LFI Master Shot

Boy and breakfast.

Inspiration, Leica 50mm Summicron f/2, LFI Master Shot, Photo Shoot, Portrait, Print

There was something about the way the natural light filtered through the window and shone upon the figure of this boy, who was quietly busy buttering his toast.  The crispness of the white table cloths juxtaposed with the dark and textured bricks also caught my eye.  And the orange juice looks as vitally orange as it did the morning this photo was taken.  Normally, the mixture of natural and incandescent light sources creates a white balance nightmare, but thankfully not this time.

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

(please click on the image below)

Leica M9 and Leica 50mm Summicron @ f/2.

Bright, midday light.

Konica Hexanon 60mm f/1.2, Leica 50mm Summicron f/2, Leica 75mm Summilux (Canada 🇨🇦) f/1.4, LFI Master Shot, Teaching point

Harsh light washes out colours and details, and creates blown highlights and deep shadows.  The latter two are unflattering to faces, so I try to avoid shooting in bright midday light when photographing people.

Sometimes though, the moment inspires and emotion wins over technical perfection.

[Photography Pearl:  An emotionally appealing, but technically flawed, photograph will always trump a boring, but technically perfect one.  If an image connects with the viewer, it has succeeded.]

(please click on the images below)

↑”Springtime” (Leica 50mm Summicron @ f/2).  [This image was chosen as a Leica Fotografie International (LFI) Master Shot].

↑”Mother and daughter” (Leica 75mm Summilux @ f/1.4 with a 3 stop ND filter).

↑”The contortion of play” (Leica 75mm Summilux @ f/1.4 with a 3 stop ND filter).

↑”Not homeless, just tired” (Konica Hexanon 60mm @ f/1.2).

All images taken with a Leica M9.