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

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

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.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

Magnum Workshop Day 5/7 - Focus Pays Off, With One Usable Shot

Okay, at the end of Day 4 I felt pretty confident. I had a few images from the beach and the ladder shot, which reasonably tied in to my "end of the season" in Ptown theme. DAH selected a couple of the images, didn't like the beach exit picture I posted yesterday, and told me frankly that I had more work to do. He did suggest that I head back to the beach to see what else I could make of that.

 

I had in the back of my mind that I may once again find the surf fishermen, but that didn't happen.

 

I threw my Lumix GX7 over my shoulder, grabbed lunch to go in a bag, and biked back out to the shore. I went to the places I'd been the day before, met and talked with a few different people on the beach, and even got a young couple to let me shoot their relaxing day in the sand. None of these made it past my own filter.

 

Making a long loop ride around the seashore as shown below, I ended up at a bike shop near the west end of town.

 

Original Map Source: http://www.visit-provincetown.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/parkingPtown.png

 

Sort of out of options after leaving the beach with no real good additions to show for my efforts, I decided to act on DAH's advice to find a spot and let the image develop. The bike shop had lots of "Sale" signs up, indicating the end of the season. The deli inside the store was already closed for the season, and I photographed that, but not to much effect.

 

Going back outside, I noticed one of the shop employees working there. I struck up a conversation, and found that he himself was a sign of the change of seasons in town. Having come to Ptown for the summer from Bulgaria, this young man was preparing to return home in a couple of days. While he had enjoyed Ptown very much, working very long hours (90 hours per week!), he was looking forward to getting home to see his family. I asked where he had lived during the summer, and he told me he'd shared a space with two other people on the property. Asking if I could photograph his room, he told me that he was not allowed to bring guests in. And, he was working at the moment, anyway.

 

Having to pursue it further, I asked him if he could grab his suitcase, and let me photograph him walking out the door of the shop. Not exactly what I wanted, and staged for sure, it would have at least been something. He politely told me that he'd already been on break that afternoon, and wasn't allowed to take another. I asked him if I could request that his boss make an exception. He replied that his boss himself was on break, and not available. He would not be back for about 30 minutes. I said I'd wait.

 

Now at this point, it was clear that I was pushing hard, and quite possibly had outstayed my welcome. This guy was extremely nice, but was getting a little uncomfortable about my persistence. Anyway, I decided to wait it out.

 

Sitting on a picnic table in front of the store, waiting, I shot a couple of pictures of people coming and going, but nothing with a story. And then it happened. A lady from the neighborhood who'd befriended this young gentleman over the summer came to say goodbye before he left to return to Bulgaria. She hugged him, and told him how much she enjoyed knowing him. Real emotion, finally! I asked her permission to photograph them together, and she happily obliged. Here's the one shot I got from a few hours of pursuit:

 

Goodbye My Friend

 

This one shot made it all worthwhile. In fact, it was the only useful image I got the entire day.

 

That evening back at the Fine Arts Work Center (FAWC), Costa Manos was our featured speaker. Like Bruno Barbey, Costa has been with Magnum for 50 years. Costa was the main motivator for the Magnum Days in Provincetown program. Costa walked us through his amazing career in photography, beginning with his early coverage of a South Carolina island known as Daufuskie. This was where Costa made his first "serious" image, in 1952.

 

(Click Here) to see that image on the Magnum website.

 

It is an amazing image. In fact, it haunted me. Haunted me to the point that I purchased a limited edition print of it. I am not an art collector, but I really wanted to have this image to put on my wall as a reminder of the workshop, meeting Costa, and all of the other great people involved in the workshop.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Magnum Workshop Day 4/7 - Starting to Find My Way

Day 4. Wednesday. David Alan Harvey (DAH) had arrived on Tuesday night, and I knew that I'd be working with him for the rest of the week.

 

My final meeting with Bruno Barbey in the morning allowed me to share my images from Rego Automotive, two or three of which Bruno actually liked. I also showed him my shots from meeting the NYC surf fishermen. Bruno suggested that I try to find them again.

I joined DAH at around 10:30AM, and each of us students shared what we had so far. David was clear in telling us that we didn't have much for being on the third day of the workshop, and I agreed. He shared some of his own work, including a series from a strip bar in NYC, and showed us every exposure. This helped us to understand how he built up to the final few amazing images by working the scene. DAH doesn't believe in walking around looking for images. He finds a spot and sticks with it until a photograph emerges. This was an important lesson for me, and one that would pay off in the end.

