Walking amongst giants in the mist
Sometimes simple nature…is best
Flowing Water in Black & White
My Rolleicord Vb recently serviced by a retired Rollei service technician is operating superbly…as good as new.
Therefore I needed to test it…. Results below.
More Water
Moving Water
I just couldn’t resist on this rainy day. It was wet, cold and my gear got soaked. Only lucky it wasn’t digital equipment. These were shot on an analog Nikon F6 and a roll of cheap and nasty Kodak Gold 200. I was surprised how good the quality of the film actually was.
These two images above were naturally created on a digital camera…as longer exposures were necessary than the one second possible with film.
A clear case of GAS: Voigtländer 75mm 1:1,5 Nokton
GAS: Gear Akquisition Syndrome
Noun : gear acquisition syndrome (uncountable)
A tendency to purchase more equipment than justified by usage and/or price.
I must admit, I have suffered from it, and so have many more. I thought I had left my time of buying and spending money on gear i don’t need behind...many years ago.
I shoot Nikon...a lot. Well, I used to. Now I like to play with Leica more than anything else. But my first big Nikon purchase was a Nikon D2H. As I wasn’t really rich I could only afford 3rd party lenses such as Sigma. No doubt, good enough to do the job, but I amassed such a collection of them that I started struggling with the weight. There was a 150-500mm zoom, a wide angle, a macro, a fisheye...and...and...and.
When I then wanted a Pro Film Body I connected with a professional photographer who offered his Nikon F5 on Ebay. We met up and got talking. This guy eventually advised me to trade all my lenses in for two pro zooms. It was a Nikon 24-70mm F2.8 and a 70-200mm F2.8. He suggested that would cover me for all my future needs.
So that is what I did.
I never looked back...for years.
Since then I treated myself to a Leica camera and a couple of lenses. They are mostly Zeiss.
I was happy and also successful with my image taking...ready for any event, assignment or project.
But now Voigtländer has has released a new lump of glass for Leica. Oh my god! I feel ill. I can feel that virus...that GAS. It’s spreading. It’s taking hold of me!
That 75mm F1.5 with its supreme manufacturing quality and absolutely sweet colour rendition and super soft bokeh is a piece of kit I must try...must play with...must have!
So, you see...all you wives and partners and parents and cohabitants of photographers...its a sickness, a disease, a condition which we cannot help! We succumb to this evil situation where school uniforms for the kids are secondary, where the planned vacation will have to be postponed until next year...where WE MUST JUST HAVE!
Joking aside:
It’s a lovely lens. Voigtländer has come a long way during the last 10 years and it is worth a look.
I will have to ask myself though:
Will owning this lens improve the quality of my images? Will I be more successful using this lens? Will one be able to tell the difference?
I guess I know the answer. But I will at least have a go with it and see if it can replace my Leica 90mm F2. At least I will not fork out another grand by trading in.
Cannot do without...
...camera.
...Leica.
...Summicron.
...Zeiss.
...glass.
...aperture.
...shutter sound...
...
...FIIIILM!!!
It’s weird how we photographing folks are addicted to surrounding ourselves with gear..cameras...lenses...bags and all other kind of associated toys.
It’s when we wake up...before we go to bed...while we are out for a walk...
We always have to have a camera around.
Have you ever been so in thought that you were not really watching the TV but clicking away with your beloved film camera with no film in it? Or even just caressing the body of your new purchase, be it an old ‘clicker’ or a new modern digital ‘beast’?
Believe me...I have been caught by my better half and been told to stop it because otherwise she would have wrapped it around my neck and then chained me to the radiator in the basement!!
I know it is embarrassing...
...but...
Photographers are of a certain kind. We don’t take snap shots but images and we don’t make pictures but create…long lasting memories!
See where I am going with this?
Even though I do shoot a lot of rubbish...I NEVER leave the house without some kind of camera. By that I do not mean to refer to that dinky little lens in my smartphone. I always have a decent camera with me. Nikon, Leica, Rollei or even Sony. I cannot ‘not’ be prepared to record.
I even take a camera to work in my trusty old Billingham Bag, just in case I might need it on my way to or from the office. I want to be prepared in case there might be an opportunity to shoot the sunrise, misty mornings or exciting stormy weather.
Photographers are not just snappers. We need to be ready for something special. These moments do not come often and are not predictable. So we have to be ready.
Photographic creators usually also do not often care about what others may think...they (we) just HAVE to do it!
I admit...its a sickness, an addiction, but boy is it better than being dependant on drugs or alcohol!
Or is it just me? Am I the weird one?
Been for a wander during a cool evening…with a Leica M-E and a Zeiss 50mm /1.4
I HATE TICKS...
So…over the weekend I spent a couple of mornings out in the local woods and up a mountain or hill...or whatever you might want to call it. I frequent this area quite a lot so I know every path and every bush and tree very well.
