Gilbert Majekodunmi

Hi, I’m Gilbert Majekodunmi, a London-based street photographer who shoots with both analog and digital cameras.

My photography style is symbolised by how I show the true emotion and feeling of the scenes I capture in my photographs without taking away from the story behind every image I create.

Seven years ago, I picked up my first DSLR camera with a 50mm f/1.8 kit lens. What was then a hobby to while away time as I awaited my university results has now become a lifelong journey driven by the undying cause to capture magical moments and leave behind a legacy.

I almost exclusively only shoot with Leica cameras after first picking up the Leica M6 TTL 0.58x. I just don’t feel the need to change.

Although Im a Leica shooter, my curiosity in film photography began after discovering the timeless beauty of old vintage cameras. My first analog camera was a vintage 1951 Rolleiflex 3.5f automat, which I still have and use quite regularly.

Using this camera made me practise using my exposure triangles and look at the light differently. It slowed my process down as it was fully mechanical and just made me think more about my photographs.

• Learn more about analog/film photography.

At first, I found the twelve shots per film roll on medium format odd, but now I can certainly say it has changed me for the better. Months went by, and after being so impressed by the results from the developed film negatives, I decided to invest fully in analog photography.

Cameras

Leica M11 – this is my only digital camera with super high resolution at sixty megapixels, solid build quality, built-in 64 GB memory and great cropping ability.

Leica M-A (Typ 127) – although it’s analogue, I never leave home without it. This is engineering art at its peak! This amazing camera has changed my photography style forever. It’s one worthy of keeping and passing on to the next generation.

Leica IIIf – simplistic, classic, yet subdued power in a small footprint has seen this collector-worthy camera become an integral part of my kit.

Rolleiflex 35f Automat – purely nostalgia and a slice of time in my hands. Doesn’t get any more vintage than this one. The Schneider – Kreuznach Xenar lens is capable of delivering the most detailed yet interesting images I’ve ever seen on any camera system.

Leica Sofort – this is my fun brick! It’s colourful, stylish, and well built and takes Instax mini film. I use it to capture funny family moments that decorate the house and workplace. A timeless, beautiful and yet powerful little camera. 

Lenses

Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux ASPH M – this is by far the sharpest and most magical lens that I own. A timeless, legendary classic lens every photographer dreams of, and it has a permanent place on my M11 body.

Voigtlander 28mm f/2 Ultron aspherical – currently the widest lens that I own and also the smallest. This lens has helped me create some of the best photos I’ve taken to date. It is one I highly recommend.

Voigtlander Nokton Aspherical 50mm f/1.5 VM – crisp, sharp, small and yet full of character, this lens is a top performer very similar to the Leica Summilux 50mm. This one is on my Leica M-A most of the time.

Voigtlander APO-SKOPAR 90mm f/2.8 VM – the smallest and lightest short telephoto lens available for the Leica M mount platform. What’s not to like about it? The apochromatic design makes it exceptional for being able to extract maximum detail from film and also resolve the full sixty megapixels of my Leica M11.

Another great advantage is being able to shoot at 90mm discretely in a situation like a packed London bus or on the underground tube. It is a must-have for any street photographer’s kit.

Leica Elmar 5cm f/2.8 – this lens is a perfect fit for the iconic Leica IIIf body, screw mount L39. Being collapsible, I can pop this entire camera into the pocket of any coat, knowing I have all the power to create magical analog photos in the palm of my hand. 

From an aperture setting of just f/4, this lens is so sharp whilst it retains the magic Leica glow effect when wide open.

Just how great this lens performs makes me question the subtle minor improvements of modern lenses. The engineering of the 1950s is amazing!

Peak Design Sling 6L – a low-profile yet durable weather-sealed bag for my Leica M kit.

Peak Design Cuff Wrist Strap – some days, I just want to pop out with my camera and be ready for the shot. Having this wrist strap makes for a tangle-free fast shooting experience.

• Check out some more great hand-grip camera straps.

Using the analog cameras that I have listed above requires the following:

120 film:

Fuji Velvia / Agfachrome/ Ektachrome slide films

Ilford Delta 3200/ pan f 50

35mm film:

Kodak TRI X 400 – all-time favourite!

Fuji ACROS 100 – sharpest 35mm stock in black and white.

Ilford Delta 400 – the most versatile film stock.

For all of my editing, I use adobe Lightroom, both the classic and iPad versions. I prefer to keep my photos true to how I captured them, so my editing process is based solely on fine-tuning aspects such as symmetry and shadow detail.

My main workstation is a well-configured M1 iMac to handle all the processing horsepower I might need.

When I’m on the go, I use the iPad mini 6 for days when I’m at a cafe or just casually editing while spending time with the family in the evening.

Just a little list of some other stuff I carry with me:

• Zeiss Lens wipes
• Voigtlander light meters
• Microfibre cleaning cloth
• Extra roll of film
• Rocket blower
• AirPods Pro
• A packet of sugar-free chewing gum 

Photography, in the simplest explanation according to the great master Fan Ho, is the artistry of light; the interpolation of light, shadows and everything that exists both between and within them is what the foundation of my art is built on.

