Publications – Magazine Articles & Interviews

Latest

• Macfilos Feature Article on Matt Osborne/ MrLeica – April 2025

Magazine Articles

I’ve moved the following articles to one page. See below to view –

• What Digital Camera Magazine – Nikon D700 Review – June 2012
• What Digital Camera Magazine – Samyang 85mm 1.4 Review – Nov 2012
• What Digital Camera Magazine – What’s in my bag – June 2013
• NPhoto Magazine – Pro Picks – June 2013
• Amateur Photographer Magazine – Freelensing – 22 February 2014
• Digital Photographer Magazine  – Window Light Portraits – June 2015
• Amateur Photographer Magazine – Film Portraits – 1 August 2015
• Amateur Photographer Magazine – Vintage Legacy – 23 April 2016

Guest Posts

• Kodak 1000 Word Blog – Shooting Film – August 2013
• OnFilm.Photo – The Female Form – April 2016
• Lomography.com – Lomo 800 Film – June 2020

Interviews

• OutdoorPhoto (South Africa), Podcast Interview, 2018 – Read below
• OHM Air (Tokyo) Podcast Interview, 2015 – Listen Here

Shared Posts (Interesting articles to me)

• Shared: Fstoppers.com – 5 Popular B&W Films Compared
• Shared: Portra vs Fuji 400H
• Shared: (LinkedIn) – Can Lenses Be To Sharp For Portraits?

Magazine Articles – Shared

See below for the written magazine articles and featured posts –

What Digital Camera Magazine – Nikon D700 Review – June 2012

What Digital Camera Magazine – Samyang 85mm 1.4 Review – Nov 2012

The featured photo was from a photo shoot in Ukraine with model Olga taken in an orchard close to the city of Uzhgorod.  I was shooting the Samyang 85mm f1.4 lens wide open at f1.4 on a Nikon D800 body. 

What Digital Camera – Readable Full Size PDF

What Digital Camera Magazine – What’s in my bag – June 2013

MatthewOsbornePhotography features as the Photographer for the ‘In the Bag‘ piece as a Model Photographer and Wedding Photographer but also for Photography Tuition and lighting workshops. I discuss some of my favourite 35mm camera gear to use for Portraits and Weddings including; 35mm DSLRs & SLR film camera, Nikkor 200mm f2 AI-s lens, Nikkor 50mm f1.2 AI-S lens and the Samyang 85mm f1.4 lens.

In My Bag (if shooting 35mm DSLRs & film SLRs rather than Medium Format Film)

See full size PDF here: What Digital Camera – June 2013

June 2013 edition of NPhoto Magazine for Nikon camera enthusiasts, UK

MatthewOsbornePhotography features as the Pro Picks photographer as a Model Photographer and Wedding Photographer but also for Photography Tuition and lighting workshops.  I discuss some of my favourite Nikon gear to use for Portraits; the Nikon D800 digital camera, Nikon FM 35mm film camera, Nikkor 200mm f2 AI-s lens, Nikkor 50mm f1.2 AI-S lens and also the use of an Arrilight in the studio and on location.

Mugshot of me in my Coventry Photography Studio, UK with model Stacy McCarthy with Nikon D700 & Nikkor 35mm f1.4G lens.

See full size PDF here: Pro Picks NPhoto Magazine – June 2013

MrLeica on Kodak 1000 Word Film Friday Blog

Kodak 1000 Word Film Friday Blog!, a photo by MatthewOsbornePhotography_ on Flickr.

Kodak 1000 Word Film Friday Blog

The nice people at Kodak spotted me after I posted some fashion film photos taken of Ukranian model Yulya. They asked me to explain what it is that I love about film so here it is

• Kodak 1000 Word Blog – Shooting Film – August 2013

Anyone with a keen eye may notice the photo of Yulya is missing so until the blog post is updated here is the missing photo:

For more photos of Yulya see my ARAX camera review

Amateur Photographer Magazine – February 22, 2014 – Freelensing Issue

Above is my photo of Harriett on the current issue of Amateur Photographer magazine. It was taken with a Nikon D800 DSLR camera back in early 2013 and shot as black and white JPEG in my Coventry studio. The photo was shot at night so that isn’t actually window light.. or a window!

