals that she has never felt as peaceful and confident as now.

For Wika, seeing the confidence and enjoyment of life that the women have has put a new perspective on ageing and she hopes it will for others too.

“They had an entire life to like themselves and this is the time when they finally do. That’s also the reason why they participated in that because they love themselves. I think it’s beautiful.”
“They definitely made me not be scared of getting old.”

Portraits by: Wika Wójcikiewicz
Behind-the-scenes images and video by: Edyta Mielewczyk and Ita Litwiniec

Are you a student or teacher? Register here to get 65% off Capture One Pro

Spring News – What’s coming from Capture One

2023 is well underway, and for us here at Capture One, it’s already been full of new releases and features. With even more exciting tools coming that will make it even easier for photographers to work together with others and create amazing images, we want to let you in on what we have been working on and give you some things to look forward to.

So, here’s a rundown of some of the latest news from Capture One and a peek at what’s to come in the next months.

Artificial intelligence for more control over your editing

Artificial intelligence may seem to be everywhere you turn these days. And while some of you might be worried about what this new technology means for photographers and creatives, at Capture One, we believe in using AI to give control and time back to the photographer to spend on the things that matter the most.

With the launch of Capture One Pro 23, we introduced some of our first AI-assisted tools and features, such as Smart Adjustments giving you a consistent look across multiple images with a single click and automatic grouping of your shots for faster culling. In February, we improved the exposure precision for Smart Adjustments for less manual tweaking and made the culling experience flow even faster with automatic selection of the next photo after you have tagged or rated an image.

Very soon, we are bringing you brand new capabilities that make your work even faster with more tools for quicker culling, even better results across your images with Smart Adjustments, more keyboard shortcut options to speed up your work, and other under-the-hood updates to Capture One Pro to make it run even smoother.

Keep an eye on this page to learn about the latest features in Capture One Pro

New ways of working from anywhere, with anyone

Last year, we released new tools to let you, as a photographer, take your work wherever you want to go. With the Capture One for iPad app, you no longer need to carry around your computer whether you’re doing a tethered shoot or want to see your images on a larger screen and get a head start on your editing while on location.

Now, even more photographers can take their work on the go. In February, we added camera support for Sony FX30, Phase One IQ4 backs, Canon R8 and R50, and even iPhone, for those who are shooting ProRAW photos.

Capture One Live is now available on iPad

Those who need to share their work with clients or teams, even if they are out on location, can now keep them closely involved in a shoot with Capture One Live in the iPad app. With Capture One Live on iPad, you can easily share your images without having to export and upload the images on a separate platform. Get immediate feedback in the app no matter where you or your clients are in the world.

With our coming updates, including comments in the Capture One app and notifications, collaboration will be faster and easier than ever.

We now also offer integration with Frame.io, meaning you can sync your photos directly between the desktop app to Frame.io without having to export or import your images. This is great for creative and marketing teams who can work together even more easily, extending their collaboration all the way to print and beyond.

Capture One for iPhone is coming

Get ready to have the power of the studio in your pocket. In Summer 2023, we are introducing Capture One for iPhone.

Stay tuned to learn more about what Capture One for iPhone can do for the way you work.

Go All In

Finally, we are also happy to introduce All in One. This subscription gives you the full package – all of our products in one convenient bundle.

You’ll get:

Capture One Pro on desktop
Capture One for iPad
Capture One for iPhone (coming)
Capture One Live Unlimited, our image-sharing tool for gathering client feedback in one place
Priority support

Our goal is to make sure that you have the freedom and peace of mind to create as you want, with all the tools you need in one package. So, with the All in One, you can also enjoy priority support and get even quicker responses for any issue you might face with the tools you use. With an average response time of 12 hours, you’ll get help 3 times faster than usual.

Get the All in One subscription before June 30 and save 15% on your first year.

We’re proud to be part of such an incredible community of photographers, and we can’t wait to see what you create.

Women portraying women: three female photographers to zoom in on

Since the invention of photography, countless images have been taken with women as the subject. Most of these have historically been taken by men. As more women are carving out a space for themselves in the industry, the way women on both sides of the camera are represented is changing.

We asked three female photographers about the depiction of women in their work and their thoughts on what the future looks like for women in photography.

Note: This article was originally published in March 2022.

Eva Sitko

Through her colorful style of photography, German photographer and former graphic designer Eva Sitko works to bring out emotions in her subjects to show the interpersonal dynamics of our feelings. Sitko takes a keen interest in her subjects’ emotional display, in particular when shooting women.

“A self-confident, strong woman who deals openly with her emotions is the incarnation of beauty for me.”

Her interest in the emotional life of her subjects has led her to notice differences in how men and women are represented.

“Women are often portrayed in very different ways than men. Masculinity often fulfills a certain function, femininity is represented more by a feeling,” she explains.

“I often see myself faced with the challenge that female models are more likely to show and pose in a more sexual way. Men, on the other hand, want to radiate strength and authenticity. However, I find it more important to depict the feelings of the person, may it be love, anger, curiosity, anger, etc.”

Sitko notes that female photographers have in the past received little publication or marketing despite having a distinctly different and, according to her, intuitive approach to aesthetics when compared to men.

“I see a big positive shift in the support of women’s photography today. This contributes to a holistic view of the genders in art or photography. After all, every human being, male or female, should have the same opportunities. Because that’s what unites us: how we feel.”

Explore more of Eva Sitko’s work on her website and Instagram.

Carly Zavala

For Carly Zavala, being able to relate to the women she shoots helps her find the best way to frame her subjects.

“I know the struggles and experiences we deal with on a daily basis. As something I relate to, I tap into that connection instinctively to get a feel on how to photograph and portray women,” says the Venezuelan-born, Brooklyn-based freelance photographer. With 15 years of experience working as a nurse, Zavala uses her knack for reading her subjects to put them at ease while shooting.

“I let my intuition take the lead and I believe this is where I produce my best work. I want the women that I photograph to be seen in their authenticity, and most importantly for them to see themselves in their natural light.”

Light and shadow play a big role in Zavala’s work to create emotive and moody images giving dimensions to her subjects drawing out interesting stories.

“Being in the age that we are at now, I think it’s extremely important for there to be a focus on the female perspective to help change the narrative of how current society sees and depicts women. We have slowly started to see a shift in the perception of what beauty standards have been, especially for women. I think that women in photography will continue to shift that narrative in a more positive light.”

Discover more of Zavala’s images on her website and Instagram.

Madlena Motaki

“I am a woman and mother above all. In every woman, I try to discover the light,” says Madlena Motaki.

As a self-described part-time photographer and full-time mother, much of her work centers around intimate and profound moments between women and their loved ones – mothers with their children, grandmothers and granddaughters, husbands and wives.

“I choose to represent women as raw as they will allow me with a bit of aesthetic.”

Seeing her job as capturing moments of real emotion, her main priority is to make people feel safe and comfortable in front of the camera so they can open up and show their true selves.

“I hope [the future of women photography] will become less perfect and more real. Like when you look at the portrait of a woman and start to wonder ‘who’s she?’, ‘what’s her story?’, ‘why is she sad or happy?’ and I want to keep looking trying to find answers.”

See more of Motaki’s work on her website and Instagram.