As part of our 25th anniversary celebration, we decided to interview two kinds of Exposure users: a long-time user who has been with us from the start, and a newer one who recently began using Exposure. This interview is with a photographer who discovered Exposure fairly recently. Tomash Trzebiatowski is a Fujifilm photographer and the editor and creator of FujiLove Magazine. He is also an avid user of Exposure, and has replaced his Lightroom workflow with an Exposure workflow.

Why did you replace your Lightroom workflow with an Exposure workflow?

There were a few main reasons for making this decision. The three most important ones are the wonderful rendering of Fujifilm RAF files, the excellent built-in black and white presets (and I love black and white photography!), and Exposure’s speed. I love the fact that I can copy hundreds of images from my memory card so quickly and immediately be able to look at the previews. What I also love about Exposure is the way it “organizes” my image files. There is no need for a huge, main catalogue file. I simply store my images on an external hard drive, I connect it to my desktop or to my laptop (when on the go), launch Exposure, and I am ready to edit immediately.

How significant a factor was product reliability and company reputation in your decision to switch to Exposure? Did knowing that Alien Skin has been creating award-winning editing apps since 1993 play a role in your decision?

I was aware of the existence of Alien Skin Photoshop plugins, but I have to admit that I kind of “rediscovered” Exposure just in the end of 2017. I was so impressed with its standalone version that I immediately started exploring its features. I copied the first batch of my Fujifilm files into it and started working. I was hooked. I immediately felt at home. Everything in Exposure felt intuitive and logical. And, of course, I loved the results I was achieving with my photographs.

How do you use Exposure to handle the organizing steps of your workflow? Has it made it easier for you to cull and organize your images?

Culling and organizing is a breeze. I copy the images, go through them very quickly, mark them with stars, or reject those I want to get rid of. Next, I erase rejected images from my hard drive. And then I start editing! I also love the fact that I don’t even have to switch between any panels to accomplish all this.

What are your favorite creative tools in Exposure?

Needless to say, I love the presets. So often they are the starting point for my edits and so often I do not need much more. A few simple adjustments and I am usually very happy with the results.

Are there any features in Exposure that make it uniquely suited for processing Fujifilm RAF files?

I think that the initial rendering of Fujifilm RAF files is excellent. Details, contrast, dynamic range, colors – everything seems to be looking just right “straight out of the box.”

What’s your advice to other photographers who are considering switching to a Lightroom alternative?

Go ahead and download the free trial. I have the feeling you will really like it. I have been using Lightroom for many years and – don’t get me wrong – I still think that it is an excellent application, but personally, using Exposure feels smoother to me. It makes editing even more enjoyable and the entire experience feels more like being in a real darkroom. It is difficult to describe. It is a powerful mixture of excellent software features, user interface, and the way of rendering Fujifilm files. I am looking forward very much to what the future brings and how Exposure will grow with every update.

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Thanks to Tomash for taking the time for this interview. To view his work, visit his site. Visit FujiLove to learn more about the Fuji X community.