Here are two more photos inside of models Harriett and Emma using the same camera and freelensing technique. I used various medium format camera lenses for freelensing so I am not sure exactly which lens I used here.

I will write an additional freelensing blog post soon with more examples and details using the Nikon D800 camera.

I now shoot with a Leica M9 most of the time both in the studio and on location for fashion photography and for Leica wedding photography so I no longer use the freelensing technique on a regular basis.

Digital Photographer Magazine  – Window Light Portraits – Issue 163, July 2015

Full Article (Not Published)

Digital Photographer Magazine asked me to write an article for them listing my top ten tips for window light portraits with some example images.  I did so and submitted the article.

Below is a iPhone snapshot of the page I was featured on included one of the photos (Model – Gina) and one of the 10 top tips written.  As I already have the full article I thought it might be nice to share it here.

Ten Tips for Window Light Portraits (Full Article)

1) A north facing window is ideal for window light portraits as it provides soft diffused light throughout the day without having to consider possible harsh (high contrast) direct sunlight.

2) Existing window blinds or net curtains can assist in controlling and diffusing bright window light.  If the window is without blinds or net curtains a white sheet or semi-transparent material can be hung betweem the glass and the subject to reduce the light levels.

3) Curtains can be used to shape the window light.  If you have a large window then shutting the curtains part way can create a slice of light that can often be used more creatively.  Having areas of shadow and highlights can add more interest to a photo and shadows can be used to hide distracting backgrounds.

4) For window light portraits where the window is the key light by facing the model towards the window gives large bright catchlights in the eyes. This is similar to the look achieved when facing a model towards a large softbox.

5) Window light can also be used as a backdrop.  By exposing for the models face and with the models back to the window the background will become overexposed and can appear as white.  Windows can also make a nice frame for the portrait by composing the image so the models head is aligned within the frame of the window behind.

6) A reflector can be used to add fill light to a window portrait. Place the model between the window and the reflector and use the reflector to bounce window light back onto the model to help illuminate shadow areas.

7) Window light on an overcast day or late in the evening might be insufficient to light your model.  Light levels can be boosted by placing a speedlight and wireless trigger outside on a light stand and directing the flash back into the room through the glass to emulate sunlight.

8) To meter for window light portraits using the camera’s full auto mode, aperture priority mode or shutter priority mode select the spot meter on the camera to meter for the models face rather than the illumination of the whole frame.  Alternatively you can use a handheld light meter and meter for the highlights on the models face such as the cheekbones.

9) Do not rely on your camera’s histogram for window light portraits as often the photo may read as under or over exposed.  By illuminating the models face only the histogram will read underexposed and the majority of the frame will be dark.  If the window is used as a background the histogram will show as overexposed and the majority of the frame will be bright.

10) Lastly, the effect of window light can be simulated by any area where there is an area of shadow and a direction source of light.  Common examples may include a standing your model in an open doorway, tunnel entrance or under a tree canopy.

Window Light Portraits – Some of my Portrait Images

Amateur Photographer Magazine – Film Portraits – August 1st, 2015

Here is an article I wrote recently for the August 1, 2015 issue of Amateur Photographer magazine – “Shoot a Film Portrait”.  You might find it of interest if you have never tried analogue film photography.  Old film cameras can now be purchased on eBay for next to nothing and 35mm AGFA Vista 200 Plus colour film can be bought from Poundland for only £1 a roll in the UK.  Bargain!  If you are used to using a 35mm digital camera and looking for that next step ‘up’ with your photos then film photography offers a cheap entry point to the world of medium format cameras.  Iconic camera brands such as Hassalblad, Rolleiflex, Mamiya and more can be picked up for less than the price of some modern lenses and they will last far longer if looked after.

