Someone I Met - and a New Camera. The Fujica Half 1.9 Half-Frame

I've been playing around with the 35mm half-frame format recently. (Click Here) and (Click Here) to see posts on my first half-frame camera, the Canon Demi EE17.

 

I recently bought a second half-frame camera, a Fujica Half 1.9. I picked it up on ebay for $22, including shipping, and it looks and works like new. It even came with the original soft leather case, strap and lens cap. Very cool.

 

Here's the important part - a picture I made with it on a recent trip down to Greenville, South Carolina. My friend, Craig, and I took a run over to Asheville, North Carolina for the day. We met this fine lady in an art studio there.

 

 

I scanned the film, then edited it in Analog Efex 2 (Nik Software/Google) and Lightroom. Analog Efex has a wealth of film and camera emulations, and frames.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Annoying Some Kids With My Rolleiflex

Get it Over With, Mister. By Reed A. George

Rolleiflex 2.8F Planar, Kodak TMax 400 Film

 

Every single time I use it, I am reminded why the Rolleiflex is such an important piece of photographic history, and my photographic present. I just love the expression on this little girl's face, as well as her posture. I also like that her shirt says "SMILE" on it...

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

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.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

More Street Portraits With the Mamiya Universal Press (MUP)

Yesterday I wrote about how using the MUP rarely goes unnoticed by the people I'm photographing. Here are a few more examples of street portraits, these all taken on a morning walk in Georgetown, Washington, DC.

 

Morning Smoke, by Reed A. George

Mamiya Universal Press Camera, Mamiya Sekor 100mm f3.5 Lens

Kodak TMax 400 Film

 

This gentleman was enjoying a morning cigaretter, out in front of the tobacconist shop. I felt that the combination of elements - him smoking, the cigar store Indian, and the sign went together very well.

 

Waiter, by Reed A. George

Mamiya Universal Press Camera, Mamiya Sekor 100mm f3.5 Lens

Kodak TMax 400 Film

 

And this young waiter was more confused than concerned when I asked if I could shoot his picture. He didn't understand why I'd want to do that. It's tough to explain, I'll admit. I love the contrast in this image, and how the doorframe provides a nice dark background for his face.

 

Watering, by Reed A. George

Mamiya Universal Press Camera, Mamiya Sekor 100mm f3.5 Lens

Kodak TMax 400 Film

 

And this young lady was quite comfortable with me photographing her with probably the biggest camera she's ever seen. One thing I believe is that the MUP immediately identifies you as a camera enthusiast (who else would carry such gear around?). Because of that, and because you can't even try to hide it, people seem to worry less about you sneaking pictures of them for some other (nefarious) purpose.

 

A different style of street photography for sure, but I am enjoying exploring it.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Belizean Bike Repair Shop

 

Belizean Bike Repair, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7

iso 400, f4, 1/80 sec.

 

While walking around San Pedro, Belize, I came across these two young gentlemen, working away in what appeared to be their own bicycle repair shop. They were really excited by and jumped at the chance to get their picture taken.

 

The signs in the back of the shop are really interesting: 50 cents for tire repair, no lending of tools, etc.

 

I enjoy shooting environmental portraits, and this one fits the bill for me. I appreciated their willingness to pose for me. A few seconds, and we were off again, walking down the street.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Dwayne Brooke of The Woodshedders

I had the pleasure of attending just a couple of hours of the Loudoun Bluegrass Festival last Saturday. The main event that I made it to was Dwayne Brooke's "Gypsy Jazz Jam." Dwayne is a friend of mine, a creative force, and guitarist/vocalist/songwriter for The Woodshedders.

 

(Click Here) to get to know The Woodshedders.

 

Well, it was a slightly rainy, overcast day, perfect for portraiture. Looking around outside the barns of the Loudoun Fairgrounds where the festival was held, I saw this incredible tree with a carpet of fallen blossoms at its base. As soon as Dwayne was done with the jam, I asked if he'd let me shoot a few photos of him there. Here's an example:

 

Dwayne Brooke, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Leica Summilux 35mm f1.4 v. 3 Lens

iso 400, f2.4, 1/250 sec.

