This past weekend I spent some time in the Newport Beach area. Beautiful weather and not a lot of people, just enough to make to make for a really nice outing. You never know what you are going to find when street shooting. I like to find good backgrounds and just wait for the subject to appear. It is a time honored method that I have been practicing for a lot of years. The sun was blaring down on the pier so I retreated to the shops and the alleys nearby. Shooting my M8 and 35mm ( 50mm in full frame ) is such a small and unnoticed package. I have tried various cameras over the years but nothing comes close to a Leica. Recently I bought a Fujifilm X-Pro 1 but just couldn't bond with the fuji. The quick menu is nice but it was too easy to change the viewfinder from optical to digital and it was always on the wrong setting. I really like the Leica viewfinder because I shoot with both eyes open, and I follow the subject to the frame, and watch it appear around the frame lines and into the frame for the exposure.
Craig Semetko
Leica photographer Craig Semetko will be speaking at the Leica store in West Hollywood on Thursday evening April 17. He will be presenting work from his books UNPOSED, INDIA UNPOSED and his ongoing project AMERICA. Reception and a book signing will be from 7-9pm. The exhibition runs from April 17 - May 25, 2014.
Power of Photography
The current show at the Annenberg Space for Photography is 125 years of National Geographic photography. The Annenberg is located in Century City California, near Beverly Hills. It's a great venue for exhibiting photography and has had some fine shows there over the years. All the images are large with most of the prints attached directly to the walls. Many of the greatest photos of the last 20 years are represented on the walls. My only complaint would be that there were few images from the 70's or earlier. In addition to the prints on the wall there is a continuously running video on National Geographic photography and the represented photographers. I personally enjoyed walking the gallery and pointing out the images that were taken with Leica's. If your in the area I highly recommend attending the show, it is well worth the trip. 125 Years of National Geographic photography at the Annenberg Space for Photography runs through the 27 of April.
Copy cat or inspiration
Jeff Mellody
Everything has been photographed. Sure seems that way. Sometimes photographers are so inspired by an image they will copy it and call it their own work. Sometimes the copying is blatant but more often than not it is done in such a way that it is original but bears a striking resemblance to the work that is influencing the photographer. Some individuals even go so far as to steal images from others that they have found on the internet and to pass the work off as their own. We are seeing this more and more being perpetrated by photographers starting out in their career. Painters, sculptures and musicians have been fighting the theft of intellectual property for hundreds of years. Let's try harder to be original, develop your own style. It's better to have a long career building, nurturing and developing your own vision.
Leica lens cap
I have been using these homemade lens caps for my Leica's for 30 years now. The are easier to take on and off then traditional caps and I just drop them in my pocket. A small piece of leather and some hot glue go a long way.
