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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The Tombs

The Tombs, by Reed A. George

Nikon FM2, Nikkor AIS 35mm f1.4 Lens

Agfa APX400 Film

 

Just a quick shot I made while having lunch with my friend, Charlie, at the Georgetown restaurant called "The Tombs." You can see the rowing crew motif of the restaurant by noticing the oars on the left.

 

For this shot, I set my Nikkor 35mm f1.4 manual focus lens to f1.4 and prefocused to the top of a small set of stairs. Even though I have to shoot the Agfa film at iso 200 instead of the indicated speed of 400, there was enough light in just this one spot.

 

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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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Smithsonian Folklife Festival - Featuring Peru - Shot with Nikon FM2 and Nikkor 35mm f1.4 AIS Lens

I just replaced the seals on my Nikon FM2. My latest roll of film showed evidence of a minor light leak. That's all fixed up now. It took about an hour to get all the old seal residue off and install the new ones, but it was well worth the effort.

 

To test it, I mounted my new Nikkor 35mm f1.4 AIS lens, loaded a roll of Agfa APX400 film (thanks again, Dennis!), met my friend Charlie, and headed into DC. We attended the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, which featured Peru this year. Here are a few of the first pics I've scanned.

 

 

I just got the lens from another friend, Alain, a short time back. I haven't used it a lot. I think I like it.

 

I will be posting more from this event as I get them scanned.

 

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Signs of Autumn

I went out for a hike with my lovely wife, and with my Nikon FM2N and Micro-Nikkor 60mm f2.8 lens. We went to a local nature preserve, which is unfortunately only open on weekends. But, at least we could get in. In the past, it had been closed to visitors completely, due to lack of volunteers to staff it.

 

Autumn is fully underway here in Virginia. Here are a couple of shots I made on Walgreens 200 speed film (processed at The Darkroom) that I think signify the fall season pretty well.

Milkweed Gone to Seed, by Reed A. George

 

 

Golden Afternoon, by Reed A. George

 

Haven't tried The Darkroom yet? (Click Here) to give them a try. You'll be pleased with their professional and fast film processing.

 

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Some Camping Area Shots from Watermelon Park Festival 2014

I've shared my Watermelon Park Festival writeup on Cosmic Vibes Live, along with my digital photographs, largely taken on or around the stage.

 

Now, I'll share a few more casual shots, taken in the Camping area with my Nikon FM2, 200 speed drugstore color negative film, and 50mm f1.4 Nikkor AF-D lens. Of course on the FM2, I had to manually focus.

 

Deep Morning Thoughts with Erik Burnham, by Reed A. George

 

Chester and Milo, by Reed A. George

 

These two guys are my music photography heroes - Chester Simpson and G. Milo Farineau. Both are mad-skilled, friendly, and generally great to hang out with.

 

Rudy B., by Reed A. George

 

Speaking of fun to hang out with, here's Rudy B. of the Plank Stompers.

 

I really love carrying around the compact FM2 and normal lens while I'm tooling around the festival, especially during the day. Yes, I'll carry the D700 for the lowlight stuff. But, the FM2 just fits my hands so well.

 

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The Nikon FM2 - One of the Best SLRs Ever Made

I haven't shot my Nikon FM2 in a long time. Too long. Here's a shot I made with it in 2011, most likely the last time I used it.

Southern California Doorway, by Reed A. George

Nikon FM2, Fuji Sensia Slide Film

 

The FM2 is sort of the perfect result of one branch of SLR evolution, in my opinion. Not the same branch that ultimately ended up in the Nikon F6, a highly technical feat of automation and speed, the FM2 is the result of optimization of simplicity and effectiveness.

 

Now, some may argue that the FM3A was the successor to the FM2, and continued the evolution. In fact, that's the official word from Nikon. (Click Here) to read a little about the FM2 on Nikon's page. I have no experience with the FM3A, so am not in a position to say. However, it's hard to imagine that it does what the FM2 does only better. I suppose I owe it to myself to check that out.

 

In a way, I think of the FM2 as similar to the Leica rangefinder. While it benefitted from lots of experience in design and implementation, it didn't become a collection of features and gadgets. Not by any stretch of the imagination.

 

I started thinking about my FM2 because I read a post by Nick DeMarco on Rangefinder Chronicles, about Nick borrowing his father's FM2, and how much he enjoyed it.

 

(Click Here) to read Nick's post.

 

I have no reason to put off shooting my FM2. I know for a fact that it's sitting there, where it's been for the past three years, 100% ready to go and shoot. I'm even sure that the battery (which is unnecessary, anyway) is still charged and ready to go.

 

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Nikon's Promise of the Return of Pure Photography

When I think of pure photography, I can admit that I think back to my early days of photography, and my first "real" camera, the Pentax K1000 (which I still have and use). I shot Pentax instead of Nikon solely because of price. That said, my Pentax gear performed flawlessly for decades, and still does.

 

Anyway, the feel I get in my hands when I think back to then is one of an SLR camera, my right hand clamped onto the right side, finger on the shutter release, while my left hand cradles and sets the focus and f-stop (manually!) on the lens. Shooting an old Nikon film SLR - my FM2N, F2, or Nikomat, brings back that feeling very, very well. That's photographic home for me.

 

These days, "pure photography" to me means a couple of things. First, it means exactly what it used to: a great film camera and some real brass-and-class lenses. I've got no problem continuing to use the nicest old film gear. Second, if I extend it to the digital world, it means the Leica M9.

 

Pure Photography, by Reed A. George

Apple iPhone

 

Ironic, writing about pure photography and shooting what's in front of me with a telephone... Sorry for the poor quality image - I'm traveling, waking up in a coffee shop, and didn't have a mirror to shoot the M9 and iPad in.

 

Anyway, if you follow photography equipment news at all, you've undoubtedly already heard about Nikon's upcoming announcement of a digital SLR that promises to bring back "Pure Photography." Supposedly, we're going to be seeing a manually-controlled digital SLR that is similar to the FM2. The announcement is supposed to come early in November.

 

(Click Here) for a teaser video from the Nikon website.

 

I can say that I hope the camera lives up to the hype. A full-frame Nikon with all manual controls, which can reportedly even use pre-AI lenses (!) will be awesome. I'll want one.

 

I'm quite pleased with the M9, and will not give up on digital rangefinder photography. In some ways, it's more "back to the basics" than an SLR will ever be. However, it's not really my photographic history. I didn't have the opportunity to shoot a Leica until years after my Pentax K1000 days. I really love it, but it's not my roots.

 

So, Nikon, bring it to us. Reports, rumors, blurbs, say this will be an incredible camera, at a reasonable price. Let's see if you can pull it off. If so, I'm very pleased to buy a digital equivalent of my Nikon FM2N.

 

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