…from the produce market
yesterday
these “remains” struck me
as visually powerful, in tone and texture,
worthy of contemplation
as still life
(click photograph for larger view)
Leica M Monochrom, 50 mm Summilux Asph
Category: Still Life
Serendipity…
By happy happenstance… Jake, from the Waupun area, 45 miles Northeast of my home, wanted to purchase the floor board nailer that I had listed for sale on craigslist. Once we agreed on the price I offered to drive 10 miles his way to ease his travel time. He countered with, “half way.” Now. Do I jeopardize the sale over an additional 10 miles? For whatever reason I decided to take the chance and drive the tool 20 miles and meet a complete stranger at a Park’n’ride on Hwys 41 and 33. We each pulled in at exactly the same moment. The deal went down without a hitch. And we were soon on our ways home.
Heading East on Hwy 60, driving through Jackson, I catch the sign, “Royal Oak Antiques” out of my left eye. Something in me says, “stop. fool. have a look.” So I turn around. See a tiny hand painted sign reading, “Parking in rear.” Turn right into the too narrow driveway. Park the van between a couple of air conditioners hanging out the wall of an old motel, grab the Monochrom with the 50 Summilux and step out of the van into world of messages and textures… thinking, “oh this is why I my intuition said to sell to Jake. to drive to Allenton. to turn around and park back here. thanks for the serendipity my dear intuit-voice.”
(click photographs for larger view)
The exterior, west facing wall of Royal Oak Antiques.
As I walked in the street entrance door Bill said, “You could have come in the back.”
I was immediately struck by the very high quality antique furniture and furnishings; with prices reflecting their value.
Turns out that Bill and his brother are very much into restoration;
most especially restoration of antique billiard tables; and they’ve been at it since the 70s.
Bill generously shared his time and stories; showing me around the shop, documents and recent completed projects. Fascinating.
You can check out Royal Oak Antiques‘ inventory. And new billiard table projects here.
Leica M Monochrom, 50 mm Summilux Asph
Three things I love SEEING…
together…
Something living and growing.
Something full of the potential to live and grow.
Raw material which can become something entirely new.
These three objects sit on my desk.
Diffused light falls across them
from a large window, north facing, with a white fabric shade.
They beg to be photographed, arranged, drawn, seen, appreciated.
Though that seems to be true of everything, everyone, and everyplace.
When one loves seeing.
(click photograph for larger view)
Hasselblad 500 CM / CF-39 with Carl Zeiss 135 mm S-Planar on Auto Bellows
…our daily bread
…came out of the oven at 10 pm last evening
From gathering ingredients
to mixing and kneading
to feeling what the dough wants to become
to smelling the dough transform into bread
to hearing the finger thump on the crust
to photographing
to tearing (or slicing)
to tasting
’tis one long meditation, involving all the senses
a practice, a life sustaining ritual
(click photograph for larger view)
Leica M, 50 mm Summilux Asph
Why photograph? Why use black and white? Why use color?
We photograph to explore our fascination with reality and all its remarkable, fleeting moments. …because we love light. …to discover how the moment may look when frozen in time. We photograph to remember. To tell a story. To illustrate. To explain. To say, “Look what I saw.” To learn more about “this or that.” To share. To show—as proof. We’re fascinated by, and need to explore, visual compositions as a means of self expression. …music for the eyes …visual poems.
We use black and white when we feel a need to express our love for lines, textures, patterns, shapes, and forms drawn by shadows and highlights. …when our vision demands a rich tonality.…when color would only serve as a distraction. The same reasons we draw with graphite, silver point, charcoal, conté and inks.
(click photograph for larger view)
Leica M Monochrom, 50 mm Summilux Asph
We use color when the subject demands its color be seen, understood, and presented; and of course the light; always the light; along with the shapes, lines, patterns, textures, as we pass through each ephemeral moment of our life. The same reasons we reach for any other pigmented medium; whether paints, colored pencils, dyes, or pastel chalks. Because we have something to say about the color we see in the world.
