Portrait

When your mother died.

Film, Inspiration, Leica M2, Portrait, Voigtländer 40mm f/1.4 Nokton

When your mother died… it was four years ago today.

When your mother died… you were only two years old.

Do you remember her?

I have a photo of you hugging her – the one in the kitchen – during that final summer together.  In it, you are overcome with joy, and she – she is forever embracing you.

(please click on the image below to view)

↑Leica M2 and Voigtländer Nokton 40mm @ f/1.4.

Dear S,

Rest in peace, my sweet love.

Running.

Inspiration, Leica 75mm Summilux (Canada 🇨🇦) f/1.4, LFI Master Shot, Portrait, Teaching point

The exhilaration of being, on a sunny autumn day.

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

(please click on the image to view)

↑Leica M9 and Leica 75mm Summilux @ f/1.4.

As you can see, the 75mm Summilux produces an extremely shallow depth of field at f/1.4.  Nailing focus here – while he is running towards me – is tricky.

Further complicating things is the long focus throw of the 75/1.4, which is designed for precision and not for speed.

I rarely get this kind of shot with this lens, at this aperture… and to have caught him in mid-stride was the icing on the cake.

Generations, Part I of III.

Inspiration, Leica 50mm Noctilux f/1, Portrait

Continuing my exploration of the Leica Noctilux f/1.0 (E60)…

Something  tremendous about the light here – can’t quite elucidate what, specifically.  The image definitely wasn’t taken during the “Golden Hour”, so I’m left wondering whether there is a “Noctilux effect” at play.

(please click on the image to view)

↑Leica M9 and Leica 50mm Noctilux @ f/1.

J – A portrait.

Inspiration, Leica 50mm Noctilux f/1, Portrait

Two distinct moments captured seconds apart, but requiring two different treatments.

(please click on each image to view)

Both images taken with the Leica M9 and Leica 50mm Noctilux @ f/1.

[I just acquired this Noctilux and will be working it into the rotation of daily photos, though not every day, of course.  At some point, I’ll summarize my thoughts on it.]

C – first day of wearing glasses.

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

She was self-conscious about her new glasses.  She hates getting attention – any attention, whether good or bad.  So, the glasses are bad.

She was even upset that we took her for an eye check-up, to verify what we suspected – that she wasn’t seeing properly.

But, she looked beautiful and I wanted to get a shot of her on her first day with them.  However, life being life, offered just this moment.

It’s morning.  We’re all headed for school.

All three are about to run.  In a matter of seconds, C will trip, fall, and skin her knee.  So this is the shot that survives for posterity.

Her injury, however, distracted her from her glasses.

Life, being life.

(please click on the image to view)

↑Leica M9 and Leica 75mm Summilux @ f/1.4.