What I didn’t realise was how many ticks are actually out to ‘get me’! They are everywhere!
Even though the area is not known for ticks infecting humans with Lyme Borreliosis or Lyme disease, I am very weary of the risks.
In the last two days I found two very small ticks on me...little buggers trying to feed on me. One was crawling on my knee after I returned back from my Saturday excursion and the other actually bit me on my triceps...whilst I was at work. I have no idea where I picked this one up...as I work in a warehouse and not outdoors.
Luckily I managed to pick it off with its head...not buried in my skin. I’ll have to watch that bite mark; just in case I get the characteristic inflammation.
I have keenly followed Dan Milnor’s reports on his battle with Lyme disease and am fully aware of the risks. The fact that I live and work in Germany now fills me with some comfort, knowing the health service here is very capable of treating the onset of such bacterial infection. Even though it is very difficult to diagnose the actual condition, the doctors and scientists do have a lot of experience.
Research has shown that there has been a continuous spread of infecting ticks from all over the world and it is mainly due to winters not being cold enough. As the days of winter temperatures of -15 to -20 degrees Celsius are a thing of the past...so is the death of ticks.
I shall continue to be wearing long trousers, long sleeve shirts and a hat/cap when I venture out...along with insect repellant...the strong stuff!
So...whenever you venture out with your cameras...especially in ‘green’ areas...dress up and lube up in repellant!
And of course when you return...check yourself for bites and your clothing, too. Those buggers like to wait for when you wear that jacket next time.
Stay safe, stay low and move fast...and don’t forget to take care of each other.
What to do on a Sunday morning...
I usually check the weather forecast on Wednesday for the weekend. Then again on a Thursday to enable me to plan. Then I have another peek at it on Friday morning, then again Friday afternoon...I feel like a teenager constantly checking if I am popular enough on WhatsApp. It’s terrible. However, the offered weather Apps kicking around on the Web are all supposed to do the same...but never do...tell what the weather will be during the next few days. It’s annoying, as some forecast rain and fog, when others actually tell me it will be a weekend indoors due to rain.
I have learnt to rely on my gut feeling and the dew on my roof window.
I am after moisture...a lot of it. It will give me the ‘oh so desired’ misty mornings coupled with beautiful golden sunrises.
This involves getting up very early these days. (…sigh...).
I sometimes get up at 0400 to be on location before the first sun rays. On occasions I have to catch up on some shut-eye during the afternoons as I will not make it to the next day otherwise.
During the summer months I struggle for interesting compositions. Everything is green and without blossoms. Most plants and especially trees are not in bloom anymore and woodlands are dark and...well...boring. Mist only settles on open areas and hardly ever is found in built up areas or where more than a few trees are located. Lone trees are also not much found anymore as they had to give way to effective farming. They have just been chopped down because they were in the way.
So...the big question: what to shoot?
I have found that it is not the shooting, or even hunting for a significant composition, that is important. I find it far more satisfying to just get out and get some exercise. Naturally I would never leave the house without a camera, but it would be to document my day’s activities and just what I get up to. The really good frames will either ‘jump at me’...or not; and that is OK too. As long as I do not miss a chance by not having a decent lens in front of a camera to capture the moment...its fine.
Today I spent time on a local peak with my Leica MP 0.72 and a roll of Kodak Color Gold 200. I got there before sunrise only to find out that there was no mist, no sun and very flat light. Additionally I also have no images to show yet...as I have to finish the roll first and have it processed. So all I have at the moment...is a shot from my smartphone.
So there...recorded, shot, framed...
But: I have the images which will remind me of a very early morning out and about in nature... as it really was. Yet to find out what the roll of film will produce when I finally get it back from the Lab.
How exciting!?!!!
Long live Film!
But on a Sunday morning…I could have had a lie-in, done some ironing, cleaned the car, done some paperwork or even worked on my archive. I could have even worked on my book which I am determined to finish soon. Dan Milnor has inspired me enough now to actually get it done!
Check out Dan on shifter.media. It’s really…really good stuff!
Hybrid thinking, hybrid Process
I finally got round to developing some film again. The smell of fixer and developer on my fingers is still prevalent and I cant get rid of it. But it’s a good smell. It is a testament to successful processing and and a reminder of the excitement of what may be on the rolls I shot a few days or even weeks ago.
Two rolls of Ilford Delta 3200 (out of date since 2017), a roll of Ilford Delta 100 and a roll of Kodak TriX 400. The latter being 35mm and the others of the 120 format. Yes, I pulled out the ole’ Rolleicord again. The beauty I had serviced by a former technician of the original Rollei factory.
The final results turned out fine...well, I could have exposed the outdated 3200 for a little longer...but the detail is there, even though it is a little dark.
Now I need to cut, scan and store the negatives.
I am by no means a specialist in processing B&W film. I have perfected my workflow...call it the sequence of it all...but I am not one to experiment. My images are far too precious to me to potentially ruin the result. I have, once or twice, pushed TriX to ISO 1600 but was not really impressed with the result. There was just not enough detail in the shadows.
