It’s LENSEL. Inspo and news straight to your inbox. Made for photographers like you. Here’s what is on today:

• 5 key ideas for groom photos. Including moodboards to help you level up this often overlooked part of the day

• Zoom revolution. Are primes almost redundant?

• + all the news
  

Now let’s dive in ⬇️

NEWS

Happening this Week

• Instagram drops Edits. The promised app from Instagram is finally here. Edits—a new standalone app for editing videos is looking good. An alternative to Capcut with features that connect right into Instagram, like analytics - it looks like it’s time to learn another app. See the release here.

• The Knot controversy is blowing up. Former employees are speaking out, accusing The Knot of selling fake leads and misleading vendors. The story’s hit The New Yorker, Reddit’s on fire, and even Congress is asking questions. One place to start taking a look for yourself? This episode of The Vendor Table podcast lays it all out.

• Leica’s Safari. A very saught after colour way in Leica is to be announced soon, keep your eyes peeled.

• Getting Fujifilm cameras just got harder. New tariffs have forced Fujifilm to suspend some US camera orders, including the VERY popular X100VI and this sneaky upcoming release. If you’re in the US and a Fujifilm is on your wishlist, you might want to hustle.

• Barcelona’s hot. That’s right, this week it’s Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week. Follow along with The Lane here for ‘backstage’ access.

THE BIG IDEA

 🎀 Groom Mood - level up your groom photos with these 5 ideas (moodboards)

Let’s be honest. Groom photos?
They often get the short end of the wedding morning stick.
You’ve got ten minutes. The second best hotel room with the weird looking curtains.
And (sometimes) a groom who might not be dying to be in front of the camera.

So how does it go? A few “button the jacket” shots in the corner light. Maybe a group cheers. And then you move on. Because the real creative stuff happens with the bride… right?

NOT today. Today we’re flipping that.

With the right ideas, direction, vibe, and preparation, groom getting ready photos could actually be some of your fav frames of the day.

So here’s FIVE ideas and FIVE mini moodboards to shake things up. Let’s make groom photos, like, actually good.

Link to download the full 5 part moodboard is at the end *for paying members

👆🏻 The Lean
Ok, let’s cut to it. STOP making grooms just stand around like they're waiting for a job interview. Give them something to lean or sit on. A chair. A wall. A ledge. Direct them to slouch a little. Drop a shoulder. Rest an elbow on something. Put a leg out (elongating the legs flatters). Or cross a leg over.

This isn’t about posing.
It’s about giving them a place to settle. A posture that feels comfy. Standing often just creates stiff arms, locked knees. Mannequin energy is not what….

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GEAR

 🛸 Are prime lenses done? A new era of zooms with Sony’s new 50-150mm f2.

Are prime lenses dead?
This week Sony announced a crazy new lens. A 50-150mm f2 G Master. See their release video here. Constant f2 aperture and reportedly ridiculously sharp. It’s a little heavy at 1.3 kg, but that range??

Once upon a time, prime lenses were the gold standard. At f1.4, 1.8, all that creamy depth and dreamy separation. But now? Zooms are catching up, AND fast. Canon’s 28-70mm f2 started it. NOW, Sony just turned it up.

For wedding photographers, zooms like this are a dream. You can cover 50-150mm at f2 on one lens. No swaps. All the range.

There will always be a magic something to a prime though. The connection you feel to your frame. How you have to move your feet. The characteristics of each lens.

But as zooms get better, we will see more wedding photographers making the move and taking the easier road - using one of these modern and amazing zooms.

Maybe this will be it:
Zooms win the wedding.
Primes still win the heart.

Read more about Sony’s new zoom here.

INSPO THIS WEEK

⬇️ Shooting around a city at night, (no flash) would scare many a photographer. But this is how you do it. A cinematic, low light, romantic escape.

⬇️ Loving the clean tones with strong, simple frames that show off the venue perfectly in this Moroccan wedding

⬇️ Outside the wedding wedding with this Australian clothing brand. Bringing daytime flash and strong styling concepts galore. Do yourself a favour and dive into their world:

⬇️ Chris and Ruth are long time legends in the wedding game, based out of Mallorca, this shoot was a masterclass in connecting something up - then nailing it. Also note their curation and the way they put this post together. SO GOOD.

⬇️ Low and wide angles, moments, poses that interact with their environment. This is an inspo shoot with a frame to teach everyone something.