 

Normally, I would shoot a longer lens for a portrait. In this case, I wanted a lot of environment in the shot, specifically the tree and fallen blossoms. So, I chose the Summilux 35mm. I attempted to reflect some light into Dwayne's area with some reflective panels designed for keeping your car cool (windshield shades). There just wasn't much to reflect, and I didn't have an assistant to hold them. I would have used a little bit of flash for that purpose, but don't you know my Nikon SB-30 flash battery died during the jam session?

 

(Click Here) to see the full set of several shots I made.

 

Overall, I'm pretty pleased with these. As usual, there are things I'd do to improve them next time. That's why photography continues to be fun and challenging for me.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

Huffington Post Reports on Wayne Lawrence's Photo Project - Orchard Beach

by Wayne Lawrence

Image Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/20/bronx-riviera_n_3781903.html?ref=topbar

 

Wayne Lawrence has produced a striking set of portraits of New Yorkers at the beach, Orchard Beach, in Pelham Bay Park in NYC.

 

(Click Here) to read about the project and see several more images on Huffington Post. The images will be shown at teh Bronx Museum, starting in October, 2013. There is also a book planned.

 

I think this project is really cool. Clearly Mr. Lawrence spoke to his subjects, got their permission, and posed them at some level. I feel that these images capture our current time very well. It is also rather clear that Lawrence uses fill flash, but that doesn't take away from the images.

 

When I think of these images, my mind goes to the historic pictures at Coney Island, capturing a glimpse of not only the people on the beach, but of the time.

 

(Click Here) to see some of Harold Feinstein's historic pictures of Coney Island.

 

I'm heading to the beach next week - I hope this will inspire me to take some different pictures.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Another Vicarious Travel Set - This Time, Bali, Indonesia, by choongmin63 on dpreview Forum

Bali, Indonesia, by choongmin63 on dpreview.com

Image Source: http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1041&message=41873175

 

Member choongmin63 has posted a few excellent pictures from Bali, Indonesia on dpreview.com.

 

(Click Here) to see the post on dpreview.com.

 

I can't see any information on what lenses were used, but the title indicates the pics were taken with a Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3. Every time I see something like this, I remind myself that if I hold back on gear purchases, I can afford trips to amazing new places. I'd like to see Indonesia first-hand.

 

Thanks, choongmin63, for sharing your vision with us.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

Just Go Shoot, by Aaron Hardin on Steve Huff Photo

Photo By Aaaron Hardin

Image Source: http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/HARDIN-Ethiopia-2.jpg

I personally need to hear this message, repeatedly, often - "JUST GO SHOOT!" It really helps when it's accompanied by great photos, as it is here on Steve Huff's blog, in a brief, inspiring piece by photographer Aaron Hardin (aaronhardinphoto.com)

(Click Here) to read the post on stevehuffphoto.com

Aaron admits that he also gets his mind diverted by new equipment (the Leica M9, in his case), but is able to pull away and use what he already has to make beautiful pictures. In this case, he photographed in Ethiopia with a single film body (Leica M4-P), 35mm lens, and a bag of film. No back-up equipment.

Personally, I'm hesitant to attend a local event without a back-up camera body on hand. How often do I need a back-up? Very rarely. Especially if I'm restricting myself to a single lens.

I currently find myself strategizing which new lenses to buy for my Lumix Micro 4/3 kit - at the moment I'm fixated on the Lumix 12-35mm f2.8 and the Olympus 75mm f1.8. At the same time, I'm considering whether to broaden the scope of my blog sometime in the future, to regularly include equipment other than Panasonic. I already include other equipment, but try to keep a Panasonic-related theme. If I decide to broaden that focus, Micro 4/3 may not be where I want to add equipment. So, as you can see, I'm preoccupied with equipment. This is nothing new; I'm a self-described gear head.

But, I need to become equally obsessed with shooting great projects. Luckily, I'm persistently pursuing a couple of projects. For example, this weekend will add another piece to my local music project, with a festival on the shores of the Shenandoah River.

Obsession is not a bad thing. In fact, it's a common theme amongst highly successful people. I just need to keep mine focused on the photography, as well as the equipment.

