Parkour - By Maik Scharfscheer, Leica Photographer

 

Parkour, by Reed A. George

Nikon F2SB

 

I've recently gotten into photographing the sport of parkour. These urban acrobats are excellent photographic subjects, and I've just started to scratch the surface.

 

I found an interesting post on the Leica Camera Blog about photographer Maik Scharfscheer, who made a series of photographs of a parkour practitioner in the city of Marrakesh. (Click Here) to see the post.

 

As you can see above, my first session shooting parkour was with a manual Nikon film SLR. My inclination, as with most photographers I'm sure, is to use a fast camera for this subject, something like a DSLR. In fact, I have now used my Nikon Df for that purpose. But, I've also been playing with Micro 4/3 (using a fisheye lens), and most recently with a Zeiss SW 35mm camera with a Voigtlander 12mm f5.6 lens. This sport works so well with wide angle lenses.

 

So, in some ways, I'm taking an approach similar to Scharfscheer, who chose to shoot parkour with a Leica, carefully selecting his moments rather than capturing high speed sequences with a DSLR.

 

That said, I captured some pretty cool sequences today at a parkour event with my Nikon Df. As I said, I'm trying a variety of approaches to develop my own look at this exciting sport. I'll share more parkour images in the near future.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Testing the Nikkor AiS 35mm f1.4 With Film

I recently bought two classic lenses from a friend, the 50mm f1.2 and 35mm f1.4 AiS manual focus lenses from Nikon. Both are in truly mint condition.

 

I used the 50 f1.2 while I was in Japan, and have posted some results (Click Here). It's a very special purpose lens, but the way it isolates subjects with the miniscule depth of field, and can shoot in near total darkness is impressive.

 

I have not used the 35 f1.4 much at all yet, and decided to put a roll of film through my Nikon FM2N using only that lens. I didn't have any particular subject in mind when I went out, but wanted to see how the lens would do. Here are a few shots from that roll.

 

 

All of these were shot on Ilford HP5+.

 

The final shot really shows how the 35 f1.4 can isolate a subject, while including a lot of context in the image. If I'd shot this with a longer lens (easier to get narrow depth of field), it would not have been obvious that the boy had friends with him, that he was using an Apple computer, or that he was in a library at all. Kind of fun.

 

So, I need to keep exploring this lens. More to come!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

13 St NW - Washington, DC, Shot with Rolleiflex 2.8F Planar

 

13 St NW, by Reed A. George

Rolleiflex 2.8F Planar, Kodak TMax 400 Film

 

I know it looks like a simple shot, but I worked hard on this composition. I took a few other shots, but this one appeals to me the most. I believe that the two workers (one on a ladder on left, one on stairs at right), the bicyclist, and especially the open window at the top corner of the building are importnat compositional elements. The street sign at top left is as well. I see a compositional triangle of the ladder, window, and either bicyclist or worker on stairs that works well for me. The street sign sort of breaks up the scene in an interesting way.

 

Probably over-thought, but I like it.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

Inside Looking Out - Rolleiflex 2.8F

 

Inside Looking Out, by Reed A. George

Rolleiflex 2.8F Planar, Kodak Tmax 400 Film

 

I shot this on a lovely, bright, spring morning at Le Diplomate restaurant in Washington, DC. I exposed for the gentleman's face, which meant that I had to dodge the interior (dark) portion of the image to show some detail in the bottles.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

Ribbon High in the Branches

 

White ribbon high in the branches above,

But how?

A balloon held too loosely in the spring breeze?

No evidence to say so,

But normal silk doesn't often fly to such heights.

What luck, to have been caught at the apex of its path,

We should all be so fortunate.

 

Before me, the gladiator, the eagle, the mounted warrior victorious,

all too captured at their peak.

But do they know?

Is it not just as well to know you've attained it,

and always have the memory,

as imperfect or even embellished?

 

 

 

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

Songwriter's Tribute to Bob Dylan's 74th Birthday

Whatever you may think of Bob Dylan, you have to admit the man's a creative genius. Possibly not the most polished vocal tones in history, his songs will be with us for a long time, maybe as long as humans listen to music.

 

I attended a celebration of Dylan's 74th birthday, led by three songwriters (left to right) Todd Wright, Luke Brindley, and Anthony Fiacco.

The event was held at Jammin' Java, a really nice live music venue in Vienna, Virginia. (Click Here) to check out Jammin' Java. They have a full schedule of live music, and the place is well set up for listening.

 

I shot with the Nikon Df, new 28mm f1.8 AF-S, 50mm f1.4 D, and 85mm f1.8 D lenses. Here are some more shots from the show.

 

 

These images are pretty much straight from the camera.

 

I am hoping that the 28mm will be a useful lens for my live music shooting. I am pretty pleased with the results from this first trial.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

Extreme Kayaking

Today is Memorial Day. My daughter and I went to Great Falls Park in Virginia to attend a parkour event. That didn't work out, due to miscommunication about the location. But, we did get to watch some amazing kayakers, attacking the steep falls at the park. Here's a series I shot with the Nikon Df and 70-300 f4.5-5.6 VR lens.

 

 

After this shot, the kayaker literally disappeared behind the rocks. Amazing to watch.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com