Now some of you may call out that I must have messed up the temperature or not developed long enough...well, maybe. I am however much more impressed with the results if I stick with the intended ISO.
What I am really impressed with is the fine grain of the Delta 100 film. The scan is amazingly sharp, even though I shot the images on an old 1950s Rolleicord, which is not really known for best lens quality.
At the end of the day I find it important to also decide what my images will be used for. Am I going to print extremely large posters? No! Will my exposures be subjected to pixel peeping? No! So to be honest, I am really happy with the results...and I can edit, too. The digital scan can now be altered to be perfect without having to utilise an expensive dark room.
Make up your own mind.
Is printing the the best option?
I have been a film photographer for many years now and with that I have moved to a hybrid workflow. It describes an analogue shooting process, developing in chemicals but then scanning the negatives and editing in the digital darkroom.
Some may call this cheating or even blasphemy.
I see it as going with the times as technology gives us the tools to work not just more effectively but also saving resources.
But...I find it absolutely vital to print my work. The hybrid process lets me select, print and then enjoy only my best images and not waste time and money on the bad and ugly frames.
So lets talk about printing.
I love to revisit my images from the past. Most are projects which are pretty close to my heart. So naturally I like to see a print either on the wall, in an album or just in a box which can be pulled out for visitors.
But as the market has changed and output media has become prohibitively expensive, I am not sure if printing individually on paper is the right way to go.
Case 1:
Printing through a Lab for a photo album will require at least 50 images to make it great...no matter what subject. That will cost me approx. 25 Pounds. Along with the album cost of cheap and nasty quality: 12 Pounds. Add the required glue of another 5 Pounds and you end up with a grand total of: 42 Pound Sterling. I haven’t even mentioned the work yet, that is required to put the wonderful book of memories together.
Case 2:
Create a photo book on Blurb.com. Depending on what combination of papers, cover material and size you will get a professionally made book to the widely accepted standards of the publishing industry. The cost of an equally good or even better product than Case 1 is near enough the same...but the Blurb produced product will last longer and can be re-printed easily over the internet.
It’s a no brainier, isn’t it?
Dan Milnor is a former photojournalist. He now called himself a Blurb Evangelist...spreading the word of the advantages of publishing using Blurb. He does however not really advertise, but convinces with valid comparison and facts.
Check his web presence (shifter.media) and be convinced how important it is to print your work.
Naturally there are other businesses offering similar products and at this point are not considered better or worse.
The principle idea is to preserve your image collection in print without actually spending a fortune.
Additionally Dan is not primarily aiming to generate sales but is more in the business of inspiring everyone to be creative.
Shoot, edit if necessary and produce something that lasts...as long as it is not as digital copy on a hard drive.
The thing about getting up early...
...is that it is good for the soul. I get up very early every day. Unfortunately in summer it is not exactly before sunrise. The sun is up so bloody early that it would rob my sleep to the extent that I wouldn’t function throughout the day. But week-ends are the ideal opportunity to rise before ’everything’ else.
0430hrs: Up, outta bed...
0500hrs: grab the camera and get out of the house
0515hrs: on location
Depending on the environment, I am out for about an hour or two. On returning home there is the highlight of the trip...stop off at the local bakery to get breakfast.
By the time I have had breakfast, I have had a productive morning with plenty of fresh air, exercise and prints to show for. I have explored the local woodlands, lakes and rivers with all its wildlife and flora. I don’t need to fly to exotic locations to photograph the wonders of the world. I have it just as good in front of my doorstep.
So, for those of you who had a lie-in on a week-end...what have you achieved by 1000hrs?
I call it lost time.
In any case, value your time...its ticking away!
Little things really big
I find it amazing, what digital cameras and modern lenses are capable of nowadays. Above all, it doesn’t need to be expensive gear. This was shot on an outdated Sony a6000 camera which came from a discount sale.
All you need is a lens which produces clear images. In the photography world it is spoken of again and again that it is not the camera that makes a good image, but the lens. So what is a good lens?
Well, principally it is a stack of glass optics…but what is classified as ‘good’?
I always consider the output. What am I shooting for? For me its mostly print. So primarily defining is the size. If I need to create a print as large as a billboard…yes, I need supreme quality which will come at a huge cost. But in my case I print no larger than 8 x 10 in. I think I can use a pretty standard lens as the imperfection of a budget tool will not be noticeable.
I am not a pixelpeeper! I need the image to ‘speak’ to the viewer. That is all.
Weekend morning shoot in Northern Germany
It’s the Teutoburger forest…the last frontier of the Romans…just where they were beaten by the Germaniens. Here the Roman Empire ended and never went any further. An entire legion wast lost and it is here where I routinely go for my morning shoot. It’s sunrise and the the golden light is amazing.
