Leo does, however, control the printed outcome in another way – by choosing his printing papers carefully. As a brand ambassador for Canson? Infinity, he uses the entire Digital Fine Art & Photo range.
"I understand the choice of paper as one chooses the fabric to make a garment," he says. "There are fabrics that do not favour the construction of a blazer – silk, for example – while others are perfect for this purpose. Currently, I'm using the ARCHES? line by Canson? Infinity a lot, a paper that was recently released and took a lot of time in testing."
Jane Dixon, Vice President of Marketing at Canson? Infinity, explains: "There are different ways to define digital paper types, and each element impacts the final look of the print. The final finish of the paper, such as matte, semi-gloss or gloss, will influence how the image is perceived by the viewer. Then there is the structure of the paper: from ultra-smooth, with no grain texture at all, to heavily textured watercolour paper.
"Using a soft grain paper can bring a softness to an image, or a heavily textured paper can almost give a three-dimensional look to a landscape. The tactile element of holding a print in your hand also influences how the viewer perceives the final image, whether the print is 100% cotton, a cotton and alpha cellulose mix, or resin-coated."
Leo will select a paper to help convey the look and feel that he wants to achieve with the final image. "His fashion photography, which often has intense colours and vibrancy, would work well on Baryta Prestige II, a glossy paper that accentuates dense blacks and vivid colours," says Jane. "For more candid street photography, a smooth flat paper, such as ARCHES 88, brings out the detail and nuances of the image without any distraction from the paper structure or grain."
By fine-tuning his kitbag and Canson? Infinity paper choices, and relying on his creative intuition, Leo can create beautiful fashion prints that look both spontaneous and carefully captured at the same time. "My own street style and runway photos allow me to document the different possibilities of communication through clothing," he says. "Know your equipment and take it to the extreme, because that is what it was made for."