 

After lunch, I grabbed my bike and headed back toward the beach, hopeful of finding the surf fisherman again.

 

On the way, I noticed this scene, which has some relation to the changing of seasons in Ptown. Trying to follow directions and work the scene, I shot this one, which I thought was just an ice breaker. Then I proceeded to get close, and shoot images of individuals working. Technically fine, they just showed one or two guys painting. DAH picked this shot below because the real visual draw was having all of these ladders in place on one house. It gives the impression of working to get the painting done quickly. So, this was the only one that made the cut.

 

 

Winter Preparations

I never did find the surf fishing group again. However, on this day, I did finally start to find my groove. It was Wednesday, DAH was in town, and the pressure was on. Walking the beach, I caught a flash of brilliant color out of the corner of my eye. It was this young lady, letting her beach towel blow in the breeze. Walking over to her, I explained that I simply had to have that image for my workshop series. She happily obliged. I knew at this point that things were starting to go somewhere, at least a little.

Golden Towel

 

Then, I happened to catch this amusing little moment. Having my Lumix DMC-GX7 and kit zoom allowed me to quickly capture this image without anyone noticing. One second later and it was gone.

 

Caught in the Moment

 

Not five minutes later, I found this somewhat similar scene:

 

 

A Theme, Perhaps?

 

Deciding that a final day or two at the beach did fit my story line of Ptown shutting down for the season, I was happy to bring these into my image collection. I knew that I would need some pictures of people departing, and grabbed the shot below to try to capture that feeling.

 

Leaving the Beach

 

That shot didn't make the cut. DAH liked the concept, but not the execution. Getting a couple of closing shots would prove to be no simple feat. At least I had a start, however. I went into Wednesday evening feeling much more confident. Maybe too much so.

 

The public talk was by DAH on this evening. Knowing that he'd just arrived after days of trying to fly in from Europe, and had worked the full day that day, I was impressed with his energy and clear thought in presenting his work. There are many great examples of DAH's work to look at. Having been a National Geographic photographer for many years, of course he had stories. One of his latest projects, "Based on a True Story," demonstrates an edgy, energy-filled depiction of Rio de Janeiro. I was very pleased to get a copy of the book, complete with signature, as part of being in David's workshop.

 

So, I had a start. Far from really having a full story, I knew I had to find more good images in the coming two days, but at least I had a start.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Winter Doldrums? December is Here.

Sunsets on the Month of November, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7, Pana-Leica Summilux 25mm f1.4 Lens

iso 200, f8, 1/50 sec.

As I write this, it's Sunday morning, December 1, 2013 (I usually write posts several days ahead). Amazing how fast this year has gone; it seems like yesterday we were in January.

 

Yesterday, I went to visit a friend in Warrenton, Virginia, and captured the shot above, the final sunset of November, with my new Lumix GX7 and 25mm Summilux.

 

Oh yeah, while I was out, I got to handle the new Nikon Df at McClanahan's Camera in Warrenton. It's really, really attractive.

 

(Click Here) to got to McClanahan's. Mr. M. has a Df waiting for your purchase; I;m sure he'll be happy to ship it to you.

 

Winter makes it harder to find interesting subjects to photograph, especially outdoors. This just means that I need to focus my lens and efforts elsewhere. People are still interesting in winter, right? And, it's a chance to focus on cleaning up all of the image files I shot all year round, organize my folders for next year, and maybe even do some post-processing and printing.

Last of the Leaves, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7, Lumix 100-300mm f4-5.6 OIS Lens at 280mm

iso 400, f5.6, 1/400 sec.

 

If you know me at all, you know that organizing files isn't what turns me on about photography. No, it really is December 1, and that means it's time to select my final lens for my monthly series Whole Lotta Leica (that series will end after this month), and pull a neglected camera out of the closet for my Skeletons From The Closet series. The future of SFTC is uncertain at the moment, but I'm thinking of focusing on a few of my favorite cameras next year, for longer than a month. I may even do multiple cameras at the same time. We'll see.

 

So, time to start thinking about some new projects, and continue on some current ones. I'm sure I'll find some good live music being played in the local venues even as it snows outside, for example.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Different Takes on Autumn Leaves

As I wrote earlier in the season, I've tried to avoid taking the same autumn leaf pictures that I (and many other) photographers take each and every year. For example, I used the kit zoom on my new Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7 to add some motion blur to shots that would otherwise have been quite static. I made threes separate posts about that:

 

(Click Here) to see my first post on leaves in motion.