Website | Instagram

2021

Hi, I’m Gilbert Majekodunmi, a London based street photographer who shoots with both analogue and digital cameras.

My photography style is symbolised by how I show the true emotion and feel of the scenes in my photographs without taking away from the story behind every image I create.

Seven years ago I picked up my first DSLR camera with a 50mm f/1.8 lens kit. What was then a hobby to while away time, as I awaited my university final exam results, paved away into what is becoming a lifelong journey driven by the undying desire to capture magical moments and leave behind a legacy.

Ever since I picked up my first Sony camera, the Sony a7, I have never looked beyond this system within the digital camera world.

I currently use a combination of both the Sony a7R III and the Sony a7c. The a7R III, with its high resolution and cropping ability, is my work and print-worthy photo camera. The a7c, although also very very capable is the daily camera I almost never leave home without.

Recently my curiosity in film photography caused me to embark on a new path. After much researching, I was able to get my hands on a vintage 1951 Rolleiflex 35f vintage camera for a bargain!

This took me back to camera school as I had to practice using my exposure triangles and see light differently. Being a fully mechanical system slowed me down and made me think a lot more about my photographs. Initially, I found the twelve shots per film roll on medium format very odd, but now I can certainly say it has changed my photography outlook for the better.

After a number of weeks I was so impressed by the results from the developed film negatives I decided to invest in my first rangefinder camera, a Leica M6 TTL. I’m not quite sure where to start with this camera but goodness it is one mean solid masterpiece of engineering.

It’s more like a craftsman tool designed for pure artistry and creative expressions. It’s still early days but I’m very excited about what I’m going to be sharing with everyone on my social media and offerings in print.

Cameras

Sony a7R III – Super high resolution, solid build quality and dual SD card slots make this my go-to work camera.

Sony a7C – Simplistic, classic, yet subdued power in a small footprint has seen this backup camera become my daily driver.

Rolleiflex 35f – Pure nostalgia and a slice of time in my hands. Doesn’t get more vintage than this!

Leica M6 TTL – Engineering art at its peak. This amazing camera has changed my photography style forever in a positive way.

Lenses

Digital

Sony 135mm f/1.8 GM – This is by far the sharpest and most magical lens in my kit. It has knocked my previous favourite the 70 – 200mm GM out of my kitbag.  The 135mm GM has a permanent residency on my a7 RIII body.

Sony 24mm f/1.4 GM – Currently the widest lens I own, and also my first ever G Master lens. This lens has created some of the best photo’s I’ve taken to date. It is arguably my favourite lens of all time.

Sony 40mm f/2.5 G – Just like its big brother the 135mm GM, this lens lives on my Sony a7c 99% of the time. Its small, light and the iris control dial is a joy to work with.

Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG DN Art – Fast, bright, distortion-free, I absolutely love this lens.

Sigma 90mm f/2.8 DG DN c – The smallest autofocus weather-sealed short telephoto lens over 85mm on the e-mount platform, what’s not to like. Being able to shoot discretely at 90mm in a situation like a packed London bus or the underground is a must-have in any street photographer’s kit.

Manual film

Zeiss 50mm f/1.5 ZM C –  Crisp and sharp, this small lens is a top performer. I am really looking forward to sharing more images as I use this lens.

7Artisans 28mm f/1.4 – While some purists might frown against the idea of pairing this lens with such an iconic camera body like the Leica M6, I dare say that based on my experience and results, I would strongly recommend this lens. It’s amazingly sharp and solidly built.

Bags/Straps

Peak Design Everyday Sling 10L – The ease of use and adjustability of this strap is a winner for me, sage green as well.

Peak design cuff wrist strap – Some days I just want to pop out with my camera and be ready for the shot. Having this wrist strap makes for a tangle-free fast shooting experience, grey for me.

Film stock

120 film
Kodak Portra 160
Ilford hp5

35mm film
Fujifilm PRO 400H
Ilford XP2 Super 400
Cinestill 800T

Hardware & Software

For my editing, I strictly use Adobe Lightroom in both the classic and iPad versions. I prefer to keep my photos true to how I captured them so my editing process is based solely on fine-tuning aspects such as symmetry and shadow detail.

My main workstation is a 27 inch iMac that is manually configured to handle all the processing horsepower I require and when I’m on the go I use the 2020 iPad Pro. The iPad is handy for days when I’m at a cafe or just casually editing while spending time with the family in the evening.

Misc.
Zeiss Lens wipes
Microfibre cleaning cloth
Extra memory cards
Extra film roll
Rocket blower
AirPods Pro
A packet of sugar-free chewing gum

Final Words

Photography in its simplest explanation according to the great Fan Ho, is simply the artistry of light. The interpretation of light, shadows and everything that exists between and within them is what the foundation of my art is built upon.

www.gilbertmajek.com | @gilbertmajek