Portrait

One rung at a time.

Inspiration, Portrait, Teaching point, Voigtländer 40mm f/1.4 Nokton

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.

Torn film.

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

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.

(please click on the image to view)

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

Gelato (and sharpness of the Konica Hexanon 60mm @ f/1.2).

Inspiration, Konica Hexanon 60mm f/1.2, Portrait, Teaching point

So, here’s our young lad eating some yummy gelato.

(please click on the image to view)

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

I am always in awe at what fast rangefinder lenses – in this case, the Konica Hexanon 60mm f/1.2 LTD – can do @ f/1.2.   Firstly, there is the subjective dream-like quality to the images.  Secondly, on the technical side, the sharpness wide open is remarkable.  Have a look at the 100% crop, where the focus is on the eye:

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↑Leica M9 and Konica Hexanon 60mm @ f/1.2 (100% crop, no sharpening).

With all the difficulties in nailing focus manually, on a moving target at f/1.2 with a back-focusing lens, it’s this sort of result that inspires me to keep shooting.

Jump! And, some thoughts on image creation.

Inspiration, Konica Hexanon 60mm f/1.2, Portrait, Teaching point

I often try to photograph in an unobtrusive manner because there is a natural rhythm to people and events to which the shutter release should be timed.  Snapping a photo at the wrong moment is like cutting against the grain, singing off key, or attempting to be somebody you’re not… it just doesn’t feel right.

When shots are planned – more likely than not – the smiles will be strained, the postures will be tense, the natural rhythm will be off.  This is of course unless you’re dealing with professional models, though even then introducing some spontaneity into the proceedings is a good thing.

Having written all this, I sometimes plan a shot, such as this one:

(please click on the image to view)

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

I asked C to jump.  That’s the planned part.  However, the act of jumping creates some fluidity because she’s concentrating on jumping and not posing.  Also, creating this image on the street allows for other elements to be introduced into the scene.  In this case, the passing couple wonderfully completes the composition – something for which I didn’t plan.

Lucky for me.