THANK YOU 2024

You know how the saying goes: “Times flies when you’re having fun”… well, 2024 came and whooshed by like a high-speed train and although it was by no means an easy year, it had its moments. I always take the festive season, the time “in-between the years” as Germans call it, to reflect on the year that has been. I have never done this publicly, but feel that if any year deserves an honorary mention, it is this last year.  So let me join the trend and look back on some of the most memorable photography moments of my 2024:

SOOC Live on YouTube

This year marked the 4th season of SOOC Live. Ritchie and I enjoyed yet another year of our awesome collab and had a fantastic time hosting shows in which we revealed a new recipe live during a show for the very first time, discussed newly released gear, featured a live guest, recommended “Must-Have Recipes” and showcased fabulous viewers’ images.

You can catch up with the seasons’ episodes here: 

The fact that we can look back on 4 seasons of SOOC Live is crazy and I am incredibly grateful for Ritchie’s commitment and our viewers’ continued support that makes it all possible. We have big plans for 2025 and are looking forward to an SOOC-filled year.

While we are busy preparing for season 5, it’s never too late to join the community. You can get active right now, subscribe to the channel to get notified when we are ready to launch the new season. You can also participate in our latest “challenge”. Read all about it here: https://sooc.live/ 

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Published in FujiLove Magazine

Another of my articles got published in the March issue of FujiLove. This is my fourth article to date to be published in this beautiful magazine which is available as a subscription.

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Each issue of FujiLove is filled with lots of information and inspiration around your favourite camera brand and it includes a great variety of photographers and genres featured every month. A subscription also gives access to lens guides, webinars and PDF handouts which offer lots of valuable content too. I can only recommend it!

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Collaboration with Fujifilm Original Photo Paper

In the first quarter of the year, I was invited to take over the Instagram account “Instagram TakeOver” of Fujifilm Original Photo Paper – the official account for Fujifilm’s photo paper. In addition to the honour of having my images showcased for a week, it was fabulous to learn more about another branch of my favourite brand and a great privilege to collab and be featured on this channel. If you missed, it you can catch up on it here:

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A post shared by Fujifilm Original Photo Paper (@fujifilm.originalphotopaper)

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Awesome Assignments & Workshops

In a year that often made me feel like I was a member of the cast of “Everything, Everywhere, All at Once” I was commissioned for exciting assignments by existing and new clients, was able to conduct a number of workshops and had the pleasure of connecting with Fujifilm lovers across the country.

I love my craft, my work and couldn’t imagine my world without it.

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The biggest camera release in the history of digital cameras

Oh yes! I am talking about the the Fujifilm X100VI! Can you recall the announcement? I certainly can. I remember the buzz leading up to it like it was yesterday. As a brand ambassador I had the privilege of using the camera before its official announcement and release. And to boot, I was even able to unbox my own unit during an IG Live on release day. The fire this camera lit around the world was, and still is, a bit insane.

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A post shared by Nathalie Boucry | Photographer (@nathalieboucry)

I have now had this camera for almost a year and I love it as much as I did on the day I received it. I know that there are people out there who are still waiting for their units which must be really hard and test patience – but it’s worth the wait. It makes me even more grateful that I have been able to share content about it from the beginning. 

Recently, my X100VI got a “Make Over” – a stunning thumb grip and shutter button which turned my favourite camera into an even more eye-catching image-capturing-device!

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A post shared by FUJIFILM Nordic (@fujifilmnordic)

And I am not alone in thinking that, since Fujifilm Nordic reposted my images.

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My own Film Simulation Recipe on Fuji X Weekly

Although I never deliberately planned on making a recipe, I ended up creating my own when I started using the X100VI. Since I was amongst the first to receive this camera, there were no recipes for it when I started using it. So I had to find a look based on the default Reala Ace film simulation and “Easy Reala Ace” was born.

Easy Reala Ace film simulation is a tame variant of the the base film simulation and a great, everyday solution for any X-Trans V camera. It even made it to the Fuji X Weekly App and you can read all about it here.

If you haven’t tried it yet, I invite you to do so. Let me know what you think and tag me on Instagram @nathalieboucry so I can see what you create.

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Participation in the Film Simulation Project by Fujifilm Global

Probably one of the stand-out highlights of this year was my invitation by Fujifilm Global to take part in their Film Simulation Project – a content creation drive which led up to the launch of the new Film Simulation Website.

Over three weeks I travelled over 3500kms and shot many more images using three film simulations: CLASSIC CHROME, CLASSIC Neg. and NOSTALGIC Neg. I had to put each of the film simulations through its paces and create images that best showcase their looks and use cases. In addition to sample images, I was required to create reels and an article in which I shared my experience with shooting film simulations.

The film simulation website is a great new resource for any newbies and long-term Fujifilm users alike and features my images in three of the film simulations, which I created during the epic road trip.

I’ve shot lods and lof of pictures, and here are some of South Africa’s beauty in CLASSIC CHROME:

in CLASSIC Neg.:

and in NOSTALGIC Neg.:

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Colour Your Story

Inspired by my participation in the global Film Simulation project, I decided to dedicate extra time to researching and exploring ALL film simulations. Why? After the project, I felt like my knowledge of the three film simulations I had focused on was mismatched with all the other ones and I wanted to make a comprehensive study of them, hoping that this would also benefit many other users in the community.

So, after careful planning and designing in the last part of the year, Colour Your Story was born. It is a long-term project that will take me well into the new year and will be complemented by a workshop in 2025.

I have planned a total of 12 episodes and each one focusses on each film simulation at a time. It comprises an in-depth look at the film simulation – its history, qualities, sample images and use cases – and a follow-on article that extends the use of the film simulation recipes in the realm of film simulation recipes.

Three episodes are already available on my website, and they have been extremely well received including being featured on Fuji X Weekly and in a recent FujiLove Newsletter.

Catch up with all episodes here:

I am super excited about the upcoming episodes and these will be published in 2025. It is an incredibly fun project and I hope you will consider joining me. If you are keen to do so make sure to subcribe to my blog!

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A Good Year After All

When I first started this review, because I had had a tough second half of the year, I felt that 2024 had been altogether meh.

However, these highlights make me happy and proud and this review made me realise that 2024 was a good year after all.

I am extremely grateful for all the great moments that made my 2024 worthwhile. And this could not have happened without you, and you, and yes, you too! I am most grateful for your support. My social media channels enjoyed great activity and my blog has received so much more love than ever before. So here is a shoutout to all of you. You rock! I am humbled and most thankful. 

Thank You Family

I would be remiss not to mention my incredible family and thank them for all that they have done for me this year. You are my everything. My husband’s love, dedication and unwavering support, my daughter’s love, trust, wisdom and countless invaluable lessons in Gen-Z talk, my sister’s forever open ear, advice and commitment to our family and my dog’s unquestionable loyalty and entertainment, as well as my extended family (you know there are too many of you to mention, eish… but you are loved and appreciated and I am blessed to call you family) – all of you made this year.

And now, while I am typing these last words on the last day of the “old” year, I finally feel ready to welcome a brand-spanking new 2025. Thank you for sticking with me! I have my hopes up high for the next 365 days… and am excited to get the party started!

I wish all of you a most marvellous start to your New Year. May 2025 hold everything you are working towards and wishing for, and sprinkle you with love, laughter and oodles of awesome looking jpegs!

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