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.
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↑Leica M9 and Leica 50mm Noctilux @ f/1.
No, this was not captured on film.
This was taken with an M8. Its files are capable of some of the most beautiful B&W conversions of any digital camera.
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↑Leica M8 and Voigtländer Nokton 40mm @ f/1.4.
Window light. A dark and rainy afternoon.
1/60 sec.
ISO 1000.
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↑Leica M9 and Leica 50mm Noctilux @ f/1.
Two distinct moments captured seconds apart, but requiring two different treatments.
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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.]
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.
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↑Leica M9 and Leica 75mm Summilux @ f/1.4.
It had been a while, so he graciously obliged.
Cinematic.
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↑Leica M9 and Leica 75mm Summilux @ f/1.4.
1/15 of a second of their lives, as recorded on Ilford HP5+ 400 film.
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↑Leica M2 and Voigtländer Nokton 40mm @ f/1.4.
Time flies.
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↑Leica M9 and Konica Hexanon 60mm @ f/1.2.
And of course, later:
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↑Leica M2 and Voigtländer Nokton 35mm @ f/1.2.
Things have changed.
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↑Leica M9 and Leica 75mm Summilux @ f/1.4.
This photo was chosen as a Leica Fotografie International (LFI) Master Shot.
Mirroring each other with their movements…
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↑Leica M9 and Voigtländer Nokton 40mm @ f/1.4.
… and with their smiles:
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↑Leica M9 and Voigtländer Nokton 40mm @ f/1.4.
I know it too well. She’s wondering if she’s ever going to get her coffee.
The lighting was tricky here… mixed natural and incandescent. On the other hand, the blinds shielded against the harshest of the outside light and things balanced nicely.
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↑Leica M9 and Konica Hexanon 60mm @ f/1.2.
I love how the girl furthest back, by adjusting her hair the moment the shutter was released, has filled out the composition: her posture creates an inverted triangle that fits like a puzzle piece between the triangles formed by the postures of the two figures closest to us. It is difficult to explain so here is a visual of what I mean:
She did get her coffee, eventually.
I found this photo button this morning after taking the kids to school. It was a gift from my grade 6 school teacher, one fine spring day, a long time ago.
I remember the occasion vividly, for no good reason. Surprisingly, it has survived in the bottom of drawers, in bags, during moves, in times of illness and in times of death.
I can’t tell you what camera or lens was used. It really doesn’t matter.
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He takes his job very seriously.
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↑Leica M9 and Leica 75mm Summarit @ f/2.5.
He’s been through more heartache than you can imagine.
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↑Leica M9 and Leica 75mm Summarit @ f2.5.
I captured a few frames during this sequential climb, but this one – with the searching foot – ultimately prevailed.
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↑Leica M9 and Voigtländer Nokton 40mm @ f/1.4.
After studying this for a while, I realized why I preferred this image to the others.
The floating foot, adds a dynamic quality to the image. We know he’s climbing, but with the foot between rungs, his movement is emphasized and there is a (tiny) sense of drama: will he find his footing?
More than this, the same lower foot, though not connected to the rung, completes a rung-to-limb schematic echoed in the two rungs above, that ultimately converges and directs our attention to his face (see red arrows below):
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It’s interesting to tease these little visual cues out, though I’d much rather enjoy the images for what they are: precious, personal moments… frozen in time.
This was an accident. It happened when I was developing the film and now it’s flawed, wouldn’t you say?
This was literally the 37th frame of a “36” roll that I messed up as I was loading the film strip into the developing spool. It was consequently unevenly exposed to the solutions; the film tore as I was removing it from the tank.
But the scene, the mood – the intent – of this image is still conveyed… at least for me. I look at it and I’m taken there, to that quiet afternoon, even if I can’t remember all the details.
The image, like my memory, is incomplete.
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↑Leica M2 and Voigtländer Nokton 40mm @ f/1.4.
Her expression reveals her feelings on that day.
I processed two versions of this image. I know I definitely prefer one, but I’m curious as to which one you prefer.
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↑Leica M9 and Voigtländer Nokton 40mm @ f/1.4.
Prosophos 