Portrait

Self-portrait (film).

2012, Film, Inspiration, Leica 75mm Summilux (Canada 🇨🇦) f/1.4, Leica M2, Portrait

This self-portrait represents my second lapse in judgment.

As an aside, I was experimenting here with achieving focus with the 75 ‘lux @ f/1.4 mounted on the M2.  Ultimately, it’s no different than on the M9… you need to be equally careful in both situations, but it’s definitely doable.  Focus here was on my eye.

This was the first frame of a 36 roll of Tri-X.

(please click on the image to view)

↑Leica M2, Kodak Tri-X 400, Leica 75mm Summilux @ f/1.4.

My “Photographing your family…” article featured on Steve Huff Photo.com!

Favourite, Inspiration, Konica Hexanon 60mm f/1.2, Leica 35mm Summarit f/2.5, Leica 35mm Summilux ASPH FLE f/1.4, Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH f/1.4, Nikon, Nikon 58mm f/1.2 NOCT, Portrait, Print

My “Photographing your family with the BEST photo equipment” article was featured today on SteveHuffPhoto.com!

I’m once again honoured and would like to thank Steve for his ongoing support of my work!

If you want to see the article, as posted on Steve’s site, please click here.

For convenience, I’m re-posting the images below.

Thanks for reading,

—Peter.

(please click on the images below to view them LARGE)

Why I love film (Honey).

2012, Film, Inspiration, Leica 75mm Summilux (Canada 🇨🇦) f/1.4, Leica M2, Portrait, Teaching point

I have been trying to photographically capture the essence of Honey, since she entered our lives in December.  The closest I’ve come with my M9 (digital camera) is with this shot, taken 3 months ago.

The image below represents my latest attempt.

Now,

…it may be because this time I was using a more than 50 yr old camera with no back LCD screen, no meter, no battery, not even an on/off switch…

…it may be because I then fumbled with the film in a changing bag, trying to blindly load it into a spool…

… it may be because it was then lovingly bathed in a series of mystery chemicals and finally in distilled water, before being hung in my basement-turned-sauna as the hot water ran in the sink, generating steam to get rid of dust in the air…

…it may be because I then delicately handled each strip and spent minutes scanning each frame into my computer…

…it may be because all of these things make me better appreciate the act of image creation…

…but…

…I believe this image has come close to capturing Honey’s soul.

If you don’t see it, that’s OK.  I can’t explain it.

But if you do see it, then you know:

that’s why I love film.

—Peter.

(please click on the image to view)

↑Leica M2, Kodak Tri-X 400, and Leica 75mm Summilux @ f/1.4.

Why I photograph wide open (Life as a dream).

2012, Inspiration, Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH f/1.4, Portrait, Q&A, Teaching point

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

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“Wide open shooting for me

is a sort of visual short-hand

to communicate life as a dream.”

_

For anyone familiar with my photographic work, it’s evident that I have a preference for shooting at wide open apertures.

There are plenty of reasons why I do this, but the main one is this:  the visual imprint of wide open shooting is one where some things are readily perceived, while others are only hinted at… which is an accurate representation of how we perceive the world.  And every single (fleeting) moment of life.

—Peter.


In praise of blurry images.

2012, Inspiration, Konica Hexanon 60mm f/1.2, Leica 35mm Summilux ASPH FLE f/1.4, Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH f/1.4, Nikon, Nikon 58mm f/1.2 NOCT, Portrait, Teaching point

Sometimes I choose to post a blurry image.

Admittedly, most of the time it has been generated as a result of user (me!) error.  Occasionally, I’ve planned it.  Regardless of how it’s arrived at, there is something about it that has caught my eye.  Invariably, somebody will condemn it by pointing out the obvious: “it’s blurry”.  End of story.

Or is it?

Sometimes, the out-of-focus-ness is adding more than it’s taking away.

Sometimes, the emotive intent of an image is made sharper precisely because it is blurry.

You’ll find some samples below.  They’re all blurry — and they all have left an indelible impression on my mind.

[And you?… do you have a favourite blurry image?  I’d love to see it…]

—Peter.

(please click on the images below to view)

↑Nikon D3S and Nikkor-NOCT 58mm @ f/1.2.

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

↑Nikon D3S and Nikkor-NOCT 58mm @ f/1.2.

↑Leica M9 and Konica Hexanon 60mm @ f/1.2.

↑Leica M9 and Leica 35mm Summilux FLE @ f/1.4.

Spring is here! (Jump for Joy)

2012, Favourite, Inspiration, Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH f/1.4, Portrait

Spring officially arrives today — its earliest arrival since 1896 — but unofficially it arrived in Toronto over a week ago, as we’ve been under the spell of unseasonably high temperatures.

Better yet for photographers, the light is back again…

(please click on the image to view)

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