Inspiration

Of flash photography, zone focusing, and rangefinders.

Inspiration, Q&A, Teaching point

I have two observations about the use of flash and zone focusing, as they pertain to rangefinder photography:

  1. Flash photography is anathema to rangefinder photography.  Indeed it is intrusive to any type of intimate photography.
  2. Show me a photographer who operates a rangefinder exclusively with zone focusing, and I’ll show you a photographer who cannot competently focus a rangefinder.

—Peter.

Image quality or emotional content?

Inspiration, Q&A

I once wrote:

“…photographs (for most of us) are iconographs.  In other words, they are only symbols that collectively represent and remind us of our loved ones and our experiences.  They don’t need to be sharp on a screen or technically perfect, they only need to be clear in our minds and emotionally meaningful.”

–

Yet, I routinely fret about the nuances between CCD and CMOS sensors and I’ve even entertained selling all of my lenses for the 50mm APO Summicron.

Have I forgotten what’s important in photography?  In life?

I believe I know the answer to that.

It’s a never-ending-madness.

How do you, gentle readers, deal with said madness?

—Peter.

 

Leica 50mm APO Summicron.

Inspiration, Q&A, Teaching point

Leica 50mm APO-Summicron

I’ve studied many images created with this lens — on the Leica M240, M9/M-E, and M8… and even on non-Leica cameras.

The verdict:

This is an optically astounding lens that, in the right hands, is capable of impressive results in combination with any camera (contrary to popular belief, the results are not only evident in large prints of images produced with high megapixel cameras).

It’s all the more impressive when you consider how small this lens is.  It’s the combination of optical excellence and compact size that is the hallmark of the Leica ethos.

—Peter.

 

The M8… for hockey?

Inspiration, Q&A, Teaching point

In 2011, I wrote an article called:

The M9… for sports?

In 2012, I wrote a follow-up article called:

The M3… for kids’ sports?

I wrote them because — back then — many DSLR users considered rangefinders too “slow” for photographing action, even though I (along with several others) had been creating images that consistently proved otherwise.

To this day, I prefer rangefinders over DSLRs for photographing sports.

Today, I decided to take my Leica M8 to photograph my daughter’s hockey game.  Of course, given everything I’ve written above, I knew I would get some keepers… provided I could get close enough to the action.

I did.

I’ll be posting a few of the images over the next few days.

I hope you find them of interest.

—Peter.

I really, really love that M9/M-E sensor.

Inspiration, Q&A, Teaching point

M9 Sensor - Prosophos.

I was casually photographing my daughter unwrapping her birthday gifts this evening in our (very) dark living room, in front of the Christmas tree.  I wasn’t expecting much (photographically speaking).

However, every single frame turned out to be wonderful.

I previously purchased and used the Sony A7S, Leica M240, Nikon Df, Sony RX1R, and Nikon D800E because I thought I would need them in situations like this.  However, my Leica M-E consistently produces images that surpass any CMOS camera — even in low light.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again:  CCD sensors produce superior mage quality.

Thank goodness Leica has committed to supporting the M9/M-E sensor.

Please, Leica, please… consider placing an updated CCD sensor in a future M camera.

—Peter.