New Orleans Wedding Party

 

Pretty self-explanatory. Have a great day!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Belle of Belle Haven Plantation - Leica M9

During the recent Spring Shoot meeting of the LHSA (International Leica Society), we visited Belle Haven Plantation.

 

I've posted some images of the live oak trees at the plantation. (Click Here) to see those.

 

For our visit, one of our members arranged to have Gail come out to the plantation and model for us in period dress. Here are the shots of Gail that I feel are worthy of sharing;

 

 

All were shot with my Leica M9 and 35mm f2 Summicron (v.3) lens.

 

(Click Here) to learn more about LHSA (International Leica Society).

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

New Orleans' Royal Street - Leica IIIC and Summar 5cm f2 Lens

 

Royal Intersection, by Reed A. George

Leica IIIC Sharkskin, Summar 5cm f2 Collapsible Lens

 

I was scanning a roll of film that I shot in New Orleans while attending the LHSA Spring Shoot 2015 when I came across this shot.

 

This corner on Royal Street, at Rouse's Grocery, is one of my favorite spots in the city of New Orleans. Always hosting live musicians, rain or shine, it's a real crossroads for everyone who frequents the French Quarter - musicians, tourists, locals, and yes, police officers. This image says a lot about this particular place that I love so much.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

French Quarter in the Rain - Leica IIIC and Summar 5cm f2

I recently attended the LHSA (International Leica Society) Spring Shoot in New Orleans, Louisiana. One of my favorite places to photograph, I was hoping we'd get some inclement weather to build some mood into my pictures. I was not let down - it rained on and off, sometimes quite heavily, during my whole trip. I loved it.

 

Here are some shots of street musicians playing in front of Rouse's Grocery on Royal Street as a rain storm rolled in and subsequently left.

 

All were shot with the Leica IIIC and Summar 5cm f2 lens. One of Leica's earliest fast lenses, the Summar is infamous for being being soft. I happen to have a clean copy, without a scratched front element, which is rare. I find it to be a wonderful lens.

 

 

Shooting iso 400 film (Kodak TMax 400), I couldn't quite get a fast enough shutter speed to capture the rain as I wanted. I hope that you can see it in images 2 and 3.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Live Oak Trees - Belle Haven Plantation - Nature Shot with Leica M9

During my trip to New Orleans for the LHSA (International Leica Society)'s Spring Shoot, we got to visit Belle Haven, a plantation that has been closed to the public for many years.

 

Our visit was wonderful, and I got to spend a lot of time out wading in the wet grass photographing the amazing old live oak trees on the property. Shooting with my M9, I manipulated the images in NIK Software to get the look I wanted. Here they are.

 

Live Oaks, by Reed A. George

 

All of these were shot with the M9 and either the 35mm v.3 Summicron or 50mm f1.4 Summilux (titanium).

 

One thing I don't like (or haven't figured out) in the NIK software is that if I want the same frame effect on a series of pictures, the frames come out looking exactly the same, including the dark and light smudges around the edges, which are supposed to represent the individual results of chemical darkroom techniques. Each one should be slightly different.

 

Overall, I'm pretty happy with the result. Not everyone agrees with manipulation, but I got the feel from the images that I was looking for.

 

(Click Here) to learn more about LHSA (International Leica Society). The national meetings like the Spring Shoot are great, but there are also many other reasons to join, including a great publication (Viewfinder), newsletter, and local groups and activities.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

Walking in the Rain, New Orleans

I met this nice lady one morning at Jackson Square. I informed her that she was wearing the red jacket that every photographer dreams of, especially when shooting on a dreary, rainy day. She actually agreed to walk out into the rain so that I could photograph her under the tree covered in Mardi Gras beads, with the wrought iron fence of Jackson Square in the background. Now that says New Orleans.

 

Walking in the Rain, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, 50mm f1.4 Summilux Lens

iso 800, f3.4, 1/90 sec.

 

She actually emailed me (I gave her my card), and I sent her this image. It's nice to close the loop in that way.

