Fujifilm Photographers are the Best
There’s a temptation in the photography world to paint Fujifilm photographers as a single, uniform type—a caricature built from assumptions about retro dials, film simulations, or a supposed obsession with nostalgia. They’ll say that Fujifilm photographers dress a certain way, with a particular look or style. Even though they’re not “real photographers” (they are only pretending for TikTok or Instagram fame), they’re a pretentious bunch, with a subtle smugness—an air of superiority simply from the gear they own. But anyone who has spent even a moment around the Fujifilm community knows how wildly inaccurate that is. Fujifilm photographers aren’t a stereotype—they’re a vibrant, diverse group of caring creatives who share a love of making meaningful images, each in their own unique way. Anyone who perpetuates the obviously false caricature has never spent any amount of time around Fujifilm photographers. Most likely, they’ve never met one in real life.
One beautiful thing about the Fujifilm community is how kind and helpful its members tend to be. Whether you’re new to photography or a seasoned professional, there’s always someone willing to share a tip, explain a setting, or offer thoughtful encouragement. Spend even just a few minutes with these photographers, and you’ll see it: generosity, enthusiasm, and a genuine desire to lift one another up. There’s a shared excitement about creating something special.
Above: Photographs from various Fujifilm photowalks and events across America.
No two Fujifilm photographers look alike—not in personality, style, workflow, or creative goals. Some are brand-new to photography with their first “real” camera; some are seasoned and successful professionals. Some are street photographers, some are portrait photographers, some are landscape photographers, etc., etc.. Some shoot straight-out-of-camera JPEGs using Film Simulation Recipes; others shoot RAW. Some do both, depending on the circumstance. Some use Recipes even though they are strictly RAW photographers because they found one similar to their own style, which helps them to pre-visualize the final result while in the field. Some only use Fujifilm gear; some use many different brands. Some are strictly digital; some mostly use film, and only occasionally digital. There’s no right or wrong way to do photography, only what works best for each individual person. Fujifilm photographers are united by their passion for photography, not by any single behavior, camera setting, style, or picture aesthetic.
That diversity is one of Fujifilm’s greatest strengths. Their cameras invite experimentation—color, tone, mood—and they meet people where they are. They don’t demand a specific style; they encourage discovery. The Film Dial, for example, encourages you to try something other than Provia/STD. One person might like a particular Film Simulation Recipe for cityscape photography, while another might find it perfect for snapshots of their kids. The same settings can lead to completely different results because the photographer matters more than the settings. The tool supports the artist’s vision. Fujifilm cameras are artist tools, and there are a variety of options for diverse customers.
Above: Photographs from various Fujifilm photowalks across America using my Fujifilm X-T4 ES infrared camera.
When people try to reduce Fujifilm photographers to a single stereotype, it misses the real heart of the community. Fujifilm users aren’t defined by any cartoonish characterizations. They’re defined by curiosity, creativity, and kindness, which is what makes them special. It’s what some other brands are trying hard to corporately foster within their own communities; with Fujifilm, it’s just natural, it’s organic. The Fujifilm community cannot be summarized by a caricature because it’s too broad, too generous, and too diverse. That’s something to celebrate. Photography is richer when everyone is welcomed, and when every photographer feels free to create in the way that’s most meaningful to them. If anything, the Fujifilm community has been shunning the pesky gatekeepers—those who say that “real photographers” must do photography a certain way, and other paths are less legitimate—and are more open to new ideas or unorthodox methods. That’s a good thing.
Over the last two years I’ve met hundreds and hundreds of you—probably thousands—at various photowalks and Fujifilm events across the country, from San Diego to New York City and many places in-between. I wanted to include in this article a lot of pictures from those events (captured by my wife, Amanda, and I), to demonstrate who the community is (hint: it’s you!). Do these photos resemble the caricature that is too often portrayed across the internet? I’m sure that most stereotypes have an once of truth to them, but they’re broad strokes that are often misrepresentations of the broader group. In the case of the Fujifilm community, it’s easy to see just from these photographs that anyone and everyone is welcomed, and broad strokes don’t come anywhere close to telling the real story of who these people are. The one broad stroke that seems to apply is this: the Fujifilm community is the best in all of photography. And it’s a real honor to be a part of it with you.
Above: Photographs from various Fujifilm photowalks and events across America.
