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Giedo Van Der Zwan

 

Giedo van der Zwan is renowned for his vibrant street photography—often shot on beaches or at festivals—with a minimal yet powerful setup focused on proximity, light, and spontaneity.

Primary Camera & Lens

  • He consistently shoots with a Leica Q (or Q2)—a 28 mm full-frame compact with a fixed wide-angle lens—perfect for his style of shooting close, fast, and intuitively.

Leica Q2
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  • In some cases, he has also used the Fuji X100F, another wide-angle fixed-lens camera, offering similar portability.

Fujifilm X100F
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Lighting: On-Camera Flash

  • He pairs that fixed wide lens with a small flash, shooting brightly-lit, colorful scenes—even in daylight—to create a candid, near-studio effect.

  • This combination allows him to pop the subject into sharp relief against their background, often adding surprising details.

Gear Philosophy: One Camera, One Lens

  • Giedo embraces streamlined gear—just one camera, one lens, and a flash—so he can move quickly and follow his instincts.

  • He shoots close to people, working from multiple perspectives to build layered, sharp, colorful compositions.

Summary

Giedo van der Zwan keeps it simple yet expressive:

  • Leica Q (or Q2) phone-like fixed wide lens

  • On-camera flash for vivid, punchy daylight shots

  • Minimal gear = maximum spontaneity and connection

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