 

My only regreat is that I had to act quickly, and didn't use a fast enough shutter speed to clearly show that it was raining pretty hard at that moment. 1/250 second would probably have capture it well. Of course, that would have meant higher iso and wider aperture, which would have compromised depth of field (I wanted a lot) and digital noise. So, this is the compromise I decided to make.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Another Panning Example With the Leica M9

 

Bike Taxi, New Orleans, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Summilux 50mm f1.4

iso 800, 1/15 sec.

 

As in yesterday's post, I used the panning technique to show a moving subject at night.

 

In this case, I didn't match the camera motion to the subject's speed as well as I did in the shot posted yesterday. However, this picture says more about being in New Orleans. Motorcycles can be seen virtually anywhere; bike taxis are less common. But, there are plenty of them in New Orleans.

 

So, as a travel photo in which I wantedd to say something about the place, this one works better.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

Panning at Night

Panning is a technique in which you set your camera to a relatively slow shutter speed and follow the motion of a moving subject. If you follow at exactly the right speed, your subject comes out sharp. If your shutter speed is slow enough, everything but the subject is blurred due to the motion of the camera. It gives a great sense of motion to the image.

 

Here's a panning shot I made of a passing motorcycle in New Orleans:

 

Panning a Motorcycle at Night, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, summilux 50mm f1.4 Lens

iso 800, 1/15 sec.

 

In this case, the 1/15 second shutter speed was slow enough to give decent motion blur to the motorcycle's surroundings. Based on the fact that you can read the lettering on the motorcycle, I must have gotten the camera motion just right.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

Rain Makes Night Photography More Dramatic - Leica M9

Armstrong, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Summilux 50mm f1.4 Lens

iso 640, 1/16 sec.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

My Entry for the LHSA Spring Shoot Photo Contest

I'm at the LHSA (International Leica Society) Spring Shoot in New Orleans. We have a couple of contests going on. I'm entering this shot for the "Spirit of Nola" contest.

 

Spirit of Nola, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Summilux 50mm f1.4 Lens

iso 640, 1/250 sec.

 

This city has more than one defining spirit. Bourbon Street bars are one, this is another. The local people are generally very nice, and this lady gave me permission to photograph her saying hi to the neighborhood puppy.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

Hello From The French Quarter!

I am currently at the LHSA (International Leica Society) Spring Shoot in New Orleans. Today started with a 6:00 am walk through the French Quarter from my friend's house to the Four Points hotel, where I met up with the LHSA group for a private tour of a gorgeous old Southern plantation, more on that later.

 

Here's the first thing I decided to shoot this morning.

 

Scooter, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Summilux 50mm f1.4 Lens

iso 800, f1.4, 1/8 sec.

 

It is 6:00 pm, and I just caught a short nap. Now, I'll grab a quick bite, and head back to the LHSA event for a photo walk. Then, my friend Ben is picking me up to go shoot a recording session of his band, Deltaphonic. I'm definitely making the most of this trip!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

Heading to New Orleans for the LHSA (International Leica Society) Spring Shoot 2015!

New Orleans, by Reed A. George

 

 

My two plans for traveling this spring happened to fall right next to each other this year. Both are controlled by schedules other than mine - the trip to Japan has to be on my daughter's spring break, and the LHSA Spring Shoot has it's own time constraints. So, while I'm still adjusting to jet lag from the Japan trip, I'm gearing up for my trip to New Orleans this week, to go to the Spring Shoot.

 

What better place for a Spring Shoot than New Orleans? I can't think of any.

 

(Click Here) to read about the program. Everyone's welcome, member or not, so please join us! Hope to see ya'll there (a little Southern touch).

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

French Quarter Photo Tour

 

French Quarter, by Reed A. George

 

I'm honored to have been asked to lead a morning photo tour of the French Quarter in New Orleans as part of the LHSA's Spring Shoot, April 15-19. I will be leading the Saturday morning group.

 

The Quarter's not exactly an early morning kind of place, but that's okay.

