A day with Elaine and the Phase One iQ3 100 Trichromatic (NSFW)
Bondi Beach, Sydney—where light dances across the ocean and paints the sand in warm hues. It was here, on October 16, 2019, that I spent the day shooting with Elaine, capturing one of my most honest and unfiltered series. Shot entirely on the Phase One iQ3 100 Trichromatic, these images are a testament to the purity of light, color, and the raw beauty of the human form.
The iQ3 100 Trichromatic is unlike any other digital back I’ve used. Its ability to render color with depth and fidelity that mirrors human vision is unparalleled. With Elaine, the goal was simple—no retouching, no distractions, just her presence and the interplay of light. The files straight out of the camera were so pure, every shift in tone and texture stood on its own.
There’s a freedom in working without the safety net of post-production. It demands complete presence—watching how the light moves, how the subject inhabits the space, how everything aligns in real time. The ocean breeze, the sun warming her skin, the contrast of light and shadow—every element remains exactly as it was in that moment.
These prints have since found a home on gallery walls, where they invite viewers to experience them as I first saw them through the viewfinder. No digital enhancements, no manipulation—just the truth of the moment, untouched and unfiltered.
Looking back, that day in Bondi wasn’t just about creating images; it was about trusting the process, the subject, and the camera to tell the story as it was meant to be told.
