Category: Film Friday

Another quick film Friday; I heard the scooters before I saw them, already had the cameras exposure set, so it was just a matter of focus and choosing the moment.  With an all manual Leica M4 that does not even have a meter or any electronic aids or auto modes is pays to be ready.

We have not had a film Friday for a while, so I thought I would dig an old Leica M4 shot out to publish.

This was a couple of winters ago and myself and Chris was photographing the birds on a local frozen lake.

With the extreme (for Lincoln, UK) conditions I thought I would take a quick snapshot.  I do love my Leica M’s for their carry everywhere convenience and as the M4 is purely mechanical its not that effected by the cold conditions.

For my SLR I had the battery grip fitted containing two batteries and a third battery being kept warm in my jacket pocket.

The smaller Micro Four Third bodies, Fuji X100, and if your willing to accept no view finder the Ricoh GR also make excellent carry everywhere cameras.

I occasionally post film fridays, where I have taken a film photograph, generally from either my Ebony 5 x 4, Hasselblad 6 x 6 or my Leica M4.

This Friday its a bit of a cheat.  Well more then just a single cheat, a) its posted on a Sunday when I started to feel better from my Tummy Bug. And b) its not film but is from a Leica and the majority of my film posts are from my Leica.

On Tuesday lunchtime just before I started to feel unwell I took a trip to one of my favourite coffee shops in Lincoln, while drinking my coffee I took a few snaps from the coffee shop window.

This is no fine art and shows lack of contrast in the main subject area, plus insufficient shutter speed but then again the greats such as Robert Frank in the book ‘The Americans’ and the decisive moments of ‘Henri Cartier-Bresson’ never let exposure and camera shake get in the way of a great image.

While I would not call this a great image (far from it), remember try to capture the image first and have the technical features of the image come second.

Art first and craft second.

Here is a film Friday.  Taken when out for a stroll with the Leica M4, and a handheld meter.

Just a quick snap from and old roll I scanned recently.

Leica M4 and a 35mm Summicron lens while wandering around the Bailgate area of uphill Lincoln.

Its always fun using the M4, no built in lightmeter so a handheld meter and a bit of luck and judgement.  As I wonder around, as I spot the light changing I do a quick re-meter and change the settings on the camera.

 

There is quite a resurgence in street photography, driven by the growth in small quiet cameras; but a lot of people are very nervous about it.  Not only are you afraid of peoples reactions but in todays more security paranoid world, someone with a camera is treated with suspicion.

Events are a good place to start, people expect photographers at events.

The above shot was taken at the monthly farmers market in Lincoln, its a more interesting picture because its taken from behind the counter.  Shot on my little Leica M4 film camera, the people in it are busy with their shopping and are not noticing me.

 

What film is a question now that many film photographers will argue over.

For colour I tend to shoot Fuji, with Velvia on large format being one of my favourites but tricky to use due to high contrast.

For Black & White i have generally stuck with Ilford and HP5+ rated at 400 ISO and have never used Kodak Tri X which many rave over.

So I have placed an order and got a pack of Tri X to have a go at.  It might be sometime before I show any of my work with it as my film use is only occasional but I look forward to giving it a go.