 

Now I have to put my mind to planning a route that will give my fellow photographers the best chances of capturing a Leica moment!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

Back to New Orleans

Scooter in The Quarter, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7

iso 400, f4, 1/200 sec.

 

I just made my room reservations (on AirBnB) for a trip to New Orleans next month. I'll be attending the LHSA (International Leica Society)'s Spring Shoot.

 

(Click Here) to learn more about the LHSA, and the Spring Shoot event. If you're a Leica enthusiast, you may really enjoy the Society. I do.

 

I also have a couple of great friends in the area, so will also get to spend a little time with them.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

Magnum Workshop in Provincetown, MA - I'm Going to Apply

September 15-21, 2014 is Magnum Days at the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, MA. Along with an impressive array of lectures, reasonably priced at $15 each, they're running a week-long workshop where students get to improve their work by studying directly with a Magnum photographer.

 

New Orleans Musicians, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7

iso 400, f2.8, 1/200 sec.

 

(Click Here) to go to the Magnum Days web page.

 

The workshop requires submission of a small portfolio, photographer's statement, and a non-refundable deposit. This is just the application phase, and I may not get in.

 

While I'm a big fan of Bruce Gilden and Constantine Manos, I will select David Alan Harvey or Bruno Barbey as my first choice for a mentor. Both of them have published work that fits with my interests, and shows how much I have to learn.

 

For example, (Click Here) to see Barbey's work at Magnum.

 

They only allow a maximum of 12 students per mentor, so I'd better get busy and put in my application. What a boost it will be if I get in and spend a week with this group!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Green Anole - Audubon Park, New Orleans, Nature Shot with Leica Rangefinder

Carolina anole (Anolis carolinensis), by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Leica 90mm f2.8 Elmarit (v.1)

iso 200, f6.7, 1/350 sec.

 

I shot this image of a Caroline Anole (aka Green Anole) in Audubon Park in New Orleans. I used my early Elmarit 90mm f2.8 lens on my Leica M9 digital rangefinder. Rangefinders are not used for nature photography all that often, as you're limited in the longest telephoto lenses that are practical (135mm is reasonable, though very hard to focus). I usually shoot a 90mm as my rangefinder telephoto. Rangefinders also don't have good closeup capabilties, without going to great lengths with accessory lens googles or reflex housings, which essentially turn your Leica rangefinder into a single lens reflex camera.

In this case, the 90mm was a fine focal length, and I didn't need to get any closer than the lens normally allows. In fact, I like the context of the leaves around the lizard. They help the composition. I love how his body is silhouetted from the other side of the leaf. I got the focus just right as well - a 1:1 zoom shows his eye is really, really sharp.

I printed this at about 7.5" x 10" and it looks great. I think I'll make a 12" x 18" print of it.

 

So, use the camera you've got in your hand, rather than worrying about if the gear fits the subject. I couldn't be much more pleased with this shot.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

And Here's the Image My Friend Picked from My New Orleans Trip

My friend James did me the amazing favor of lending me his house in New Orleans. This enabled me to spend a long weekend without any responsibilities, to explore the city. When I returned, I shared my favorite images with James, and asked him to pick one to have framed for his place, if he wanted. He chose several, and told me to surprise him with the final selection.

 

Because James felt a little funny about having his neighbors in any of the images, he selected only those without people in them.

 

Here's the one I chose to frame for him:

 

Trompe O'eil, by Reed A. George

Leica M6 Titan, Leica Summicron 35mm f2 v.3 Lens

 

The subject is a Trompe O'eil (Fooling the Eye) mural, accompanied by a bronze statue of a girl. For fun, someone gave her a paper hat from Cafe Du Monde.

 

I think it's a fitting print for James' French Quarter home away from home.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

A New Orleans Character

As you may know if you follow my blog, I love to meet and photograph interesting people when I travel. While returning from Audubon Park to the French Quarter on the streetcar in New Orleans, I met Tony:

 

Tony from New Orleans, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, 50mm Summilux f1.4 Lens

iso 200, f3.4, 1/750 sec.

