Author: imagist

My old Hasselblad 500CM enters the digital age (for a few minutes)

Since the release of the Hasselblad CFV 39 back I’ve wondered how it would feel and function. Yesterday Steve Goldsmith, from Calumet, kindly drove 2/3rds of the way, through rain and beastly road construction traffic. A big thank you goes out to Steve. We met in Racine and put the back on my old CM and made a few shots with each of my lenses:

40 mm, (click images for larger view)

80 mm

and 150 mm.

(ISO 400)

(ISO 100)

A very interesting experience from the start right through to post processing. Drop in the supplied ground glass with crop indication. Attach the CFV back; just as simple as switching a film back. No cords or electronic connections. Very cool. Buttons and menus are clear and quick.

The view screen had plastic on it and the images looked horrible (hopefully better without the plastic).
Viewing angle is extremely critical on this view screen. Shooting is exactly like using a film back; including the cranking after each frame – which really felt wonderfully nostalgic. Pre-release of mirror and shutter release all work just as it did in the good old days.

Back at the computer: The large 45 MB RAW files take significantly longer to load into Lightroom; when compared to DMR, 5D and M8 files. The files look quite impressive at ISO 100. At ISO 400 a fine grain “noise” begins to emerge in shadows; however with a very tight film grain look. Exporting from these large files also takes a lot more time. In other words big sensors need big computers and hard drives.

Trick kite

Last week I stopped at Virmond Park to get my weekly dose of the Great Lake Michigan. There on the bluff I watched a young man attempt to fly a trick kite. The kite had two lines and some serious rigging under it.

(click images for larger view)

He tried over and over again to create or catch a breeze; just couldn’t get it in the air. A young woman appeared walking out of the trees. And they worked together; yet could not gain flight.

Leica M8, 28mm Summicron

The Dancing Horses (bicycle riding, weight lifting and painting parrots) and other delights

August 2, 2009, Ann decided to take her granddaughters to see the Dancing Horses on Hwy 50, west of Lake Geneva, WI. Quite a unique and entertaining afternoon — most especially for the young girls who already ride and now dream of “being” what they saw there. (click on image for larger view – Slide show of additional images)

Still looking back over the summer – Mike McDonald – Golf – June 20th

Back in June Ann’s nephew, Mike McDonald, played in the Wisconsin State Amateur Golf Tournament. Mike also plays on the Marquette University Golf Team. At the State Tournament his dad, Bob, caddied for him. A fine father/son moment caught. (click image for larger view – Slide show of additional tournament images)

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Traveling back through the weeks that were

Traveling through the last few weeks with thoughts mostly of Ann and her upcoming birthday; which occurred on August 17th. It all began with a trip up the coast to Sheboygan, WI to introduce Jim Proue and David White. I’d thought it would be fun to have them sing and play at Ann’s little surprise family birthday celebration. They’d never played together yet hit the mark right from the get-go.
(click image for larger view – Slide show with more images from this get together)

(click images for larger view)

The night before the party we went to hear Tracy Chapman at the Pabst Theartre. Without doubt – the most incredible concert I’ve ever attended. Ms. Chapman (and her band) performed flawlessly; and actually “better than” the original studio recordings. (click image for larger view – Slide Show of a few “intermission” images)

Of course it took a few phone calls to invite the family; a bit tidying up, arranging for food and errands with Erin’s help;  and then – the party sort of just happened. (click image for larger view – Slide show of additional party images)

The day after the party Ann did her annual Irish Fest. Below we see one of Ann’s customers — not showing off his hair cut — but rather performing a fine Irish kick. (click image for larger view – Slide show of additional Irish Fest images)

Then it was getting ready for a four day road trip to the beautiful Mississippi River hills and valleys in Northwestern Illinois, Eastern Iowa and Southwestern Wisconsin. (click image for larger view – Slide show of additional river trip images)

Meditation — contemplate impermanence

Photographer, Richard Avedon, said, “I think all art is about control – the encounter between control and the uncontrollable.” In my experience we have much less control than we often believe. Change and impermanence rule — that thought — that feeling — that observation — try and hold one of them for even a moment. Memory distorts and fades. We photograph. We write, draw, paint, sculpt — none of these expressions end up quite as we “thought, saw or observed.” We, and our thoughts, all fade away as flowers in the fall; leaving meager evidence of our former states of consciousness. Deeply meditating on this cosmic joke brings a peaceful smile to our busy-ness. Best enjoy the ravishing, uncontrollable beauty as it visits.

(click images for larger view)

Leica M8, 50 mm Summilux Asph

Cedarburg Garden Gate by Dan Nauman

Dan has been quite busy at his Big Horn Forge (we’ve also been working on his website for almost a decade). He had me photograph a recently completed gate for a stone walled garden in Cedarburg, WI. A fabulous gate for a fabulous garden. A gallery of additional views can be seen here.

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Laurie, the highly skilled gardner also kindly gave me some of the recent harvest.

and a couple other pieces recently photographed for Dan

above photographs created with Leica R8/DMR and various Leica R lenses