Amateur Photographer Magazine Article – #26.  Shoot a Film Portrait

Original Image (as featured)

• Model – Katie
• Camera: Mamiya 645 Super medium format film camera
• Lens: Mamiya Sekor 80mm f1.9 C @ f1.9
• Film: 120 Kodak Portra 400

Amateur Photographer Magazine – Vintage Legacy – 23 April 2016

 

Amateur Photographer Magazine – Vintage lenses on modern cameras

I wrote a six page article for the UK Amateur Photographer Magazine (23 April 2016 issue) on using old “legacy” lenses on modern DSLR and mirrorless cameras.  (*This does not include rangefinder cameras without Live View such as the Leica M8 and Leica M9).

Rather than repeat myself I have linked the full article below.

The images used for the article are quite old as they date back to my pre-Leica days when I was using a Nikon D800 DSLR, 2012-2013 mostly I think.

Here is a more recent photo using the same equipment with Stacey

Freelensing

The article also describes a photography technique which was my norm before I moved to Leica cameras and that was “Freelensing”.  I have written an article on this in the past so I have linked it below for perhaps better image examples.

Old habits die hard

Shortly after the article was published I was explaining to model Elle how freelensing works.  As a result here is freelensing image from a few weeks ago before I went to Poland.

Freelensing on film

Finally, here are a few freelensing photos closer to my heart.  They are all shot on film cameras with model Tegan.  (My apologies for the grain!  It was expired film).

 

See Full Article – PDF

MrLeica Interview for OutdoorPhoto – July 2018

I was contacted by OutdoorPhoto, an online camera shop in Pretoria, South Africa towards the end of last year (2017) asking if I would like to answers some questions and feature on their blog page.  The MrLeica interview piece turned out to be a much bigger task than anticipated but the final piece they put together looked nice I thought.   If you are interested here is a link to the finished article as edited by OutdoorPhoto –

See article – “Matt Osborne – in love with the imperfection of film”

Interview Questions and Answers (In Full)

As the final piece was a very cut down version of the original content requested, below is the full article if intersted together with some of the photos they asked me to send them.  It may contain slightly more detail / information but also me blabbing on more so it depends how much time you have to kill as to whether you may want to read it!  (The finished article linked above is the polished highlights version!)

Q1) ​How and when did you first get into photography and when did it become a career?

My first digital camera was a Pentax Optio S4 in 2003 when I went backpacking to India but it wasn’t until I was given a Lumix TZ5 for Christmas in 2008 that my interest in photography started to grow.  The next camera is where I started the huge learning curve of self-taught photography. I used a Panasonic Lumix G1 camera with an adapter and various legacy lenses I found cheap on eBay. Using manual prime lenses soon taught me about aperture, f stop, shutter speed and ISO and I became fond of doing everything manually, both manual focusing the lenses and manual camera settings for exposure. Over the next 3-5 years I progressed through various Nikon DSLR cameras (D90, D700, D800) to the digital Leica rangefinder cameras (M8 and M240) I use today. I became bored of the DSLR camera look quite early despite owning some amazing lenses (50mm f1.2 and 200mm f2 as examples).  That lead to me searching Flickr for photos I liked and then checking what cameras people were using to make those images. I found the look I liked was analogue film not digital and in particular the super shallow depth of field of the Contax 645 film camera. I invested in a Contax and my love for film cameras began. I have and use many many film cameras from little 35mm half frame right through to large format film 4×5 cameras. It was the purchase of a Voigtlander Bessa R3A that lead me to buying my first digital Leica (M9). I loved this ‘new’ way of focusing using the rangefinder system rather than through the lens focusing like on a DSLR or any of my waist level viewfinder cameras.  Although I still enjoy using a variety of film cameras for digital I use the Leica rangefinder system, hence my blog name MrLeica.com.

Q2)​ Your photography has a fashion-editorial, modern yet classic look. Could you please elaborate about your style as photographer.

