{"id":127244,"date":"2024-02-28T14:00:30","date_gmt":"2024-02-28T05:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fujifilmnxtc.wpenginepowered.com\/?post_type=xstories&#038;p=4237775"},"modified":"2025-11-17T07:00:10","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T07:00:10","slug":"x100vi-penny-de-los-santos-x-timeless-value","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/en-ca\/stories\/x100vi-penny-de-los-santos-x-timeless-value\/","title":{"rendered":"X100VI: Penny De Los Santos x Timeless value"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><h2>X100VI: Culinary Borders<\/h2>\n<div class=\"embed-responsive\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/i_oN8sOAxCc?si=HCK9bnuBW-g6O_uS\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<h5>Penny De Los Santos documents the food culture of South Texas\u2019s borderlands, losing herself in immersive scenes with FUJIFILM X100VI<\/h5>\n<p>Food photography is a beautifully varied genre, encompassing everything from pristine studio creations to the unpolished reality of everyday eats. For professional documentarian Penny De Los Santos, aesthetic is entirely driven by truth. Whatever her subject reveals, she\u2019s there to revel in the visual story; expertly working, then sharing the fruits of her labor with viewers far and wide.<\/p>\n<p>The boundless culture that surrounds food hasn\u2019t always been her photographic inspiration, but it only took one outing before she was hooked. Returning from one of now countless trips \u2013 this time to the Texan border with FUJIFILM X100VI in hand \u2013 Penny is reminded of her exciting food photography beginnings.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/x100vi_penny-de-los-santos_02.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/x100vi_penny-de-los-santos_02.jpg\" alt=\"Image\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo 2023 \u00a9 Penny De Los Santos | FUJIFILM X100VI, 1\/160 sec at F5.6, ISO 160<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><p>\u201cI started out in newspapers, as a way to get more into magazine and commercial photography. I felt it was the quickest way to get the most experience and learn as much as I could, knowing I\u2019d be going out every day into new environments to make photos,\u201d the photographer reveals. \u201cThe images needed to tell stories, but also be good enough to publish.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSoon, I won \u2013 based on my portfolio \u2013 an internship with National Geographic. They continued training me for the next ten years of my career, and I was growing my understanding of powerful visual narratives.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/x100vi_penny-de-los-santos_03.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/x100vi_penny-de-los-santos_03.jpg\" alt=\"Image\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo 2023 \u00a9 Penny De Los Santos | FUJIFILM X100VI, 1\/250 sec at F3.2, ISO 500<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><p>\u201cOne day, my editor gave me an assignment for a new publication. That editor said to me, \u2018It\u2019s exactly what you already do, documenting a sense of place \u2013 but it\u2019s around food. Bring your skills and just explore it,\u2019\u201d Penny continues. \u201cI was sent to Peru. Walking through this Lima market, I started understanding how ingredients migrate with people, and as I explored, I realized how recipes are passed down from generation to generation. Different families share in different ways, and that\u2019s what influences a culture.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was all completely inspiring. I had never really thought about food from a human perspective. I went into people\u2019s homes and saw the way they made and shared meals \u2013 and it was moving. From then on, I started asking to cover food stories.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Penny\u2019s most recent project hit close to home, both geographically and emotionally. Returning to her family haunt of South Texas, she sought out and documented family food traditions on a trio of ranches across the state\u2019s border with Mexico.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve photographed the Texas borderlands my whole career. There\u2019s so much to cover and it\u2019s very personal to me,\u201d Penny explains. \u201cI heard about these three cattle ranches and knew I had to get access. A ranch like this is something aside from your normal home. This would be a place to farm, barbecue, and spend time with family.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/x100vi_penny-de-los-santos_04.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/x100vi_penny-de-los-santos_04.jpg\" alt=\"Image\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo 2023 \u00a9 Penny De Los Santos | FUJIFILM X100VI, 1\/200 sec at F2, ISO 100 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><p>\u201cTwo of the ranches are historical family properties, passed down through families that applied for the Spanish Land Grant around 1725. The third is just as old, but is now owned by a family that migrated from the neighboring Mexican state a generation ago, bringing their own food traditions, like barbacoa.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNow, there\u2019s only around 15 of these family-owned ranches left. They\u2019re very significant \u2013 we\u2019re talking up to 55,000 acres each. You\u2019ve got to be sensitive to the fact that it\u2019s people\u2019s private property, their livelihood, and also their family history. But, I\u2019ve always wanted to explore this part of Texas culture, so I found a few willing subjects.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>With food always firmly at the heart, Penny builds stories by seizing whatever visuals lend themselves to the telling. In every recipe and shared meal, there is a clear beginning, middle, and end.