Jorge Sotomayor didn’t plan to become a photographer; he was studying engineering when a neighbor’s video studio changed his path. What began as curiosity became a calling. Today, he moves fluidly between video and photography, capturing presence over perfection. With quiet humility and constant growth, his work reflects a life shaped not by certainty, but by saying yes to the unexpected. “Photography came to me by accident… and ended up capturing me completely.”

Jorge Sotomayor’s images pulse with real life, fleeting, unscripted, and sincere. Guided by instinct and empathy, he captures emotion in motion, presence over spectacle. His work blends the patience of photography with the rhythm of film, revealing stories mid-sentence. Whether documenting weddings or moonlight, each frame invites us to slow down and feel the moment before it fades.

Color isn’t fixed, it breathes with the surface it touches. On glossy paper, it dazzles; on matte, it softens into velvet and distance. Paper tone adds warmth or clarity, shaping emotion and presence. What we see on screen is only a draft; color comes alive on paper. Choosing the right surface isn’t just technical, it’s intentional. Each texture gives color a new way to speak, turning data into feeling, and image into experience.

There is a softness to truth, human, not fragile. Hahnemühle Bamboo 290 gsm, crafted from sustainable fibers, brings warmth, depth, and quiet beauty to every print. Its natural tone enhances skin and light, making it ideal for portraits shaped by emotion. Printing on Bamboo is an intentional act, rooted in honesty, sustainability, and touch.

Photography, at its best, reveals not only what we see but how we live. For Francisco Malave, the act of photographing is inseparable from the act of being present with people, whether in a nightclub at 2 a.m. or at the heart of the streets, his images are less about freezing moments than about transmitting the energy contained within them.

Some images demand a stage as luminous as the stories they tell. For those moments, paper is not simply a surface but a partner in performance. Hahnemühle Photo Rag Metallic offers exactly that, an extraordinary blend of fine cotton tradition with a pearlescent coating that transforms light itself into part of the print.

Some photographers look for silence; others seek out the storm. Francisco Malave belongs to the second kind. His lens finds humanity where it burns brightest, on the streets, in the clubs, in the midst of protest and spectacle. He photographs people not as static subjects but as living characters, radiating confidence, vulnerability, humor, and defiance.

or much of photography’s history, prints were expected to be flat—quiet windows onto the world, faithfully holding their images in two dimensions. But some photographs resist confinement. They carry a charge that asks for more: more depth, more presence, more life. Metallic papers answer that call.

In August, Lux Photo Lab had the honor of sponsoring our ambassador Rodrigo Rangel de Alba’s very first exhibition and talk at The Ivy Hotel in Chicago. Rodrigo, who in May completed his extraordinary journey of visiting all 197 countries in the world, presented not only a milestone in travel but a deeply human body of work now gathered under his new brand, RRA 197.

Carolina’s earliest encounters with photography were fueled by curiosity and a love of visual storytelling. She would lose herself in the vivid imagery of magazines. By the time she reached high school, she was actively experimenting and snapping scenes with her phone and the digital cameras that were beginning to shape her love to tell stories through her lens.

Carolina Madrigal’s photography lives in two worlds. In one, there is the deliberate pace of film, the solid weight of a Canon AE1, the mechanical click of its shutter, the anticipation of waiting to see what a roll will reveal. In the other, there is the immediacy of digital, the versatility of her Canon RP, the freedom to adapt on the fly, the satisfaction of seeing an image seconds after it’s made.

When an image calls for both depth and subtle warmth, the choice of paper can make all the difference. Hahnemühle Bamboo Baryta offers a rare balance: the smooth, natural base tone of bamboo fibers paired with the luminous depth and tonal separation of a baryta coating. The result is a print surface that feels organic yet powerful, an ideal match for photographs that blend softness with impact.

In fine art printing, paper is more than a surface, it’s a storyteller in its own right. The choice between a smooth, glossy sheet and a richly textured matte isn’t simply aesthetic; it shapes the way we read and feel an image.

This past July in Chicago, Leicapalooza brought together photographers, collectors, and enthusiasts for a celebration unlike any other, part challenge, part gathering, and entirely dedicated to the spirit of Leica.

The second weekend of July 2025, Chicago’s streets came alive with the energy of Leicapalooza, a weekend where Leica enthusiasts, seasoned pros, and first-time shooters came together for challenges, talks, and unforgettable moments.

There’s a quiet revolution underway in the world of fine art printing—one that doesn’t compromise beauty for sustainability. Hahnemühle Sustainable Photo Satin 220 is part of that future. Made from 100% alpha-cellulose sourced from responsible forestry and crafted with solar energy, it speaks to a new standard: care for the image, and care for the world it enters.

SEAL OF PROVENANCE AND CRAFTMANSHIP A true fine art print is more than just an image, it embodies authenticity. Every piece is meticulously secured, preserving provenance and instilling collector confidence. At its core, it is a promise of integrity and a commitment to craftsmanship. PRESERVING ART, HONORING AUTHENTICITY

That instinct to observe, compose, and distill; would eventually guide him to the still image. It happened during a black-and-white photography class at Columbia College Chicago, taken to fulfill a graduation requirement. What began as coursework became a calling. “Little did I know,” he says, “this would start me down a path of photography as a passion.”

There’s something unmistakable about a film photograph committed to paper. It’s not just the grain, or the tonal falloff, or the muted glow in the highlights, it’s the sense that something lived here. Film, by nature, is imperfect. It breathes. It softens the sharpness of reality just enough to let emotion in. And when it’s printed on the right surface, that softness becomes physical.

Joe photographs with the eye of a director, drawn to quiet drama and the gestures of everyday life. He speaks of story as a living thing, shaped by light, space, and human presence. “The world moves,” he says. My job is to freeze moments and tell a story. He favors observation over orchestration, letting curiosity guide the lens. If that curiosity makes someone feel sad, happy, uncomfortable, or even angry, that’s their truth. And mine was the curiosity to make the image to