Happy New Year 2017!

Happy New Year to all of you! We continued our yearly tradition of running a 5k together (my best time yet), followed by traditional Japanese new year food (Osechi ryori):

 

From my family, please have a wonderful 2017!

 

 

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Getting Out and About With the 4x5 Speed Graphic

I have a beautiful early Graflex Speed Graphic 4x5 camera. Because it's not so convenient to use, I haven't spent much time with it. I decided to change that over the three day 4th of July weekend. I made a total of ten exposures (on Arista EDU film), and found that five of them are worth sharing. That's a pretty good hit rate compared to smaller formats, where I shoot a lot more images per scene.

 

Here are my five favorites from the weekend:

 

 

I usually set the camera on a tripod, using the ground glass back to frame and focus. I did that for the last three images above. For the first two, I used the rangefinder and shot handheld. Getting the focus right is a challenge, and I missed on some other shots. But, when you get it right, it's pretty nice.

 

In the picture of the house (Thornton House at Manassas National Battlefield), I used the front rise movement of the camera to allow me to keep the camera level to avoid distortion, yet still capture the roof and chimney. Pretty cool.

 

In the shot of the lotus flowers, I threw all concern for distortion to the wind, shooting with the camera nearly on the ground, pointing up at a steep angle.

 

I'm very happy that the Speed Graphic is not my only camera, or even my main one. But, it's instructive and fun to use.

 

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Happy New Year 2016!

It is one of my favorite family traditions - Japanese Osechi Ryori on New Year's Day. Hope everyone has a perfect 2016!

 

 

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Happy Holidays!

 

Happy Holidays! Hope everyone has a nice end of 2015 and wonderful 2016!

 

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Send Your Vacation Image to L' Oeil de la Photographie

Fun Pics from Last Summer at Provincetown, Massachussetts, by Reed A. George

 

A daily online photography magazine, "L' Oeil de la Photographie," is accepting submissions of your holiday photos. (Click Here) to check out all of the submissions so far, or add your own.

 

I'm leaving for my own holiday very soon. Hopefully, I'll have some to add when I return!

 

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Extreme Kayaking

Today is Memorial Day. My daughter and I went to Great Falls Park in Virginia to attend a parkour event. That didn't work out, due to miscommunication about the location. But, we did get to watch some amazing kayakers, attacking the steep falls at the park. Here's a series I shot with the Nikon Df and 70-300 f4.5-5.6 VR lens.

 

 

After this shot, the kayaker literally disappeared behind the rocks. Amazing to watch.

 

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Happy New Year!

Holiday Trimmings, NYC, by Reed A. George

Leica IIIG, Summicron 50mm f2 Collapsible

 

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Alone, Again

Alone, Again, by Reed A. George

Leica IIIG, Summicron 50mm f2 Collapsible

 

I have often thought about a project centered on "Alone in the City," or "Alone in a Crowd." Maybe it's time.

 

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A Special Holiday Image from Dennis in Arizona

My good buddy and fellow photographer, Dennis Gallus, recently shot this picture near his home in Southern Arizona.

Dennis shares the following:

 

"For the record, it was taken with the D700 using a 55mm/1.2 Nikon AI lens, 1/40 sec at f/5.6, ISO 6400, -1 stop exposure correction. I did use a tripod."

 

I know, it's not the traditional Santa or Christmas Tree, but it does remind me of the Arizona winter. Clear as a bell, and amazing sunsets. It's even more special that Dennis used the vintage AI lens to take it.

 

Thanks, Dennis! All the best in 2015 to you and your family.

 

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Black Friday

 

Black Friday, by Reed A. George

Leica IIIG, Summicron 50mm f2 Collapsible

 

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A Little Holiday Hibernation

I've been writing this blog every day, literally every day, for five three years. I don't know if it's apparent, but I'm the only one who writes here.

 

I'm not burnt out or planning to quit. But, I am planning to take a couple of weeks of time at the holidays to relax and regroup. So, while I'll continue to post, it's going to be just a single photo (of mine) each day. Usually without much text.

 

I'll be back full-force after the holidays, and may even have a new project or two to share.

 

So, here's your first installment of a photo a day:

 

White Rabbit Spies White Rabbit, by Reed A. George

Leica IIIG, 50mm f2 Summicron Collapsible

 

Stay tuned!

