Illuminata.

Favourite, Inspiration, Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH f/1.4, Life's Little Moments, Portrait, Teaching point

↑Leica M9 and Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH @ f/1.4.

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I’m pleased with this image… the light, the mood.

And — curiously — her profile mirrors the contours of the lighthouse:

I hadn’t noticed it until my wife pointed it out.

Admittedly, our brains are always seeking to make order of the world around us, but the two main elements in this image — photographically speaking —complete each other.  This sort of harmony ultimately resonates with the viewer, whether they know it or not.

—Peter.

Poolside (the Matrix).

Favourite, Inspiration, Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH f/1.4, LFI Master Shot, Portrait, Sports, Teaching point

Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is.  You have to see it for yourself.

—Morpheus, The Matrix.

Fans of the movie The Matrix will no doubt understand my reference to it in the context of this image.

This is a technically difficult shot, not so much because of the action (I pre-focussed on the plane of her anticipated trajectory), but because of the extremes of light and dark populating this scene… accurately judging the exposure was quite a challenge.

And capturing her form in this most interesting pose — at the moment she entered the slice of space illuminated by a shaft of sunlight — was accomplished with the aid of good timing and a hefty dose of luck.

This photo was chosen as a Leica Fotografie International (LFI) Master Shot.

—Peter.

↑Leica M9 and Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH @ f/1.4.

End of summer (bye bye).

Favourite, Inspiration, Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH f/1.4, Portrait, Teaching point

Unofficially anyway.

As an aside, after judging for the moment, lighting, composition, and post-processing, I’m always most pleased with an image of mine if it makes me believe — even for a moment — that I’m staring at a painting.

It’s too soon to know if this one qualifies, but that’s my early impression.

↑Leica M9 and Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH @ f/1.4.

Chasing the ball, revisited [2].

2012, Inspiration, Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH f/1.4, Portrait, Sports, Teaching point

It’s not easy nailing this kind of close-range shot at f/1.4 with a manual focus rangefinder camera, but when I’m successful, it’s always worth it.

In this case, there is a problem with the image in that the horizon is not level (a photographic “no-no“, most of the time), and fixing this will result in her foot being cut off at the bottom edge of the frame (a bigger photographic “no-no“).

I’ve therefore decided to keep things as they are… hopefully the viewer will think that I meant to shoot it this way — intentionally slanting the image so that it takes on a more dynamic look. 😉

[Incidentally, the other Chasing the Ball images may be found here, here, and within this article about using the M9 for sports here.]

↑Leica M9 and Leica 50mm Summilux @ f/1.4.

Photokina: New cameras coming! (try to ignore them)

Inspiration, Teaching point

Photokina is:

“…the world’s largest trade fair for the photographic and imaging industries.” 

—Wikipedia

…and all the photographic fora are abuzz with rumours and speculation about what new cameras and lenses are about to be unveiled.

Why “try to ignore them”?

If you’re visiting this site you probably already own a camera, so your time would be better spent learning how to use it properly!

Constantly “upgrading” equipment is not only costly, it’s counter-productive:  you never hold on to it long enough to get any good at using it.  Moreover, when you’re first getting acquainted with a new camera the quality of your photographic output is at an all-time low because you’re too busy trying to figure out all the operational nuances (all those buttons, menus, quirky behaviours, etc.) to actually concentrate on the basics like composition and lighting.

How do I know?

I’ve made the same mistake — over and over again. 😉

My advice?

Buy the best camera equipment you can afford (see my previous article here) because — all other things being equal — a good image will always look better when created with high-quality equipment vs. cheap equipment.  Then, practice, practice, practice (there are no shortcuts!) and make that camera an extension of your brain… the photos will follow.

On the off-chance you don’t “bond” with your gear (and this sometimes happens when the camera isn’t the right size or shape, etc.) you’ll probably be able to sell it and get most of your money back… good equipment is always in demand.

Did I mention, practice, practice, practice?

[Disclaimer: This is a bit tongue-in-cheek, but mostly true.]

—Peter.

Featured Photographer: hughf.

2012, Guest Post, Inspiration

Photography has saved me, my life.

—hughf.

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hughf

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About.

39 yrs old.  Lives in Paris, France.  Began working at age 16, and since the age of 19 has worked as a salesman in different places.  Currently works 6 days a week, which leaves him with “not enough time” to practice his passion.

Cameras.

Leica M9 and Canon 5D M2 (for tele work with the 135/2 L).  He views his gear as “like a little treasure”.

What’s important.

“My Family is my Heart.”

Interesting fact.

Has a twin brother.

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It is my great honour today to feature an exceptional photographer, Hugues, known online by his artistic name, hughf.

I met Hugues almost two years ago, when he contacted me to request advice about Leica gear.  Little did I know that the polite and humble person with whom I was communicating possessed a sensitive and powerful photographic vision that would later leave me in awe.

Hugues has that rare ability to see in the most profound sense, and his imagery is imbued with passion and intelligence.  If you’ve never seen his photographs before, you’re in for a real treat.

What follows, therefore, are the truly inspirational images, and the brutally honest words, of hughf.

—Peter.

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Words and text, courtesy of hughf.

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My life has been very confused, and I have done a lot of mistakes during this long period…

I have tried to have a “classic life”, with a good Job and a Person to Love when I was 23.

…But this history has been for me like a “nightmare” 

And ever since, I live alone.  It is my own choice.

With too much of Work and Alcohol, and I have lived like a “Wolf”…

A bit like my father in fact…

Well sorry to tell you all this, but it has a true importance for the rest, in fact…because Photography has saved me, my life.

Today I really want to have a life with a nice perspective…

With a better health (mental and physical), and the fact to think and practice this passion is better than anything else… When I shoot, I walk a lot and my mind is very aware (I have positive things in my mind )…

… and finally, to make this, it is if I do some sport and have something which [makes me] passionate.  I think that it is so important to [find] a way and a passion to become better…

… I don’t have a particular style… But I really like to have my pictures very clean and clear… I think that I am very direct and frontal and I like to have the minimum Things or Person in my compositions….I like moody pictures and B&W of course, and it is for this I compose and frame my shots for giving some shapes and structures…. Nothing very new !!!

But the difference now, is I don’t shoot for shooting…. And more important again, I present only a few pictures that I truly like, technically and “artistically” speaking… For me, what you show and propose to others is like a bit of your soul.

A last thing about my motivation on the Photography:  Finally, even if I am a little “wolf”… I am very glad to share my passion and pictures with some Person which are important and very interesting to me…
Speaking with someone about things and passion which are interesting for both is I think the Key of the Life …