 

(Click Here) to see where I developed the concept a little further, with a set that make me feel like I'm being pulled through the treetops up into the clouds.

 

And finally, (Click Here) to see my favorite of the series, where I attempted to get the best combination of detail in the leaves, blur from camera motion, and color.

 

Well, today's images take a less drastic departure from "normal" fall color photography, but I hope still show something a little unique. As in all three posts above, I shot these with the DMC-GX7 and the much-improved 14-42mm Series II kit lens.

 

On my way to have lunch with my lovely wife, I looked to the side of the road and saw this tree. The most important element that drew me to photograph it was not the tree, however, it was the way the leaves on the ground appeared. Because the ground slopes upward behind the tree, the fallen leaves provided a partial background for the image.

 

 

Ground As Background, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7, Lumix Aspheric 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 Series II Lens at 14mm

iso 200, f8, 1/125 sec.

 

I like the shot above, but it's quite conventional, other than the ground sloping up. Looking for a different perspective, I used the rotatable finder on the GX7 to get down low. I took several shots that way, but nothing that really looked different to me. Finally, I started playing with selective focus from the low angle. Here's an example of what I came up with:

 

Drawn to the Front, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7, Lumix Aspheric 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 Series II Lens at 24mm

iso 200, f8, 1/125 sec.

 

This shot has only a narrow band of leaves at the very bottom of the image in focus. Personally, I like how it sort of asks a question of the viewer. At first glance, it just looks like a blurry picture of a tree, and at that point, some may stop looking. Looking closer however shows that the leaves at the bottom are perfectly sharp. This draws the attention to the leaves on the ground, which were the element that drew me to the scene in the first place. The tree itself takes on only secondary importance. One could argue about which image is more "pretty," if either fit that bill; I can say that the second shot better communicates how I felt about the scene.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Autumn's End

 

Autumn's End, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7, 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 Aspheric Series II Lens (at 40mm)

iso200, f14, 1/40 sec.

 

It seems that autumn has nearly run its course. There's a possibility of our first snow tonight.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

 

And Now From The Darkside - Autumn Is For Death

On the same walk that I posted all the warmth and beauty of autumn from yesterday, I also found this:
 

Death in the Forest, by Reed A. George
Leica M9, Leica Summarit 50mm f1.5 Lens (ca. 1953)
iso 200, f2.8, 1/250 sec
 
Autumn is the time for dying. Many animals and plants end their life cycle as the leaves turn color and fall to the ground.
 
I have no idea what this young buck died from. But, looking up, I see what may well have been his last sight of life...
 
 

Final Vision, by Reed A. George
Leica M9, Leica Summarit 50mm f1.5 Lens (ca. 1953)
iso 200, f2.6, 1/200 sec
 
See what I mean about that old Summarit drawing some interesting forms in black and white? You can see the sharpness of the skull in the first image, and how quickly that sharpness transitions into whorly out of focus regions. What a cool old lens.
 
Tomorrow I promise to get off the death theme, really.
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com
 
 

Practicing What I Preach - A Walk In The Autumn Rain - The Warm Side

I'm always writing that photographers should not let inclement weather keep them inside. Today I decided to practice what I preach. So, I grabbed the Leica M9, mounted the first Leica lens I ever owned (a 1953 Summarit 50mm f1.5) and headed out right after a major rain. I saw the light turning nice, and went for it. Turned out, the rain didn't come back until after I was finished. I was rewarded with these images.
 

First Reds of the Season, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Summarit 50mm f1.5 lens

iso 200, f6.7, 1/60 sec

 

Nature's Rituals, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Summarit 50mm f1.5 lens

iso 200, f1.5, 1/180 sec

 

Sun Shines Through, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Summarit 50mm f1.5 lens

iso 200, f2.8, 1/1000 sec

Water Drops on Reeds, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Summarit 50mm f1.5 lens

iso 200, f2.8, 1/4000 sec

End of Days, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Summarit 50mm f1.5 lens

iso 200, f11, 1/250 sec

 
 

Transition, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Summarit 50mm f1.5 lens

iso 200, f2.8, 1/2000 sec

 

 

I don't use this old lens much any more. It has a little haze, but not too bad. It gives a crazy out of focus accent, known as "bokeh" in photographic circles. It's pretty darned sharp, but the focus point moves forward at wide apertures. It's truly an artistic lens, not a technical one. But, I love the results.

 
The Summarit also draws very nicely in black and white. In my next post, I'll include a couple of monochrome shots taken on the same day. Get ready for a little creepy autumn darkness after all the warmth and color of this one...
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com