At the farmers market. Good day to shoot as most were watching the game.
Leica M(240) with 35mm
Fourth of July
Walking through the farmers market.
Leica M(240) and 35mm 2.0
Mirror, Mirrors
Each section tells it's own story. A little to the left or to the right changes the story.
Leica M (240) with 35mm 2.0
Leica Soft Release Button Review
This is the new soft release button from Leica. This is the black model with an "M" etched into the top. The edge has a fine knurled edge and the finish is a matte black. The "M" is large and fills the top. It is made of brass and is 12mm in diameter. Also include is a stud that is threaded so that it will double as a lapel pin. It attaches securely and only time will tell if it stays put. I have always like soft releases, makes it easier to press the shutter.
Leica soft release button.
Leica photo for the day
Walking the back alleys produces a photo that has nice geometry..
Leica M (240) with 35 2.0
Rhythm of Nature
Long exposure of grass. In camera, not Photoshop.
Master of useless information
Santa Barbara sunset
I was early to the digital revolution but was around for a lot of years when film was king. Because of this I have collected a lot of information that has no use in today's photography world. To be a photographer means never stop learning.
I still remember the layers that make up slide, color neg and b&w film. How to process the various types. Ever heard of ortho film? Reticulation? Figuring exposure factors for bellows draw of view cameras (lens to film distance squared over focal light squared gives exposure factor that is converted to the increase in exposure that is needed). When using a view camera do you move the front or rear standard for focusing and why (moving rear standard changes images size). Uses for filters, like 81a, FLD, and 80a. Do you know what filter to use to remove a red line when shooting a document with b&w film (answer is red but do you know why?).
Totally useless information. But that is the beauty of photography. It is a never ending journey. Actually many photographers study other subjects such as architecture or music to obtain a more rounded approach to life, because we do not live in a vacuum. Everything is interrelated and affects who we are and how we interpret what we see.
5 Street Photography tips
1. Slow down. To be good at street photography you need to be curious. Walk down the alley. Stop and look behind you to see the environment from a different perspective. To find those little things that bring a composition together you must slow down. There is an exception for every rule, some people can quickly walk through life and find all the great shots. But for most of us, just slow down and really observe.
2. Pick your side. If one side of the street is in sunlight and the other is in shadow you will find different photos on each side. The side with the sun will tend to produce more graphic photos because of the shadows that are produced by the sunlight. The other side will produce flat light that will give a different look. Both can produce great photos. Most photographers gravitate to a certain kind of light. They just prefer the look. That is how you develope a style. Look at your photos, I bet you prefer a certain kind of light.
3. No focus. Autofocus is great. But no focus is even faster. Learn how to utilize the hyperfocal distance to increase the amount of keepers you get. The old photojournalist mantra of "f8 and be there". This means don't worry about the settings and just get the shot. Because that is all that matters.
4. Go it alone. It might seem like a good idea to have someone along while your shooting to keep you company, but try to go it alone. The less distractions the better. Multitasking is just doing two things poorly. To make great pictures one must be in tune with ones surroundings. It's the little things that make a photo and splitting your attention with someone else is doing yourself no favor.
5. No dandruff. Yes great photos have been taken of the back of people's heads. The best way to make a boring photo is to shoot the back of someone's head and call it street photography. Look at Henri Cartier-Bressons photos, almost all faces. I'm not demanding that you stick a camera in someone's face, but a more compelling photo is usually obtained when we see a persons eyes. The line in portraiture is the eyes are a window to a persons sole. Same in fashion. Don't sneak around, people already see you and most don't really mind if you snap one or two photos. Faces make photos more interesting.
Long Exposure
Long exposure just isn't for sunsets. Neutral Density filter and everyday flower photo. Slow pan during exposure.
Leica M8 with 35mm 2.0
Chocolate Cows and Lens Aberrations
Crazy Chocolate Cows Sniffing Drugs Canning Asparagus
This mnemonic was how I was taught to remember the seven basic aberrations in lenses. Is this information a must know to be successful as a photographer? Of course not. But when researching the purchase of a lens or wondering why that unexpected effect is in your image, this info might come in handy. The extent to which lenses are corrected for these faults is the prime determining factor for the cost and quality of lenses. Some lenses purposely leave some aberrations in the lens or even exaggerate them such as in some of the aftermarket soft focus lenses.
Chromatic Aberration is the inability of the colors to focus at the same point on the image plane. An Apochromatic lens is one which is corrected for three colors. An Achromatic lens is one that is corrected for two colors. This lens fault must be corrected by lens design.
Chromatic Difference of Magnification is the fault caused when one color is magnified more than another color even though they both may focus properly. This fault is usually corrected in most lenses for a specific distance only (about 25’). Apochromatic lenses have the maximum correction for this fault. This lens fault must be corrected by lens design.
Coma is a fault due to the fact that a lens will produce slightly different images from it’s various areas, and the image will emerge not as a point, but rather a tear- drop-shape or elongated, or some other shape. This fault can be corrected by proper placement of the diaphragm and also by stopping the lens down.
Spherical Aberration is caused by the light rays passing through the center of a lens focusing further back than those rays entering through the edge of the lens. A lens that has spherical aberration present will produce an image of a point source of light which appears to have a halo around it. This fault can be corrected using aspherical surface lenses and also by the proper design of additional elements.
Distortion is a difference of size in various parts of the image. Distortion is usually due to the fact that the lens is not balanced, that is, symmetrically designed on either side of the diaphragm. Barrel or pincushion are the most common distortions. Distortion can be corrected by constructing the lens of two identical cells with the shutter and diaphragm between.
Curvature of Field is when the focused image of a lens does not lie in a perfectly flat plane. This is not enough of a problem with most lenses to really bother. This fault is the reason the film plane on some of the older, cheap box cameras is curved.
Astigmatism cause an effect of both horizontal and vertical lines not being in focus. These are usually called radial and tangental lines. This fault must be corrected through the lens design.
Lens Aberrations