Here's something for me to keep in mind: I have the same Leica M4-P and 35mm lens in my collection. When was the last time I took just that combination out and used it consistently? Well, let's just say it's not my normal mode. I will think about that.

Thanks for reading through my self-counseling!

DMC-365.blogspot.com

And, if you want to spend the same on a single lens that you'd spend on a whole kit:

 

Landscape Photographer Hans Strand Shares His Story On Zeiss Lens Blog

 

Hans Strand - Master Landscape Photographer and Zeiss Enthusiast

Image Source: http://blogs.zeiss.com/photo/en/?p=1785

Hans Strand, Swedish landscape photographer, and I have at least a couple of things in common. First off, Hans is a trained Mechanical Engineer with a passion for photography. Second, he appreciates fine photographic equipment, from the point of view of an engineer.

(Click Here) to read Hans' complete story on the Zeiss lens blog, outlining how he transitioned from Engineering to Photography as his vocation, how he composes his images, and why he enjoys Carl Zeiss lenses.

We also have some differences. Hans is a master of the wide angle, which is somewhat elusive to me (I'm working on it). He maximizes depth of field and ultra-sharp focus in his landscape work. Another difference - he loves cold places. If I were to pick an ideal location to photograph, it would likely be a tropical island (Kauai comes to mind), or the Sierra Nevada Mountains, at the cold end. Hans prefers Iceland. To each his own.

Finally, one more point we share - even though he does a completely different style of photography, Hans appreciates the precision and timing of Henri Cartier Bresson's (HCB's) compositions. In my opinion, no other famous photographer has gotten it as right as HCB. Every time I pick up a rangefinder and head out to shoot a street scene, I wish for some insight from that guy.

I also enjoy Zeiss lenses - especially old ones, like the old Zeiss Tessar f2.8 on my 521/16 medium format folding camera that I used for these two shots:

Snow Dance, by Reed A. George

Zeiss 521/16 Medium Format Folding Camera, Zeiss Tessar f2.8

Waterford News, by Reed A. George

Zeiss 521/16 Medium Format Folding Camera, Zeiss Tessar f2.8

To tie it in a little, of course I enjoy my modern Zeiss Biogon 25mm f2.8, which makes a wonderful normal lens on the Lumix G3, great for street photography.

(Click Here) to see my recent post of a triptych shot with that combination.

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 
 
 

 

A Shot I Just Happen to Like

Small Town at Dusk, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Pana-Leica Summilux 25mm f1.4

iso800, f3.5, 1/40 sec

 
 

I'm not in the mood to search the news this morning, so I thought I'd just share a shot that I happen to like. You know how sometimes you take an image, think nothing of it, but then it keeps popping up in your mind? Well, this is one of those for me.

I was with my daughter in Winchester, Virginia, and we showed up a little early for a music event. So, we walked the pedestrian street downtown, and I convinced her to pose for this shot.

How's that for using leading lines in composition? I like how the line of lamps on the brick wall mirrors an imaginary line from the vanishing point to her face. The line to her face is an implied line, one that's not really even there, but it leads the eye to her. I also like the vertical line of the painted sign on the brick wall. It puts her at an apex, a center of attention. So, I feel that it brings the viewer's focus to her, without having to make her a major fraction of the area of the image. No closeup needed. And, it will always remind me of a pretty carefree evening, walking hand-in-hand with her in smalltown, America.

Someday soon, she'll be too cool to be seen in public with her old man. But, I've got this image to help remember these days.

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

Memorial Day Tribute - Manassas National Battlefield

On Monday, May 28, 2012, I attended a Memorial Day tribute at the Manassas National Battlefield. The event began at the Groveton Cemetery, established in 1866 to permanently contain the remains of numerous soldiers killed in both battles at Manassas, and buried in shallow graves on the battlefield in the haste of war.
 

Groveton Cemetery, Manassas, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Lumix 14-140mm f4-5.8 at 95mm

iso 160, f5.8, 1/640 sec

 
Of the 266 confederate soldiers buried at Groveton, only two are identified.
 

