Freer-Sackler Museum, Smithsonian

I love the silhouette in the upstairs window...

 

Leica M3.

 

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Halloween's Coming

Pumpkin Time, by Reed A. George

Leica M3, 50mm f2 Summicron Collapsible Lens

Kodak Ultramax 400 Film

Processing and Scanning by The Darkroom (thedarkroom.com)

Manipulated in Snapseed

 

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Posing - Not So Easy for Me

I've been reading and working on posing techniques recently. It's not easy for me, but I do believe I'm learning some important tools.

Christine, by Reed A. George

Leica M3, Summicron 50mm f2 v.2 Lens

 

Out of all of the things I've learned so far, getting the arms to be part of the composition, and not just in the way, is one of the most important.

 

I'm definitely continuing to learn, and with each image I make, I can find weaknesses, problems with the pose. In this one, I should have moved a little to the left, to make it where her eyes and face were as close to the camera as her shoulder. As it is, her shoulder draws too much attention.

 

By the way, if you're looking for a good book on the subject, check out Roberto Valenzuela's Picture Perfect Posing. I've included a link to it on Amazon below.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Now That's an Escalator

Woodley Park Metro, by Reed A. George

Leica M3 DS, Summicron 50mm f2 Lens

Ilford HP5+ Film

 

Quick post this morning, as I'm at a conference, writing in the lobby before things get started.

 

This is a very impressive escalator at the National Zoo exit of the DC Metro system. The winches and construction equipment on the right caught my eye, immediately after the slightly disorienting look all the way to the top. This shot challenged my iso 400 film, even at f2. I think I shot it at 1/30 second, with the Summicron wide open. While I would have preferred to catch an escalator rider's face, that just didn't happen. I did time my shot to get the lowest person's legs lit by the escalator foot lights. If I'd had a wider lens, I would have liked to get more of the lower part of the escalator belt, but had to work with the only lens I had. Getting the top of the escalator was more important in my opinion, to show the overall height involved.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

That One Necessary Element

Face in the Window, by Reed A. George

Leica M3, Summicron 50mm f2 v.3

Ilford HP5+ 400 Speed Film

 

I was admiring the contrast of the bright tablecloths and dark shadows, and the potted plants on the railing through the finder of my Leica M3, but just didn't see a compelling image there. Then, the missing element appeared - the face in the window. Snap!

 

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Measuring Up

I Got It, Right?, by Reed A. George

Leica M3, Summicron 50mm f2 v.3 Lens

Ilford HP5+ 400 Film

 

I captured these kids measuring up against the "You Must Be This Tall to Enter This Exhibit" gauge at the National Zoo. I remember those things, back when I had to worry about being tall enough to get on a ride.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

Sad Day - Rene Burri Passes On

Image Source: http://leicaphilia.com/magnum-photographer-rene-burri-dead-at-81/

 

Rene Burri, Magnum photographer who took the most famous images of Che Guevara, died on Monday, October 20, 2014, at the age of 81.

 

(Click Here) to read more on Leicaphilia.

 

Referring to my new book Magnum Contact Sheets, the section about Burri's shoot with Guevara in Havana, Cuba in 1963 recounts the experience. Burri says that Che would not allow him to open the blinds to get more light. Shooting with his Leica M3, Burri said it was remarkable that Guevara never looked at him, which is apparent in the three rolls of film displayed in the contact sheets. He was embroiled in an interview with Laura Berquist from Look magazine. Shot over two hours, the total of 84 shots (two rolls of 24 exposures, one of 36) show Guevara's animation and passion about his beliefs.

 

Burri also comments about the odd experience of purchasing t-shirts with his own image of Guevara on them.

 

Sorry to see him go, but Burri left an amazing record for us to study and learn from.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

Quick Report on Leica Store Event and Regional LHSA Meetup

I have been pretty active in the LHSA (International Leica Society) over the past year or so. One of the most rewarding things I've done is to schedule local meetups for LHSA members, roughly quarterly. These get a small yet dedicated attendance, and are always interesting.

 

(Click Here) to learn about and join LHSA.

 

For the most recent meeting, I decided to coordinate with the Washington DC Leica Store's photowalk event at DC's Chinese New Year celebration in Chinatown. A large group of Leica users met for the Chinese New Year parade, a mix of LHSA members and non-members.

 

(Click Here) to go to the DC Leica Store's home page. They have a beautiful store, and regularly host interesting events for Leica users.

 

We borrowed someone's camera and grabbed a nice Leica user group shot:

 

 

Since my M9 was in for service, I decided to shoot all film for this event. I brought my lovely M3 double stroke with 50mm Summicron f2 version 3 lens attached, and, stretching the Leica definition, my Zeiss SW body and Zeiss Biogon 25mm f2.8 lens.

