Q&A

Prosophos Home-Made Pizza Dough.

Inspiration, iPhone, Q&A, Teaching point

My promise to you — as part of your free membership to this site — is that I’ll continue to work hard to stretch your zero dollars.

So from now on, I will not only be doing my best to answer your questions, but I’ll also be sharing my famous home-made pizza dough with you, the viewer, via iPhone images.

That’s right, images of my very own home-made pizza dough shared with you — online.

While other Canadian photo-bloggers claim to provide you with value for your hard-earned zero dollars, I’m the only Canadian photo-blogger sharing authentic home-made pizza dough with you.

And what is better than home made pizza (dough)?

“Pizza dough for zero dough.”

That’s my promise.

—Peter.

Prosophos Pizza

 

Laugh.

Inspiration, Leica 35mm Summilux ASPH FLE f/1.4, Leica M Type 240, Portrait, Q&A, Teaching point

I say the silliest things to her…

On another note, the artificial and mixed back-lighting, and the reflections off the red walls, in this scene are very challenging.  Yet, with the proper pre-processing (a term I believe I coined) and post-processing, the technical issues are mostly overcome.

I know that there will be a few individuals who will insist that I should have used flash, but I vehemently disagree:  the spontaneity and ambiance would have been lost.

I’d feel differently if I was trying to produce a formal portrait — but I wasn’t.

—Peter.

Laugh

The Neptune Duo smart watch.

Inspiration, Q&A, Teaching point

Neptune Duo

Warning:  This has nothing to do with photography, but I love good ideas.

The nascent smart watch industry has just been turned upside down by a 20 year old from Montreal.  In Simon Tian‘s world, the watch is the central hub, and the “pocket screen” is just a blank interface.

I don’t know how well his smart watch will work, but I believe he has conceptually bested the likes of Google and Apple.

Check out the Neptune Duo.

—Peter.

The iGeneration (re-worked filmic look).

Inspiration, Leica 28mm Elmarit ASPH f/2.8, Leica M8 (CCD Lives!), Life's Little Moments, Portrait, Q&A, Teaching point

Thinking out-loud/on-line, and sharing one of my edits.

Generally speaking, I dislike making digital look like film.  If that was my goal, I’d just shoot film.

However, in light of the comment(s) that followed the first version of this image, I’m curious to know how this version is received.  In addition to not-so-subtly adding grain, I subtly played with the contrast (both local and global).  The end result is less perfect, but possibly more aesthetically pleasing.

You tell me.

—Peter.

The iGeneration (re-worked filmic look)

400 photographers agree: we love CCD!

Inspiration, Q&A, Teaching point

400 Signatures Letter to Leica copy

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The world’s longest-running (and most intense)  Open Letter to Leica has reached a milestone:

400 signatures!

It’s true, 400 photographers, enthusiasts, and artists agree:  we love CCD!

Specifically, we believe that the CCD sensor — at base ISO — offers superior image quality.

We also believe that an updated CCD sensor in a future Leica M camera would be in keeping with Leica‘s philosophy of providing out-of-the-mainstream elegant yet powerful photographic tools for discerning photographers.

So help keep the pursuit of high image quality alive by allowing CCD to develop and thrive.

Keep the momentum going!  Encourage others to PLEASE SIGN THIS LETTER.

—Peter.

Snow Bunny.

2015, Favourite, Inspiration, Portrait, Q&A, Sigma DP3 Merrill, Teaching point

I’m quickly learning how to process Sigma DP3 Merrill files.

For example, I’m constantly resisting the temptation to apply sharpening, since the images have an abundance of sharpness and micro-contrast (two qualities that are not necessarily flattering for portraits).

Yet, this particular image proves one thing:  it is possible to post-process DP3 files to produce a sharp and smooth portrait.

Oh, and the tonality possible with the Foveon sensor… wow.

—Peter.

Snow Bunny

↑ Sigma DP3 Merrrill:  1/15 sec (hand-held, but braced), f/2.8, ISO 200.

Winter Solace.

2015, Favourite, Inspiration, Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH f/1.4, Leica M9(P)/M-E (CCD Lives!), Life's Little Moments, Portrait, Q&A, Teaching point

Cozy and hidden from the cold.

On another note, if there’s a better way to digitally record such Life’s Little Moments, then I’d like to know.

As it stands, the Kodak CCD inside the Leica M9/M-E remains my sensor of choice.

Won’t you please sign My Open Letter to Leica, if you haven’t already done so?

—Peter.

Winter Solace

Sigma Love-Apalooza on Planet Earth.

Favourite, Inspiration, Q&A, Sigma DP1, Teaching point

This is an example of the image output from the original Sigma DP series camera, the DP1:

(28mm equiv, F4 lens)

Love-Apalooza

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The DP1 was an excruciatingly slow compact camera, but it helped me capture one of my favourite images, Planet Earth:

planet-earth

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The camera and software from Sigma were both challenged (and continue to be), so much so that I never purchased any of the subsequent DP offerings.  Still, the image quality from the Fovean sensor has always called out to me, like a Sirens’ song

The Siren that’s been singing the sweetest song over the past 18 months: the DP3.

–Peter.