Portraits with Fujifilm X-T5 and Sigma 56mm f/1.4: young glass bead artisans

For Perle di Luce and The Place of Wonders Foundation I made a series of portraits of the young artisans of the Mano a Mano programme, which trains new generations in lampworking and bead stringing. For this work, as a Sigma Italia Ambassador, I used a Fujifilm X-T5 with the Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary, provided by Sigma Italia.

Why a 56mm

On an APS-C sensor the 56mm is roughly an 85mm in full-frame terms: the classic portrait focal length. It lets you keep a respectful distance, without intruding on someone at work, and renders faces with natural proportions. The f/1.4 aperture separates the subject from the background even in a workshop full of tools, rods and gas bottles.

Two ways of portraying

We worked on two levels. At the bench, with the light of the lamps and the flame, to show the concentration of the gesture: the hand turning the mandrel, the fire reflected in the glasses, the posture of the body. Then against a black backdrop, with controlled light, for a frontal, quiet portrait in which each artisan looks straight into the lens.

The colour of glass

In a project about glass beads, colour is part of the story. The lens rendering, together with the X-T5 files, let us reproduce faithfully the warm tones of the flame, the violet of the protective glasses and the newly made beads, with no heavy post-production.

A light camera among working hands

Body and lens stay compact and quiet: in a small workshop, where people work with fire and every movement counts, that is a real advantage. You can shoot without disturbing anyone and move in seconds from a portrait to the detail of a bead.

The portraits were shown at Bottega Cini in the Perle di Luce exhibition during the Venice Glass Week 2026, while the scholarship recipients’ works were on show at the Londra Palace Venezia. The full series is in the Portfolio.