Some Favorites from the Smithsonian Folklife Festival 2015 - Featuring Peru

Here is a selection of my favorite images from the Smithsonian Folklife Festival 2015. Peru was the featured country.

 

I shot all of these with my newly re-sealed Nikon FM2 and Nikkor AIS 35mm f1.4 lens on Agfa APX400 film.

 

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Nikkor 35mm f1.4 AIS for Environmental Portraiture - Folklife Festival

In the middle of my film scanning efforts, this image just jumped out at me.

 

Traditional Peru in Washington, DC, by Reed A. George

Nikon FM2, Nikkor 35mm f1.4 AIS Lens, Agfa APX400 Film

 

I feel that this image includes just enough of the surroundings to give the subject context, yet still emphasizes her beautiful face and expression. So this is why many photographers prefer the 35mm focal length for environmental portraiture! I also think that the Agfa film, with its relatively low native contrast and considerable grain, gives the image a slightly vintage feel.

 

I've got more scanning to do, but am sure that I will assemble a few of these images from the Smithsonian Folklife Festival into a small collection.

 

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More Rolleiflex Images from the Smithsonian Folklife Festival - Celebrating Kenya

Yesterday, I shared a couple of images from the China side of this year's Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Today, Kenya.

 

All of these were shot with my Rolleiflex T twin lens reflex (TLR) camera and Kodak Portra 160 film.

Smithsonian Folklife Festival 2014 - Kenya

 

It was a very bright, contrasty sunny day, as you can see in the second image. So, getting under the tent coverings helped to diffuse the light quite a bit, leading to better overall images. That said, it made getting a natural looking background more challenging.

 

In any case, people did seem to like being photographed with an old TLR camera. I've had this camera for several years. I used it quite a lot when I first bought it, less so recently. I've still got it in my bag, and plan to shoot more with it in the near future.

 

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Smithsonian Folklife Festival 2014 - With Rolleiflex T

Two of my photography buddies have taken a (re)new(ed) interest in shooting Rolleiflexes. Both of them now sport Rolleiflex f2.8 cameras, while I shoot a Rolleiflex T f3.5 model.

 

Together, we all went to check out the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, whose focus in 2014 was on the countries of Kenya and China.

 

(Click Here) to read about the festival.

 

One of the events in the China program was flower, drum, lantern dancing. I captured these images of one of the group's leaders, who I believe is named Yue Ying (I can't seem to confirm that).

 

 

Flower Drum Lantern Dancer, by Reed A. George

Rolleiflex T f3.5 Twin Lens Reflex (TLR) Camera, Kodak Portra 160 Color Print Film

 

I used my Rolleinar 1 closeup lenses on the T for these shots. Actually, I could have done them without the need for the Rolleinar, as I was at the long limit of focus with them installed. That said, I like how they reduce the depth of field for portraits like this. So, no harm done.

 

It was fun getting the old TLR out again. You'll be seeing more TLR images in the near future, including some from the Kenya portion of the festival.

 

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