My Favorite Portrait Photography Gear: Vintage Lens Jupiter-9 85mm f/2

I only recently got this lens, and straight from the first shot I did with it, I fell in love. It’s everything that I love—vintage softness and ethereal depth of field when wide open. And manual focus, which I adore. Now that I’ve been shooting on manual focus for years (thanks to my collection of vintage lenses), I’ve learned to do it with great precision. It’s so natural for me now—and, as an artist, I simply no longer see the need to give that kind of control to my camera.

Since I often shoot wide open—those are my signature portraits—I would probably not want anything more than 85mm for portraits. Grain and film-inspired edits complement the raw images taken on this lens so well. As if they were made for each other. To me, that’s where the magic happens—at an intersection of vintage classics and contemporary solutions. The images radiate with soul; they instantly have that flair of a well-aged wine, that element of pleasant nostalgia.

It’s so special to spend a vacation by the sea with family and a best friend. Funny thing: we used to have photoshoots after school ever since middle school. We would roam the streets and parks of the very downtown—the very heart of St. Petersburg—so inspired by the architecture, the culture, all the aesthetic beauty and history of our hometown. We would pick outfits, locations, and direct each other. Gosh, thinking of this made me realize just HOW many years creative portrait photography has been special to my heart. So many life stages followed—studying abroad twice, working in academia, building a new life on a different continent—but one thing remained with me throughout the years—passion for photography and creation.

Nearly all my photoshoots are well planned, with a mood board summarizing all the ideas. Rarely, but I do leave certain photoshoots to experimenting on the spot—and this was one of them. We woke up at 3 that morning and were by the Mediterranean Sea at 5am. The sun was rising so fast, and we had to grasp precious moments of orange-golden sunrise over the ancient city. Amazing to think that Roman ships used to sail through these very waters. And my model—statuesque, beautiful, and empowering. Just like a timeless piece of art.

Want to create portraits together but don’t have ideas? That’s what I love to do—create concepts that tell personal stories in an artful manner. Have ideas and need someone to bounce them with? I’m all ears! Would you like to find a meaningful location and improvise? Sure, we can do that too. So many approaches, and there is no right or wrong. Each project is unique, and I treat it like that, with utmost attention to detail.

Photographer and author: Alina Veksler @veksalinaphotography
Model: Ann Siliukova @annetiva

Location: Antalya, Turkey

Gear used: Sony a7iii | Manual vintage lens Jupiter-9 85mm f/2

Alina Veksler – a creative portrait photographer based near Portland, Oregon, offering professional photography and creative direction for individuals and businesses seeking unique, tailor-made sessions defined by quality and artistry.

Want your unique story told like this? Let’s make it happen—inquire at veksalinaphotography.com