 

I had a first-ever experience during this event. My M3's film advance mechanism jammed on me, preventing me from using it after about 15 exposures. I'd never experienced a mechanical problem with a Leica camera. Not to worry, it's already back from Youxin Ye, who quickly serviced it at no cost, since I had bought the camera from him last year.

 

Need Leica film camera service? Get in touch with Youxin. He does a great job and has my full recommendation.

 

(Click Here) to go to Youxin's home page.

 

Since we were meeting the very next week to share results at the Leica Store, I make the mistake of taking my film to one of the only local drugstores who still process film. Their processor must have needed service; the color came out just ridiculously bad, and in an unpredictable way. It seems that some frames were okay, others were almost completely devoid of red tones (you don't want to lose your reds in a Chinese New Year image), with a cyan tone. So, I had to work pretty hard in Lightroom to come up with a few images worth sharing.

 

NOTE: None of this would have been a problem if I'd used my regular processing solution, The Darkroom. I've used their mail-in service many, many times, and never had a single issue.

 

(Click Here) to look into The Darkroom's first-rate film processing service.

 

So, after overcoming a few challenges, here are the images I decided to share at the DC Leica Store:

 

 

 

 

 

We had our regional LHSA meetup at the National Portrait Gallery, just down the street from the Leica Store, before heading there to share images.

 

It was actually a lot of fun shooting the Zeiss SW and Biogon 25mm wide angle lens. It required getting very close, but I like the feel of the images.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Street Photography as Time Travel (Kenneth Reitz on Leica Camera Blog)

 

At the Seafood Market, NYC, 2010, by Reed A. George

Leica M8, Rokkor 40mm f2 Lens

iso 320, f4.8, 1/125 sec

 

A local (to me) photographer, Kenneth Reitz, was recently interviewed for the Leica Camera Blog. A software developer, Kenneth lives and works in Winchester, Virginia. He even mentioned the famous(?) Apple Blossom Festival held there every year. In addition to proximity, several things Reitz said gave me the feeling that we have a lot in common.

 

Like me, Reitz came back to photography after college. He has this to say about the role of photography in his life:

 

"...it makes me happy and keeps me sane."

Exactly, Kenneth. I couldn't have said it any better.

 

Reitz sees street photography as a form of time travel. The shot above takes me back to the moment, three years ago, when I shot the picture. I'm sure it will do the same 20 years from now, if I'm lucky enough to be around still.

 

Also like me, Kenneth has an interest in pieces of Leica history. He has recently purchased a 1954 M3 (which must be a double-stroke, like mine, based on the dates). When asked about shooting film, Reitz comments that everything he's ever created exists only in an electronic realm. Film breaks that pattern.

 

Here's where Reitz and I differ - he shoots only a single focal length - 35mm. Shooting a 35mm f2 Summicron aspheric on his Monochrom, and a 1979 model 35mm f2 Summicron on his M3, he comments:

 

"I plan to shoot with only my 35mm Summicron for the rest of my life."

 

Personally, I will shoot with mine, amongst many others, for the rest of my life. Committing to a single lens for a month (e.g. for my Whole Lotta Leica series) is challenge enough.

 

Kenneth even mentions meditation in passing. This is something I've become more interested in of late. Seems like I should contact Kenneth to see if we can have coffee together sometime.

 

(Click Here) to read the interview on the Leica Camera Blog.

 

(Click Here) to visit Reitz's website.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

 

LHSA (International Leica Society)'s Journal "Viewfinder" Edition 46-3 is Here!

 

Barcelona, by Reed A. George

Leica CL, Minolta Rokkor 40mm f2 Lens

 

If you're a fan of Leica, you'll want to know about the LHSA (International Leica Society). One of the biggest benefits of membership is the quarterly journal, "Viewfinder." The latest edition is now out, and I'm pleased to say that I have an article in it. A series of images I took last fall in Barcelona with my Leica CL and 40mm Rokkor made the pages!

 

Other topics in this issue include: Lith Redeveloping by Gary Hough, Ed Schwartzreich's final article in a series of three about how Leitz produced the landmark M3 camera, and a story about the LHSA's spring shoot in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, by Bill and Mary Caldwell.

 

This is just a sampling; there's plenty more.

 

So, come join us at LHSA, and get access to every issue of Viewfinder produced since the 1960s! I'm thrilled to have some images and writing published in this great journal for Leica enthusiasts.

 

(Click Here) to join the LHSA.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

That One Camera - Well, Maybe Not Just One

I read a post by Graham Welland on the getdpi forum, taking on the question of what is your "desert island" camera - that one camera or system you'd keep if you got rid of all others. Graham prefers the Xpan II or Fuji GX617 (a marvelous medium format panoramic camera).

 

(Click Here) to read the post and responses.

