The magazine Fotojutud interviewed our photographer Janek Lass.

Posted By: FlaMicroz In: Flsmicroz On: Saturday October 12 2024

Janek Lass (33) creates photographs that would knock out the average hobby photographer. How does he manage to make cats dance? What techniques does he use in microphotography to achieve such extreme magnifications? How many shots does it take to capture a stunning macro photo? And what’s the deal with photographing using sewer pipes and vacuum cleaner tubes? Peep Sooman sought answers to all these questions.

Who are you, and how did you get into photography?

I’m just an ordinary guy. My day job has nothing to do with photography—I work in the metal industry to earn a living. I got into photography thanks to my daughter. I bought my first camera specifically to capture her growing up. As someone who knew nothing about photography at the time, I naturally assumed that getting a DSLR would solve everything, thinking it would automatically take beautiful pictures.

But once I got the camera in my hands, reality quickly hit me—it doesn’t take photos on its own! I found myself in a tough spot: I had spent the money, but where were the great pictures? That’s when I realized I had to learn. I’m mostly self-taught, though I did take one course to understand what all those numbers on the screen meant. In the beginning, I shot constantly, taking my camera everywhere and capturing absolutely everything. Over time, I’ve gained more knowledge, and I now have a clearer vision of what excites me and what I want to photograph. I no longer shoot at random.

When did it all start?

I bought the camera in 2011, a year before my daughter was born.

Your work stands out in several genres—pets, macro photography, and more. Why these choices?

Well, I’ve actually worked in many different genres. There was a time when I was really into "high-speed photography," smashing bottles with a hammer in some basement and capturing it. I was also heavily involved in drop photography for a while. These phases tend to come and go, but in recent years, it’s been microphotography that has kept my attention. And I have to admit, this microphotography phase has been the most enduring so far.

You can see this in the way I organize my files. Normally, I have dozens of different folders, but now, that’s changed. Last year, the number of folders began to shrink, and this year, I’ve reached the point where I only have one folder left on my computer—and it’s dedicated to microphotography.

As for pets, it’s pretty straightforward. They’re usually either my own or a close friend’s (with a few exceptions). They’re perfect for practice—there’s no rush, and I have time to plan and experiment.

Let’s start with your pets—how do you manage to get your cat Zeus to pose? Cats aren’t exactly known for following commands…

You're right, cats don’t listen to commands. They won’t sit, roll over, or perform tricks on cue, and you can’t bribe them with treats either. So, the only option left is negotiation. With Zeus, it’s a bit easier because I introduced him to the camera when he was still quite young—about eight years ago now—so he’s somewhat used to it.

Negotiating with Zeus goes something like this: I place him where I want him, and he walks away. I place him again, and he walks away again. And we continue like this for as long as it takes. Usually, after a bit of resistance, he eventually gives in and stays put while I work with the camera. Of course, sitting still doesn’t mean the job is done yet—once he’s settled, he tends to doze off, so I often have to wake him up during the shoot.

There are also times when the idea for the photo requires Zeus to be more active or perform some kind of trick. In those cases, I bring out toys or even a trigger device. For instance, I’ve used a laser trigger—when the laser beam is interrupted, it sends a signal to the camera to take the shot.

You seem to have a natural connection with animals—there aren’t many cats and dogs that tolerate posing and camera flashes. Is it because of you, like some kind of Dr. Dolittle, or is it due to your chosen models who’ve been through serious training?

I wouldn’t call myself Dr. Dolittle. As I mentioned before, most of the animals I photograph are those I’m close to, and they’re used to me. There’s also a bit of stubbornness on my part—I refuse to accept defeat in negotiations with a cat! One of us has to give in eventually, and usually, it’s the cat.

With dogs, however, it’s a bit different. They expect a reward for every little thing they do, so you always have to have treats on hand. It definitely helps if the dog has had some basic training and knows how to sit, lie down, and follow simple commands.

Macro photography, or capturing the microscopic world, is another one of your passions. What’s the story behind that?

I’ve been drawn to classic macro photography since the very beginning and have been doing it in some form or another all along. What pulled me into the micro world was the desire to take those incredible shots I kept seeing online. Mostly, it was portraits of insects that caught my eye. I started researching how they were done, and eventually, I realized it was time to give it a try myself. I knew what equipment I needed, so I started shopping. The two main components were a macro rail and a lens that offered good magnification—typically a microscope lens is perfect for this.

But then I thought, why stop at just one lens? Why not get a whole microscope? That way, I could get multiple lenses and also have some fun examining things under it. And look where that led me! The microscope has completely pulled me into the micro world. Those "simple insect portraits" don’t excite me anymore—there’s so much more in the microscopic realm that I had no idea about before.

I’ve somehow turned into the person who brings home jars of water from a pond, who has a stockpile of chemicals on top of a cupboard, and who carefully uses a scalpel to slice the thinnest possible section from a plant.

Photographing the microscopic world, when done properly, requires immense focus and a lot of time. What are your records—both in terms of time spent and the number of shots for stacking a single image?

Yes… it does take a lot of time, maybe even too much! The stacking process itself isn’t the most time-consuming part; most of the time is spent in the preparation phase. There’s no set amount of time for that—it can range from an hour to several days, depending on the subject. Of course, that doesn’t mean I work on one thing continuously for days. Sometimes, when my nerves get frayed, I take a break and continue the next day. For example, when photographing a creature from pond water, the biggest challenge is positioning it just right, and finding the most interesting angle to capture the shot. One such subject took me several days, although I didn’t track time precisely. I’d estimate it took 10-12 hours spread over a couple of days.

The largest number of shots I’ve ever used for stacking was on a fly’s eye—there were over 200 frames in that image.

And what’s the maximum magnification you’ve achieved?

The highest magnification I’ve captured is actually in a video I made of my own blood. I can’t say the exact magnification, as I don’t have the tools to measure it—you definitely can’t measure it with a ruler! In that case, a single millimeter mark would likely fill the entire frame.

As for photos, the highest magnification I’ve achieved is a shot of the edge of a mosquito wing, where the magnification is about 60x.

You’ve often mentioned your amazing DIY inventions. At one point, you even made an extension tube from a drainage pipe to boost magnification. It reminds me of the lyrics from Bläck Rokit’s song: "Last Friday, I made a drum for the washing machine out of a beetroot." Where do you come up with these crazy ideas?

I don’t actively go looking for these ideas; they usually come about out of necessity. If I don’t have the proper extension tubes but still want to take a shot, I have to get creative and come up with a solution.

And when you manage to capture an image using one of these makeshift gadgets, it gives you an especially satisfying feeling!

What’s next? Even higher magnifications? Or maybe getting more cats and dogs to pose for the camera and pull faces?

For now, I plan to continue exploring the micro world. Going for even higher magnifications would likely be difficult—maybe a little more, but not by much. However, there’s still a lot to learn and discover in that world, and there’s always room for improvement. I’ll keep pushing myself to make new discoveries and to capture even clearer and sharper images.

Of course, I’ll also keep negotiating with Zeus, hoping to get him back at the negotiating table—maybe something new will come from that too!