Fine art photographer Reuben Wu and Fujifilm have teamed up for a creative imaging series that combines Wu's surreal nightscapes and the power of Fujifilm's new 102-megapixel fixed-lens medium-format camera. Wu's Thin Places uses the Fujifilm GFX100RF to create a masterful new series that uses lasers mounted on drones to “draw” organic shapes in the sky.
It's a technique that builds off of Wu's earlier Lux Noctis and Aeroglyphs, where the photographer mounted LED lights to drones. The switch to lasers, which he first showed off in last year's Siren series, allows the focus to shift from geometric shapes to ethereal, organic forms.
“I'm now able to create forms that feel more organic and alive—less about geometric precision and more about collaboration with the environment. The light becomes almost fabric-like, with a physical presence that can be shaped by its surroundings,” Wu tells My Modern Met. “Technically, it's been challenging and time-consuming to develop, but artistically, it's allowed me to move toward work that feels more emergent and less iterative, creating images where technology and nature are in dialogue rather than opposition.”
By using the Fujifilm GFX100RF, Wu was also able to open up new creative opportunities. The fixed lens forced Wu to be more intuitive with his decisions, something he found refreshing. And, thanks to the camera's aspect ratio dial, he found himself experimenting more with width and height ratios, and with cropping. “There’s something strangely addictive about those in-camera controls, and I ended up using more cinematic aspect ratios than I typically would,” he shares.
The camera's compact size also allowed Wu to move into positions that would have been difficult with bulkier equipment. And, it also reminded him of the days when he used to carry his camera around everywhere, just for the fun of it.
Viewing his work as a harmonious intersection between nature and technology, Wu continues to push the boundaries of his creativity. By taking these landscapes, which are already beautiful, and enhancing them with light, he gives us a fresh perspective on the world.
“I hope people experience a moment of wonder when they encounter these images—the sense of seeing something familiar transformed into something extraordinary. There's a certain magic in using technology to reveal hidden beauty that exists in places we thought we already knew.”
Scroll down to see more of the photographer's imagery taken with the Fujifilm GFX100RF and follow Reuben Wu on Instagram to stay up to date with his projects.
Fine art photographer Reuben Wu and Fujifilm have teamed up for a creative imaging series using the Fujifilm GFX100RF.
By attaching lasers to drones, Wu “paints” the night sky with ethereal shapes.
Photo: Ryan Tuttle
Viewing his work as a harmonious intersection between nature and technology, Wu continues to push the boundaries of his creativity.
