WhenLocal floral arranger reached out to me to shoot a conceptual idea of a brooding tough as nails bridesmaid I had to do it. I loved the idea of a grainy moody shoot. With all the attitude that one woman could generate.
I don't know why they are doing this, but since I love the instax format and the leica lenses I hope this leak is real. I recently decided not to buy a Lomo Automat because I wanted to see if something better came along. So I guess my wallet might get 300 dollars lighter when this launches.
Alex Prager
If you are looking for a great pair of binoculars, Leica has updated its optics line with a modernized NOCTIVID binoculars. These are very desirable for sporting uses with excellent color and focus. I have never used regularly the Leica Binoculars, but I have used the Leica hunting scopes and it is hard to beat the detail and color accuracy.
A pair of binoculars is surprisingly useful and a tool I think every man needs. I have a great pair of vintage Binoculars that were my Grandfathers, but I am always worried to bring them out in the field. The new Leica NOCTIVID are both durable and functional in design with a 12 glass element setup.
If you are in the market for a set of spotting optics I know I am biased but you should check them out. I am looking forward to a demo at the local Bellevue Leica Store myself and would love a pair as a gift for the holidays.
Cool people...
I met a cool couple this week and it is such a inspiration. Which came at a interesting time, because one of my personal inspirations got a visit from the coveteur for a feature this week. Goal would be to have people say this about you:
"The two separately are painfully cool. Together, impossibly cool. But also fun, weird, great, and (luckily for us) unbearably stylish."
Just try and raise your relationship game a little this week.
Inside the closet of Hayley Phelan and Chris Black
More Jennifer...
Busy week but still time to check out some interesting articles.
In Seattle, there are no weekends better for bringing out a camera than SeaFair. You have the Blue Angels, Navy Ships and lots of people out and about. But getting a hotel during the weekend can be tough. I was lucky enough to snag a room at the Sorrento hotel and get some shooting in.
I have been fortunate lately to get an assist from a photographer who is working on developing herself as a editorial Photographer. She helped me on a fashion shoot and a few test shoots, but she is also a very beautiful woman so in-between shoots we played around and took so photos in the space with her.
I think the results speak for themselves.
Leica S product shot from Leica.
My friends at Leica recently asked me if I was interested in taking the latest Medium Format S (type 007) out for a test drive and I am always up for experimenting with new gear so I jumped at the chance. The loaner body was paired with a SUMMICRON-S 100 mm f/2 ASPH which for my purposes is a really amazing lens. I am pretty biased about the shooting experience with Leica, but I am pretty locked into the M's and the SL which is my primary portrait camera.
I have owned a lot of other cameras, I started shooting with Nikon's and just aspired to cameras like Leica and Hasselblad. Anyone who has worked with me, also knows that any given shoot I am likely to bring out my Hasselblad 500c or my Mamiya 645 pro to leverage the larger surface area of the medium format.
The detail is amazing with medium format cameras so the chance to shoot Leica's take on the format was both exciting and nerve-racking (Due to the value of the camera). This review won't get in to the technical aspects of the camera, because I don't argue on the internet and in the right hands any camera is just a tool that any artist can use to make their work happen. I use the camera's I use because they inspire me to get out and shoot.
A family portrait.
Let's get the BS out of the way for the nerds out there. The Basic Specs:
Leica S rearview
When I first bought the Leica SL, one of my big concerns was how heavy it was even without a lens. At 1.85 lbs it felt like a lot, but the S makes the SL feel light. Without the lens it is just under 3 lbs. I love to use wrist straps vs neck straps for photoshoots and putting this camera around your neck is asking for a visit to a doctor, but the ergonomics really make up for the weight.
During my fist shoot with it my self and the models I was working with walked around a two mile area in Downtown Seattle and never really got fatigued from its size. In fact, the Camera feels like an extension of your hands as you use it. The shape is both familiar and unique. Drawing a bit from the R8 ergonomics that were so weird but were also revolutionary in many ways.
I move fast when I shoot. I started out with photography shooting in the street and you have to be quick, I learned to be fast with manual cameras and I try not to over think things or fiddle to much with camera options. I am always amazed when I read a review of a camera and the complaint is not enough options. At the end of the day, the essence of photography hasn't really changed what matters is the holy trinity of Aperture/ISO/Shutter speed. However, everyone has a workflow myself included and while I eventually figured everything out and mapped my macros for managing my settings to the buttons on the back.
I thought it would be more intuitive since the SL back and menus are very similar. I wish that the for the pro class cameras the firmware and interfaces were less unique and more consistent. Less in the menus is definitely more. I am so fast at changes in the SL because I map all the functions I need and everything is within a thumb click. I
Shooting this camera is a joy, I was smiling a ton when I got down to working with it. The screen on the back is not the biggest but it is bright and quick checks of the photo's brought me instant smiles and even my models could not stop talking about how badass the RAW images unedited looked. The level of detail is really amazing. One thing that I did find was that the autofocus really struggled to get it right when I was shooting wide open. My models where both really good at moving around in the spaces we were at and sometimes the natural movement shots the focus could not keep up. I realized later I should have probably not shot so wide open. In fact I recommend not trying to push this lens on this camera wide open unless your scenario really calls for it.
Truly great natural color.
This camera will force you to do somethings differently from how you shoot with other cameras but the learning curve is really small and I can't get over how much fun it was to use. I really had a hard time to bringing it back. You get to use your imagination in a different way and editing the photos you have a lot more detail to work with. While not an immediate focus, this camera is for sure on my list of wants.
Landscapes really are amazing with this camera.
If you are a professional photographer and you want to have a medium format, right now there is probably not a better shooting experience that isn't film. Thanks again to Leica for the chance to try this out.
Mandy
Some juicy links to chew on:
Diana Jean O. Is one of my favorite art models. This most recent shoot with her in her garden all in black and white shot with the Leica Monochrome (type 246) in 50mm/1.4.
Truly a motto to live by.
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