In my early days I spent hours on Flickr looking at example photos but mainly to see the equipment that was used.  I have probably picked up some photo ideas from images I see but my personal preference where possible is to create tasteful yet beautiful timeless classic images that don’t look like they were created in 2018.  Shooting on film inspires me even more to create images that will hopefully still look nice in 50-100 years’ time. I often like to style a model with simple garments and poses to create the illusion of lifestyle even though they are 100% staged.  I direct models into the light to try to sculpt the face and body with the highlights and shadows to maximise their best attributes. Each model has something different to offer and I tend to focus on what each model does best where possible. For some models I might concentrate on their eyes or lips and other perhaps their toned abs or long legs.  I didn’t decide one day to pursue a particular look it just evolved with my photography over time.

Q3) ​Why do you enjoy shooting film and when did you start dabbling in analogue?

When I lost my love for the digital Nikon D800 CMOS sensor images I found myself applying basic texture layers  in Photoshop to try to give the images a bit more life. When I realised film photos come of the scanner looking pre-photoshopped and with all the imperfections already in place I was immediately converted to analogue. For me imperfect is perfect so using quirky film cameras and different film stocks this is the best way for me to achieve this look. When I first started my film photography in 2012 I had my film negatives developed at a lab but it wasn’t long before I decided to develop my own black and white film at home. It was quite a few years later before I made the jump to finally developing my own colour film with C41 chemicals.  Colour film developing was much easier than I had feared and I wish I had done it sooner. I don’t have a dark room yet and continue to develop 35mm, 120 and 4×5 sheet film in a Paterson tank in my kitchen sink.

Q4) Please list your photographic gear when shooting analogue.

It will depend what film camera(s) I am using on the day but for example for a 35mm Leica film camera it could be just the camera, a lens and a roll of film loaded if working with available light. I don’t use a reflector as much as I used to  as like to keep it simple. If I was using perhaps my Hasselblad 500cm or Mamiya RZ67 Pro 2 larger medium format cameras I may use a monopod to help keep the cameras steady especially if working in low light and shutter speeds of 1/60. I also use a lens hood more with these camera for some reason.  As both the Hasselblad and RZ67 are modular cameras I may load several film back magazines with film then once I have finished shooting one roll of film I simply switch it out to a new back with the film loaded ready to shoot. If it was a standard 35mm film camera I would need to stop the photoshoot to rewind the exposed film before loading fresh film. Large format film photography is a bit slower and less portable. I use my 1940s Pacemaker SpeedGraphic and 1980s Sinar F2 4×5 cameras on a sturdy tripod. I have to individually load each film holder with one sheet of 4×5 film in complete darkness in each side and load enough film holders to last the entire photoshoot.  I normally use a dark coat or jacket over my head to view the image (which is inverted) on the ground glass on the back of the camera. I then use a magnifying loop pressed against the glass to check critical focus of the subject before taking the picture with a shutter release cable (a very simplified description). I may also use Polaroid film back to do test photos before loading sheet film to check exposure. If I am taking photos using additional lighting I may use continuous lights such as hot tungsten lights, daylight balanced low energy bulbs or LED lights. For strobe lighting they might be speedlights or studio lights and I will be using either flash triggers on the camera hotshoe or pc sync cables linking the camera directly to the light. If I was shooting only film I would also use my Sekonic lightmeters to check exposure as most of my film cameras don’t have built in light meters.

Q5)​ What film do you use? Could you please tell us how you choose the specific film to shoot with as well as list your favourite film.