Leica M, 28 mm Summicron Asph
The last Mequon Road House porch studies? Perhaps.
memories are made of these:
the fan died
nature reclaims
the hot plate
with a firm hug
(click photograph for larger view)
Leica M, 50 mm Summilux Asph & 100 mm Apo Macro Elmarit —R
The Leitz Wetzlar Macro-Elmarit-R 1:2.8 / 60 on the Leica M (240)
Locking the 60 Macro-Elmarit-R on to the Leica M, with M to R adapter, Multifunction Grip and EVF results in yet another relatively light, relatively small, very well balanced and extremely versatile kit. The ability to focus from 1:2 to infinity without additional hardware is very reassuring for a lover of close views of the world’s details.
(click photographs for larger view)
The 60 works as a fine short distance portrait lens.
Oops. Forgot to reset the Manual Lens Detection. So the EXIF shows the 50 cron rather than the 60 Elmarit in the first three samples above. Rest assured every image in this post was shot with the 60 Elmarit—R; irrespective of the EXIF data.
Throwing the Macro-Elmarit-R 60 Extension Tube in the bag extends the range to include 1:1 through 1:2 with little extra weight… though may mean taking the 28 Summicron out of my fairly tiny “everywhere every day bag.” No. I can fit the tube and the 28 too!
Popping the Apo-Extender-R 2X makes a remarkable 120mm 5.6 Macro which adds working distance and different depth of field to both macro or other medium long focal length possibilities — all while taking up very little space or weight in the bag.
Now why in the world would the above photograph be tac sharp and the one below be unsharp?
Both were shot handheld at a 1/1000th of a second. Hard to imagine that the bottom one involves movement.
Both used focus assist with the “red” lighting up appropriately on the intended subject. What the hell’s going on here?
Infinity focus issues? Hard to imagine that at around f:8 with a 60 mm. Any ideas?
Leica M, 60 mm Macro—Elmarit—R
Next up: Leitz Wetzlar Summilux—R 1:1.4 / 80
Leitz Wetzlar Summilux-R 1:1.4 / 50 on Leica M: including a Friday Flower
Just like the 35 mm Summicron-R the Leitz Wetzlar Summilux-R 1:1.4 / 50 makes a beautiful, relatively small, well balanced kit, with a great feel, fit and finish, when mated to the Leica M(240). The 50 mm Summilux also provides a respectable 20″ close focus possibility along with its classic, creamy Summilux bokeh.
The first few of these examples display the wrong exif data because I forgot to reset the Manual R Lens Detection to the 50 Summilux. Rest assured all the images in this post were made with the 50 mm Summilux_R on the M(240).
This may be the most remarkable walk around lens/camera kit I’ve had the pleasure to use. This relatively small and light combination handled every situation while delivering superb results; including a commercial studio product shoot.
Next up: Leitz Canada Summicron-R 1:2 / 50. A lighter lens than the Summilux, though about the same size.
(click photograph for larger view)
We can see this is a lovely lens for working in close at that 20″ mark.
Again focused at the 20″ mark; though this is a very small section of the Full Frame (seen below);
and certainly demonstrating the quality of both the 50 mm Summilux-R and the M(240) sensor.
In this last example I put the 50 Summilux-R on the R Bellows.
Leica M, Leitz Wetzlar Summilux-R 1:1.4 / 50
Friday: a flower and the morning light
remind me to notice
patterns and textures and rhythms
providing the proper mood
for the day
(click photograph for larger view)
Leica M, 135 mm Elmar
Friday: Flowers at Grandparent’s Breakfast at Sophia’s school
On April 25th Sophia”s school hosted a breakfast for grandparents. The children made ball point pens into flowers for the table center pieces. The kids were encouraged to ask us questions about how life may have differed when we were their age. They also wrote a composition which described their own life in the future — when they’d be sixty five. A great time was certainly had by all.
Additional photographs from this event can be viewed here.
(click photograph for larger view)
Tanya and the other parents brought around the coffee, water and a variety of juices; as well as served the various hot dishes which complemented the fruits, cakes, rolls, croissants and kringles.
Leica M8, 50 mm Summilux Asph, 28 mm Summicron Asph