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEverything can contribute to a food photography story as a potential moment or emotion,\u201d she muses. \u201cI pull back as far as I can and document everything that relates. You\u2019ve got to get to know your subjects well enough that they trust you to be a part of their life, and that they show real, authentic moments, confident you\u2019ll honor them. Then you have to observe.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/x100vi_penny-de-los-santos_05.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/x100vi_penny-de-los-santos_05.jpg\" alt=\"Image\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo 2023 \u00a9 Penny De Los Santos | FUJIFILM X100VI, 1\/250 sec at F2, ISO 100<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><p>The crucial point of observation is where X100VI came into the project like only it could \u2013 offering Penny astounding imaging performance in an unintrusive body. With its Advanced Hybrid Viewfinder and fixed FUJINON 23mmF2 lens, this versatile camera is capable of existing in the very center of the documentary process.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was incredibly freeing to use only X100VI to experience this entire story,\u201d Penny enthuses. \u201cI found it easy to make pictures quietly. A lot of the best moments I photograph are the ones where I disappear, leaving the subject to do their thing. X100VI was perfect for that. It\u2019s low profile and doesn\u2019t draw attention. There\u2019s something romantic and meditative about that notion as a photographer.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA fixed focal length is the only way to photograph, if I\u2019m honest. It helps me stay active in my work and allows me to see more because it forces me to physically move around my subject,\u201d she continues. \u201cChanging your perspective is key to finding images that tell a story. Having a fixed focal length is a wonderful way to exercise that skill.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/x100vi_penny-de-los-santos_06.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/x100vi_penny-de-los-santos_06.jpg\" alt=\"Image\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo 2023 \u00a9 Penny De Los Santos | FUJIFILM X100VI, 1\/400 sec at F2, ISO 100<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><p>Looking further into the close intertwining of story and visuals, Penny shares a word on X100VI\u2019s impressive 40.2-megapixel X-Trans CMOS 5 HR sensor. Sensor performance is far more important for food documentary photography than many would think \u2013 not only when it comes to eventually sharing images, but in their making, too.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cImage quality is an essential part of the detailed stories I tell. Just as importantly, I can be in visually challenging situations and a sensor like X100VI\u2019s will still allow me to document what\u2019s happening perfectly. I don\u2019t have to change an environment when I can push my camera to adapt instead.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe camera\u2019s file size was incredible, but so was image depth and color. There\u2019s more to X100VI than just huge resolution.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/x100vi_penny-de-los-santos_07.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/x100vi_penny-de-los-santos_07.jpg\" alt=\"Image\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo 2023 \u00a9 Penny De Los Santos | FUJIFILM X100VI, 1\/50 sec at F2, ISO 2500<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><p>Memorable as the process was, Penny\u2019s eyes are just as much on the future. From her visit to the Texan borderlands, she takes yet more experience to build upon, along with a new tool that lets her bring visions to life like never before.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDocumentary food photography is a combination of things,\u201d she concludes. \u201cYou need to understand composition, color, and light in your DNA \u2013 then you have to anticipate a scene. Sometimes, that won\u2019t come together in the image you wanted, but you can\u2019t be disheartened. Eventually, the photo chooses you. But a camera like X100VI is an incredible opportunity for a photographer to communicate as much of a moment as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/x100vi_penny-de-los-santos_08.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/x100vi_penny-de-los-santos_08.jpg\" alt=\"Image\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo 2023 \u00a9 Penny De Los Santos | FUJIFILM X100VI, 1\/25 sec at F2, ISO 5000<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>X100VI: Culinary Borders Penny De Los Santos documents the food culture of South Texas\u2019s borderlands, losing herself in immersive scenes with FUJIFILM X100VI Food photography is a beautifully varied genre, encompassing everything from pristine studio creations to the unpolished reality of everyday eats. For professional documentarian Penny De Los Santos, aesthetic is entirely driven by [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":341,"featured_media":127245,"template":"","category":[2084,1006,1202,3260,320,1986,565,13238],"post_tag":[],"b2b-solutions":[],"class_list":["post-127244","story","type-story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-be-inspired","category-cameras","category-category","category-x-series-premium-compact","category-products","category-x-series","category-stories","category-x100vi"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-08-01 18:44:21","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story\/127244","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/story"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/341"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/127245"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=127244"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/category?post=127244"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_tag?post=127244"},{"taxonomy":"b2b-solutions","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/b2b-solutions?post=127244"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}