I am an experimental photographer so love to try different film stocks.  That said when I need results certain films are obvious choices for me. For greens and purples in a scene such as shooting in nature I would chose Fuji Pro 400H and over exposure slightly. For colour film where I need a lot of latitude such as a beach shoot I would use Kodak Portra 160 and 400.  For capturing the most detail and colour I think number one colour film today is Fuji Provia 100 slide film but it has less latitude compared to colour negative film. For black and white film if there is enough light I think the best films are Ilford Delta 100 and Ilford Pan F 50. For low light Kodak T-Max 400 has fine grain similar to a 100 speed film and is also very good. For personal work I have been enjoying the unpredictable colours of Kodak Vision3 Motion Picture Film that I buy on bulk rolls then cut myself to use in the 35mm film cameras. All their films have amazing latitude, whether 50D for highlights or 500T for shadow detail. I think the Vision3 500T film rebranded (with remjet removed it so can develop in a high street lab) by the guys at Cinestill as Cinestill 800T is one of the few colour films you can shoot at maybe ISO 50-1600 on the same roll. To have the same luxury of wide exposure latitude for black and white film, the best I have used by far is Kodak Eastman Double-X 5222 film which again is a Motion Picture film that I buy on 400ft rolls from Kodak. I use many other films too but I just try to match the film stock to the light levels, colours and mood of the shoot.  Film with fine grain can give a more digital smooth look whereas films with a classic grain structure (more obvious grain) give a more classic look. This is the beauty of using so many different films.

Q6) ​Do lots of clients prefer you to shoot film?

Often clients are not aware that my photos they like the most  were shot film, they just like the look of the image. I much prefer film so will always try to persuade clients to have at least some film images as I truly believe  the client will like the film photos more than digital once they see them. Film is much kinder to skin than digital so produces far more flattering portraits in my opinion.  In the fashion industry today clients like to see the images real time appearing on a monitor from the teathered digital camera. I understand this but equally I’d love to shoot a big brand fashion campaign using only film.  Some wedding clients trust film and request film only images and I even shot a university prospectus on film where the digital marketing company could see the benefits of using medium format cameras and slide film to capture the vibrant colours of the University campus.

Q7)​ And how does your style of work/photography differ when shooting film compared to when you shoot digital?

Shooting film is more important to me so I shoot less frequently and perhaps hesitate before taking the photo more so than with digital. I know with film there is an additional cost but also time ‘cost’ to roll film, develop film, scan film before I can use/ share a photo (compared to instant digital images).  My style of work for digital and film is probably very similar as the modern digital Leica M240 and 1950s design Leica M3 film cameras are near identical to operate. I often use lenses on the digital Leica to get that less perfect look such as the Leica Noctilux 50mm f1 which renders the image quite soft and with heavy vignetting and interesting bokeh/ flare. If I can make a digital image not look clinical and modern (and potentially boring) I am happy.  I almost always shoot digital and film side by side so use the digital camera to get a model up to speed then use the film camera when I like what I am seeing.

Q8) ​Do you use studio equipment when shooting or do you shoot using available light only?

Being an experimental photographer I have accumulated many lights and light modifiers on the market over time but I am equally happy to use daylight.  The advantage of having and understanding multiple light sources is you can make any light anywhere. That said if I lived somewhere more sunny than the UK I think I would really enjoy using direct sunlight more in my pictures.   None directional diffused light on an overcast day doesn’t excite me so in these situations I tend to use supplementary light sources to provide directional lighting.

Q9) ​Please explain to us how and when you decide between shooting colour, or black and white?

For my style of photography black and white often helps simplify an image and help create the potentially more classic look. Everyone and everything looks great in black and white but not everything looks good in colour.  I’m still experimenting with my colour photography but my opinion is when colour is good it is really good. For me perhaps 7 out of every 10 of my colour photos would probably look better in black and white but that said when the colours in an image work together well the image really does pop. Black and white helps simplify a busy scene and removes the distraction of colours. Colour can add a mood to an image.  Warm yellow and orange tones gives a completely different feel to cooler blues and cyan for example . My current frustration with colour film is it can take a lot of time to colour grade an image after the colour film is scanned whereas black and white film normally requires very little post processing.

Q10)​ Do you develop your film or you edit/process your own work in for example Photoshop?

I develop my own C41 colour film and black and white film at home but not E6 slide film.  Once film is dry I scan every negative using an Epson v800 flatbed scanner. Any images I then want to use/ share I open in Photoshop.  For black and white film I usually just adjust the contrast curves, increase sharpness and clone out are dust particles. For colour film I repeat the same process but then also colour grade the film scan if needed to get the colours back to how I remember the scene.

> Thank you very much for taking the time to answer my questions.

Thanks for asking me to contribute!