 

Reed

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Trip to NYC - Traveling "Camera Light"

My family and I are heading out to NYC for the Thanksgiving weekend. Our plan is to head up on Black Friday, return on Sunday (remember the delay in my posts, usually about a week).

My NYC Kit

 

I've got several cameras that I've acquired recently, which I have not fully explored. One is my Leica IIIG, which I've only used for a single test roll. It will be my main camera for this trip. I'll pair it up with my 50mm f2 Summicron collapsible lens. Since the IIIG has framelines for both 50 and 90mm, I'll also bring along my wartime 90mm f4 Elmar. I plan to shoot all black and white with the IIIG.

 

For color, and for family snapshots, I'm bringing along my Lumix DMC-LX7.

 

All of it fits in this tiny Lowepro bag. It is very light and will be easy to carry.

 

My Packed Camera Bag

 

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What to do on the 5th of July? Smithsonian Folkways Festival.

Image Source: http://startstudioarts.si.edu/2014/07/the-smithsonian-folkways-festival.html

 

Well, as I write this, it's the 4th of July, Independence Day here in the USA. I have time to get out and do some photography tomorrow, but where to go? What to do?

 

While it's not easy to get into Washington DC this weekend, I think I'll explore the Smithsonian Folkways Festival. An annual event, this year's festival is focused on Kenya and China.

 

(Click Here) to read the post on the S+Art blog that got me motivated to fight the crowd tomorrow.

 

I think I'll probably be able to find parking tomorrow if I get into town early enough. Unfortunately, the festival doesn't really start until 11:00AM, when the worst light of the day will be out. But, I'll just get in there early and make the best of the morning light before things get going.

 

Now to decide how and what I want to photograph. I'm sure that the performers will be a great attraction. Maybe I'll shoot Leica. Or, there's that new 35mm f2.8 pre-AI Nikkor that I recently got a deal on and haven't tried yet... Maybe I'll put that on my F2.

 

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Music Festival Photography

I really like shooting at music festivals. I love live music, creative people, and nature. The festivals give me all of that.

 

 

 

 

I especially like the smaller local festivals here in Northern Virginia. In fact, I'm headed out to one this weekend at Watermelon Park, in Berryville. This one's called "River and Roots," and I'll get to see many of my friends there.

 

By shooting at festivals, I've met a few of the best live music photographers there are. One of those is Milo Farineau. Another, his mentor, is Chester Simpson. Both are fabulous photographers and people.

 

Chester recently posted a link to his friend's thoughts on modern festivals, including Glastonbury in the UK.

 

(Click Here) to read Barry Wolman's thoughts, which include comparing Glastonbury to a "prison yard."

 

While the festivals I attend do focus as much on camping and spending time with friends, they also clearly celebrate the music, something that seems to be lost at some of the larger festivals. The music is what really brings us all together around here. If I felt as Wolman does, it would be time for me to stop attending festivals. As it is, I can't wait for this weekend!

 

Oh, and Happy Fourth of July!

 

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Memorial Day Tomorrow - Planning to Shoot with Wartime Leicas

Wartime Leica IIIC

 

I'm going out today, Memorial Day, with a good friend. We're going into DC, where we'll photograph events on the National Mall. I'm going to shoot only wartime Leica gear, or at least gear that would have been in use at the time. That is, my kit will include a 3.5cm Elmar lens from 1937. The remaining pieces, two Leica IIICs and a 5.0cm Elmar, were all made during the years of WWII.

 

I'm really looking forward to seeing what I can do with this kit. I hope to have some images to share from the day soon.

 

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Now It's a Tradition - the Annual New Year's Oseichi (Japanese Food) Post

Third year in a row, I like to share my family's tradition of eating Japanese holiday food at breakfast on January first. This year, I shot it with my new Bower fisheye lens (Micro 4/3). I've been looking at a fisheye lens for a couple of years, but decided it would not be used often enough to justify the $300-$700 cost (depending on which brand I chose). This holiday season, it dropped to $200, including shipping, so I bought a Bower manual focus fisheye lens.

 

These were all shot with the Bower lens on my Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1:

 

Oseichi Ryori (Japanese Traditional Food), by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1, Bower 7.5mm f3.5 Fisheye Lens

 

Happy Family, New Years Day, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1, Bower 7.5mm f3.5 Fisheye Lens

 

Salmon and Salmon Eggs, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1, Bower 7.5mm f3.5 Fisheye Lens

 

Hope everyone's having a nice year so far!