 

Tony was dressed especially nicely, and his black hat and white bowtie really stood out. But, what started our conversation was the stack of (very) old books he was carrying. I asked about them, and Tony proceeded to tell me that he is currently writing a play about New Orleans and the Civil War. The books are family heirlooms, and he is using them to guide his research. On this day, he was on his way to see some remaining slave quarters somewhere near the Quarter.

 

Tony is a very nice guy, and the conversation really added to my travel experience. I only had one opportunity to shoot a couple of pictures of him, but feel that this one came out pretty good. The light was challenging, but I got it right for his skin tone, at the risk of blowing out the background. As it turns out, it's not too badly overexposed, and the streetcar pulling away in the background is perfect for my memory of the experience.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Waiters at Cafe Du Monde, New Orleans

I've already written some about Cafe Du Monde, home of great coffee and chicory in New Orleans. Every time I think of it, I can taste that great coffee, not to mention the devilishly unhealthy yet tasty beignets.

 

(Click Here) to go to the Cafe Du Monde website. If you like coffee, do not miss the chance to go here for breakfast. You can go anytime you like, as they're open 24/7.

Morning Routine, New Orleans, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Summilux 50mm f1.4 Lens

iso 200, f2.8, 1/90 sec.

 

Over the four days that I was in New Orleans, I made a series of three images of the people who work at the Cafe. The first shows how the place looks at sunrise, before most French Quarter inhabitants open their eyes (or soon after they've gone to bed?). It seems the morning crew is mainly made up of Asian women.

 

Morning Crew, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Summilux 50mm f1.4 Lens

iso 400, f4.8, 1/60 sec.

 

I like the lines in this composition. I think the out of focus chairs in the foreground help to bring you into the image, to see the ladies at the table as the focal point of the composition. I know some people don't like out of focus foreground elements; I happen to think they can be a powerful tool.

 

The next two were shot later in the day, when the Cafe is full of customers.

 

Interaction, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7

iso 400, f2.2, 1/250 sec.

 

In the shot above, I like the interaction between the waiter and the blond lady with her back to us. That imaginary line between his eyes and hers is as distinct as if it actually existed, at least in my mind, as I look at this.

 

Now here's my favorite of the series, and one of my favorite shots from the whole trip.

 

Break Time, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7

iso 400, f4, 1/200 sec.

 

I made this shot pretty much from the hip as I walked by. The tiny, silent Lumix LX7 was completely non-threatening. One fraction of a second, and it was over.

 

As usual, I found the LX7 to be a wonderful travel camera, and also as usual, was interested to find that several of my favorite shots were made with it. I can't say enough about how great that little camera is. That's probably why I wrote an ebook about how I use mine (see link below to get your copy for only $2.99).

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

 

Composition Choices - Tension at the Edge of the Frame

Today I want to demonstrate an element of composition that I like to use once in a while - adding tension to a photograph with an important element near the edge of the frame. Now, it really does add tension, not comfort, so it's not something you want to use all the time, most likely.

 

Here's what I mean.

New Orleans Balcony #1, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7

 

Now, I like the shot above quite a bit. Very strong leading lines everywhere, and the waitress at left is a very nice focal point, somewhere near the edge, but not at it. I like this shot, but don't love it.

 

Here's another, same place, just a few seconds different timing, with just a little different composition.

 

New Orleans Balcony #2, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7

 

Overall, I'd say this shot is not as nicely composed as the first. The lines converge more centrally to the image, giving a balance that I don't really like. Except. Except for the gentleman standing at the extreme left edge. He throws off that balance completely. His face is a slightly unexpected element in the composition, and I think he adds just that thing to make this picture better than the one above.

 

I don't think this technique makes for a comfortable, pretty image in most cases. In my opinion, good photographs impart an emotion, not always "oh, that's pretty!" I think the second image does that better than the first.

 

However, if I were picking one of these to hang on my wall, I'm not sure which I'd pick.

 

Opinions? Please share.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com