 

At least one person answers as I would, with a list of cameras. I know this doesn't meet the goal, but I can answer this question in so many ways.

 

If I really wanted to produce the very best images that I'm capable of, I would keep my Nikon D700, lenses, and flash. Hands down. I've never used a more capable camera system.

 

 

Nikon D700

 

But, part of my enjoyment of photography comes from the equipment itself. The Nikon is like a high end Toyota - extremely capable, but not too exciting. For pure camera enjoyment, I would have to pick a Leica. Probably an M (M9 or M3, most likely), but it would be hard keeping one of these in hand while letting go of my IIIC, a wartime example that just works so very well.

 

Leica M3

 

 

In truth, I don't want to say goodbye to any of my cameras. For example, as I've said in my Skeletons From The Closet series, the Konica Auto S1.6, a relatively inexpensive 35mm rangefinder, is a unique and surprisingly fun and functional camera.

 

Konica Auto S1.6

 

Good thing today's not the day I have to decide.

 

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

 

 

Rangefinder Chronicles Blog - Results from Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f1.5 on Leica M3 (Film!)

 

Nick DeMarco's Leica M3 and Nokton

Image Source: http://rangefinderchronicles.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-new-50mm-nokton-f15-vm-on-film.html

 

Rangefinder Chronicles is one of the many blogs I read regularly. Nick's forays into rangefinder (Leica and other) photography are usually quite interesting.

 

In a recent post, he shares a lot of gorgeous film images, shot on his Leica M3 and Voigtlander R3M, both with a new Voigtlander 50mm f1.5 Nokton. I'm impressed with the images.

 

The new f1.5 Nokton is styled after classic Noktons of the past. (Click Here) to read about this lens on cameraquest.com.

 

(Click Here) to see them all.

 

He shot with iso 100 film, in order to allow him to open the lens up all the way, exhibiting its strengths. As he says, why buy a super fast lens if you don't want to shoot wide open? Here's an example I particularly like, partially because it shows the lens performance at wide aperture, and partially because I like the subject (I do mean the cameras; not that the lady is unappealing):

 

Image Source: http://rangefinderchronicles.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-new-50mm-nokton-f15-vm-on-film.html

 

Nick tells us that he has a lot of 50mm lenses, including a Summicron f2 and Zeiss Sonnar f1.5. It's not clear to me what the Nokton does that the Sonnar does not. While both lenses are manufactured by Cosina, I imagine the optical designs to be different. It would be very interesting to see a comparison of the two lenses.

 

In any case, the Nokton does look like a winner. I love seeing it shot on vintage film bodies like the M3. Nice job, Nick!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Using my Leica M3 DS at a Bluegrass Festival

I recently added an M3 to my Leica collection. Part of my motivation was pure curiosity. I have understood that the M3 was a milestone development for Leica, being the first M body produced, way back in 1955. Otherwise, it wasn't obvious to me why so many people were in love with their M3s, seemingly more so than other M models. One thing I really didn't get was that the M3 has limited framelines in the viewfinder, meaning that the widest lens you can use without a "goggles" attachment is 50mm. More on this later.

 

I decided that I wanted to get an early unit, which meant that it is a double stroke (DS) - this simply means that you have to wind the lever twice to fully advance the film. I looked at a few different cameras, but didn't find exactly the one I wanted until I contacted Youxin Ye, Leica repair master. Youxin has serviced several cameras for me in the past. He happened to have a very early M3 ready for refurbishment.

 

(Click Here) to go to Youxin's page. Youxin provides quick, reliable service. He has my full endorsement.

 

In any case, the other "features" of the early M3, besides DS, are the lack of a frameline lever for manually changing the framelines in the viewfinder, and a glass film plane plate, for maximum film flatness. Glass was replaced with metal later in the M3 production cycle.

 

Needless to say, Youxin provided me with an absolutely gorgeous M3 DS at a reasonable price. I fell in love as I opened the box. Looking through the viewfinder sealed the deal. You see, since the finder is not as wide angle as other Ms, when you do use the 50mm lens, you get this beautiful, bright image in the viewfinder. Making it wide enough for say a 35mm lens on other M models makes the 50mm framelines cover less of the total finder image. Since I am a 50mm guy, I'm quite happy with the M3s finder being optimized for that focal length.

 

Enough about the camera. I popped my vintage 1955 Summicron 50mm f2 collapsible lens (which was my Whole Lotta Leica selection for April) on and went to shoot a daytime bluegrass festival near my home in Loudoun County, Virginia.

 

(Click Here) to read about this special lens.

 

Here are some results:

 

 

 

All Images by Reed A. George

Leica M3 DS, Summicron 50mm f2 Collapsible

Kodak TMax 400 film

 

As usual, The Darkroom processed my film with excellent results.

 

(Click Here) to visit The Darkroom and use their awesome mail-in processing services!

 

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