 

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Memorial Day at Manassas National Battlefield

If you follow my blog, you probably know by now that my home is close to the Manassas National Battlefield, site of two vicious battles of the American Civil War.

 

I got up early this morning (on Memorial Day) to walk around the battlefield, think, and shoot a few images.

 

Rebel Cannon, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7

iso 100, f2.8, 1/1000 sec

 

This cannon stands in the precise location of where Thomas Jackson's rebel troops rallied at First Manassas, where Jackson earned his nickname "Stonewall." I love the band of light grass against the much darker trees in the background. Everyone shoots pictures of the cannons; I still like the way the barrel of this on stands out from the background.

 

Stonewall Jackson Statue, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Leica Summaron 3.5cm f3.5 LTM Lens (May's WLL Lens)

iso 160, f9.5, 1/500 sec

 

I shot the image above with May's Whole Lotta Leica lens, the Summaron 3.5cm f3.5 LTM. Here I tried to blend the base of the statue in with the treeline. I aimed for a complete silhouette, with no detail in the foreground, which I achieved reasonably well.

 

I'll finish up with an extreme wide angle shot.

 

Judith Henry's Grave, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Voigtlander 12mm f5.6 LTM Lens

iso 160, f16, 1/180 sec

 

Judith Henry was an old lady at the time of First Manassas (July, 1861). Too old, in fact, to leave her home, even though it was placed right in the heat of the battle. Mrs. Henry was killed by Union artillery, which ripped through her room, removing one of her feet, amongst other injuries. She is buried with two family members in the front yard of her home, Henry House, on the National Battlefield.

 

Memorial Day in the states usually focuses on the military. We shouldn't forget that plenty of civilians die in these wars we wage against our own kind.

 

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A Family Tradition - Oseichi Ryori - Japanese New Year's Breakfast

 

Japanese Oseichi Ryori, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

iso 160, f2.2, 1/60 sec.

 
My wife is Japanese. Living in Northern Virginia, we don't get all that many chances to celebrate Japanese culture. One opportunity we take every year is on New Year's morning. We order out traditional Japanese food, oseichi ryori. Now I'm kind of a conservative eater, especially at breakfast. But, I thoroughly enjoy welcoming the new year in with fresh seafood and Japanese sencha (green tea) one day per year.
 
I also always grab a camera and take a shot of this year's selection. That tends to be the DMC-LX5. For these shots, I used iAuto, where the camera sets EVERYTHING for you. Obviously, I also used macro focus. Not bad for complete point and shoot automation.

Japanese Oseichi Ryori, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

iso 200, f2.2, 1/60 sec.

 

 
 

Ohashi (chop sticks), by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

iso 80, f2, 1/100 sec.

 

I almost sprung for an upgrade to the LX5 over the holidays - the LX7 was obscenely cheap at less than $300. But, the additional nearly $200 to upgrade the accessory finder from the DMW-LVF1 to DMW-LVF2, necessary with the LX7, was just a little too much. I've got no complaints about the LX5, and the LX7 has a faster (f2) lens, but no advantage in sensor size. So, I held off.

 

Happy 2013!

 

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Christmas Time in the City

 

Skating Rink, Washington, DC, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Carl Zeiss Sonnar C 50mm f1.5 Lens

iso 640, f1.5, 1/125 sec

 
A couple of days ago (on December 23), I took advantage of the nicest weather we will have over the holiday break and drove into DC to spend some time in the city. The ice skaters were out in full force. As the sun set on the horizon, I was waiting for the lights to come on around the rink. Very soon after, I caught this moment. I love the lines of the lights and the hand rail, and the wistful look on the young lady's face. It's Christmas Time in the City.
 
It occurs to me that my M9 has achieved what my M8 never did. Not only is it as capable as my other Leicas (and more capable in many ways), it is just as fun to use. I suppose that the crop factor math always in my head, UV/IR filters, and necessity of lens coding were just enough to keep the M8 from getting there with me. The M8 is also a very capable camera, and the image quality is great. It just never felt as good as my M4-P, for example. The M9 does.
 
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White Christmas in Virginia

 

White Christmas in Virginia, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS3

iso 100, f5.9, 1/8 sec

 
It's Christmas Eve, and we are getting a nice dusting of snow here in Virginia. So, I grabbed the weather-proof Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS3 and a tripod, and ran out for a few photographs. I think this one shares the feeling nicely.
 
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