INSTAX instant products allow creatives to capture experiences spent with loved ones or friends. Still, the magic of the INSTAX instant cameras, Smartphone printers, and accessories truly lie in the creativity and spontaneity that the brand itself inspires. Along with allowing individuals to capture a moment or a special place in time, INSTAX products also allow people to connect.
To highlight the INSTAX MINI EVO™ hybrid camera (which boasts both instant and digital technologies) and its dynamic photo and lens effects, the INSTAX brand team turned to Brandon “Jinx” Jenkins, a Brooklyn-based, multimedia creative who channels his energy through multiple mediums — as a journalist, podcast, and television host, photographer, and DJ. Jenkins is originally from New Jersey but often traveled to New York City when kickstarting his many endeavors. He shares that it was not only his upbringing that shaped his versatile spirit but also the places that impacted him as he molded his career in New York City.
From commuting back and forth from New Jersey to New York’s Penn Station, to grabbing a bite to eat at Lupe’s East LA Kitchen in SoHo, many of the stops along Jenkins’ life journey have sculpted him into the person he is today. The INSTAX team tapped Jenkins to reflect upon this path while showcasing the imaginative features of the INSTAX MINI EVO™ hybrid camera by taking Hypebeast’s readers on a photo tour through some of Jenkins’ favorite spots in NYC.
For the first stop on his city tour, Jenkins visited Penn Station, a place he frequented in years past. “Being at the train station is bittersweet because it was the only way I could get to the city daily. I miss Jersey, but I also am really happy every time I walk by the train station because it reminds me of where I came from,” he says. After finding his footing in the city, it was only a short time before Jenkins discovered a few other go-to spots. For the next stop on his tour, he dropped by Iconic Magazines, a nostalgic storefront in Nolita that carries a wide range of print media. It’s a place that Jenkins visits when looking for inspiration, and it holds sentimental value to him as well. — “I remember the first time I went there and saw the first cover story I’d ever written,” he shares.
After working up an appetite, the multi-hyphenate stopped into Lupe’s East LA Kitchen, a Mexican restaurant in SoHo with friendly staff and authentic bites. When Jenkins first moved to New York, it became a staple for him, and he now shares it with his visitors any chance he gets. When asked his favorite dish, he says, “I don’t even need to see the menu when I come into Lupe’s. I’m getting the chicken enchiladas with red sauce every time.”
All along the way, the INSTAX MINI EVO™ hybrid camera allowed Jenkins to capture these meaningful spots in a different light. The all-in-one instant camera and Smartphone printer comes equipped with ten different photo effect filters and ten lens effects, giving the photographer a range of shooting modes. The hybrid camera also comes with a built-in selfie mirror, dual shutter buttons for both portrait and landscape modes, self-timer, and it’s compatible with any Bluetooth-enabled Smartphone. The INSTAX MINI EVO™ camera simplifies the photography and editing process while enabling new forms of expression. “What’s cool about this camera is that its features let me play with more abstract photos. It’s my first time taking mirrored photos and double-exposure photos. That gives a whole different approach to shooting cityscapes and people in New York. It made me see things that I’d otherwise ignore,” Jenkins expressed.
The INSTAX MINI EVO™ hybrid camera is available for $199.95 USD on instaxus.com and in INSTAX product retailers everywhere.