Groveton Cemetery, Manassas, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Lumix 14-140mm f4-5.8 at 41mm

iso 160, f5.3, 1/600 sec

 
 

James Jerman Palmer, South Carolina

Groveton Cemetery, Manassas, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Lumix 14-140mm f4-5.8 at 54mm

iso 160, f5.3, 1/1250 sec

 
The 42nd Virginia reenactors were present to fire salute to their confederate comrades, and a wreath was presented at the memorial.
 

42nd Virginia, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Lumix 14-140mm f4-5.8 at 140mm

iso 160, f5.8, 1/320 sec

42nd Virginia, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Lumix 14-140mm f4-5.8 at 140mm

iso 160, f8, 1/250 sec
 

Wreath Laying, by Reed A George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Lumix 14-140mm f4-5.8 at 75mm

iso 400, f5.8, 1/1600 sec

Wreath at Groveton, by Reed A George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Lumix 14-140mm f4-5.8 at 32mm

iso 400, f5.6, 1/2000 sec

42nd Virginia, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Lumix 14-140mm f4-5.8 at 70mm

iso 400, f8, 1/800 sec
 

After the ceremony at the cemetery, Manassas' own resident reenactor group performed a cannon demonstration:

 

Cannon Fire, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Lumix 14-140mm f4-5.8 at 32mm

iso 400, f6.3, 1/500 sec

I love the way the camera captured the fuse line still hanging mid-air, and the cannon fire at full extension from the barrel. Lucky shot.


The rest of the event commemorated Union soldiers, who were represented by the reenactors of the 14th Brooklyn, the only outfit named after a city, rather than a state. They were also referred to as those "red-legged devils" by Stonewall Jackson and his troops.

14th Brooklyn (Composite of Two Images), by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Pana-Leica Summilux 25mm f1.4

iso 160, f4.5, 1/160 sec

 
At this point, the activities moved across the road to the 14th's monument on the battlefield.
 

14th Monument, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Lumix 14-140mm f4-5.8 at 140mm

iso 200, f6.3, 1/1000 sec

14th Brooklyn Soldier, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Pana-Leica Summilux 25mm f1.4

iso 160, f5.6, 1/160 sec

 
 

14th Brooklyn Soldier, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Pana-Leica Summilux 25mm f1.4

iso 160, f5.6, 1/160 sec

14th Brooklyn Soldier, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Lumix 14-140mm f4-5.8 at 140mm

iso 200, f6.3, 1/200 sec

A final volley was fired by the 14th to commemorate all of the fallen veterans.

14th Brooklyn Salute, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Lumix 14-140mm f4-5.8 at 140mm

iso 200, f6.3, 1/200 sec

Marching to Destiny, the 14th Brooklyn, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Lumix 14-140mm f4-5.8 at 78mm

iso 200, f6.3, 1/800 sec

 

As this event was held in 90 degree weather at noon, it is hard to imagine worse lighting conditions. Okay, I can imagine worse, but the contrast was pretty high, and the shadows were not very complementary to my subjects.

 
You will see that I attempted to use fill flash on the shots taken with the Summilux 25mm f1.4. I did this with my Nissin Di466 flash set on manual, which allowed me to control the flash level better than TTL would have. I have found that even at minimum power, the Di466 can overpower the ambient light. In order to help out in this situation, I used a 3-stop Lumix neutral density filter on the Summilux. This allowed me to find an f-stop where the flash at minimum power was not overpowering, then select a shutter speed to balance the ambient light as well as possible. These are all manual settings, and since the flash power varies as a square to the distance from the subject, it is very hard to find one setting that works for multiple shots. In both of the Summilux portraits shown here, I think I underexposed the ambient, and allowed too much flash power to come through. This is a learning process for me, but at least I'm making some progress.
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com
 
 
 

Civil War Event - John Mosby's Rangers at Mount Bleak, Virginia

 

Paris, Virginia, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Pana-Leica Summilux 25mm f1.4

iso160, f8, 1/250 sec

On Sunday, May 13, 2012, I attend a Civil War historical event at Sky Meadows State Park in Delaplane, Virginia. This is amazingly serene countryside, as the panorama of nearby Paris above demonstrates.

