A conversation with filmmaker and photographer Joe Hubers
Why did you start shooting still photography, and why film?
Joe: “I think I had a desire to shoot more. Like I was wanting to keep the tools sharp. It felt like I needed to be doing something creative that was just for me.”
During the pandemic, Joe picked up a film camera to reconnect with something tactile, something slower.
Joe: “I’ve always kind of liked the aesthetic of film. But also the process... There’s no monitor. You’re really just trusting what’s going through the lens.”
Why medium format? And why the Mamiya?
Joe: “I was looking for a medium format camera to kind of expand beyond 35mm. I wanted something I could grow into... This camera has a pedigree, but it’s also kind of known as a workhorse camera. It was used professionally for years.”
Joe shoots with a Mamiya 645 he found on eBay. It’s not flashy or rare. It just works—and it pushes him to pay attention.
Joe with his Mamiya 645 (Photo courtesy of Dalton Coffey)
How has shooting film changed the way you work?
Joe: “It’s not like I go out and shoot a hundred frames. You know, it's one or two shots a day that matter... I’ll maybe shoot three frames and that’s enough... That’s what I love about it—you commit. You either got it or you didn’t.”
Shooting film slows the whole process down. And that’s the point. It forces you to look harder, to wait for the moment, and to shoot with intention.
How’s it different from your commercial work?
Joe: “I’d spent a long time working on films that are for other people. For clients, for brands. This was something for me.”
His still photography isn’t about building a portfolio or chasing a trend. It’s about reconnecting with the work. Not for a deliverable. Just because it feels right.
What does this have to do with Dakota?
Joe’s approach to film lines up with how we build things here. Thoughtful. Grounded. Built to last.
That’s why we’re releasing a limited run of one of his photographs—a 30x40 giclée print captured on that same Mamiya camera, shot on Kodak Portra 800, framed in the wide openness of South Dakota.
Print drops July 28. Only five will be made, each signed by Joe and printed on 100% cotton matte paper with archival pigment inks.
Watch the full interview on YouTube and catch Part I of the blog series:
“Not From Hollywood” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eE6saFSDsSk
Part III drops soon. It’s the full story behind the photo.