This area was deeply involved in the Civil War, and was home to John S. Mosby, a confederate officer turned vigilante, who constantly tested and perturbed federal forces in the heart of Virginia. Mosby was known as the "Gray Ghost," based on his rangers' ability to appear and disappear seemingly instantly, using local "safe houses" to harbor himself and his men. In fact, the historic home at Mount Bleak in the park was one of those safe houses.

Richard Gillespie, Director of Education for the Mosby Heritage Area Association

by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Pana-Leica Summilux 25mm f1.4

iso160, f2.8, 1/125 sec

The evening's event presented several vignettes of individuals from the period, played by local reenactors associated with the Gray Ghost Interpretive Group. Starting near sundown, we listened to their stories as the sky grew dark, the program transformed to lantern light - wonderful for setting the mood and allowing our minds to go far back in time.

In the Role of Estate Owner and Former Mosby Ranger, George M. Slater

by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Pana-Leica Summilux 25mm f1.4

iso160, f2.8, 1/200 sec

Local Girl and Aid to Mosby's Rangers, by Reed A. George

by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Pana-Leica Summilux 25mm f1.4

iso3200, f1.5, 1/800 sec

Memoirs of a Ranger, by Reed A. George

by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Pana-Leica Summilux 25mm f1.4

iso400, f1.8, 1/1250 sec

Lone Federal Soldier Watches From the Shadows, by Reed A. George

by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Pana-Leica Summilux 25mm f1.4

iso6400, f1.4, 1/15 sec

The Tour Wraps Up After Dark, by Reed A. George

by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Pana-Leica Summilux 25mm f1.4

iso640, f1.4, 1/25 sec

(Click Here) for more information on the beautiful Sky Meadows Park, which is about an hour east of Washington, DC, and is a beautiful natural and historical reserve.

(Click Here) for more about the Mosby Heritage Area Association, who put on this event. They are excellent at bringing civil war history to life.

Here are a few more images of the beautiful scenery in the area:

Cultivation, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Lumix 14mm f2.5

iso400, f8, 1/250 sec

Whitewashed Fence, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Pana-Leica Macro-Elmarit 45mm f2.8

iso400, f2.8, 1/400 sec

Ivy, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Pana-Leica Summilux 25mm f1.4

iso400, f8, 1/80 sec

As you can see from the exposure information, as the evening wore on, I relied on the Summilux for its fast f1.4 aperture, and increased iso to 6400 near the end. It was a nice challenge to capture the event in near darkness. I hope I've done well enough that you can get a feel for this early summer evening in the countryside.

 
DMC-365.blogspot.com
 
 
 

Photographer Jimmy Williams Helps Preserve the Blues

 

Image Source: http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/01/a-right-to-sing-the-blues/#/1/
 
The New York Times' Lens blog posted this story about a photographer working to help support blues musicians and keep the blues alive.
 
(Click Here) to read the Lens post. Be sure to click through the photo set.
 
Photographer Jimmy Williams supports an organization known as the Music Maker Relief Foundation with his images. Jimmy meets with aged blues musicians, usually in their homes, and spends a few hours getting to know them, and photographing them. He gives full access to his images to the foundation, which financially supports the musicians and their music.
 
Mr. Williams asks the musicians to dress as they would for a performance. In my opinion, this helps to show their musical inspiration. In many of the shots, I can see the musicians living out their past memories. These photographs are very personal, and are inspiring to me.
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com
 

New Fun "Salon" Contest on mu-43.com

 

First Train Departs, by Reed A. George
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1, Pana-Leica 45mm f2.8 Macro-Elmarit
iso100, f7.1, 1/6 sec
 
There is a fun contest being hosted at mu-43.com. The current theme is "Motion."
 
(Click Here) for the contest announcement and instructions for entering.
 
My entry is the image above, of the first train leaving Gora Station in Hakone, Japan. This is the Japan Tozan Railway, which follows single-track switchbacks up the mountain from Hakone Yumoto Station.
 
(Click Here) for more of my images and information about the railway.
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com