Aquarium of the Pacific - Leica Noctilux

I recently felt like doing a tourist day so we decided to visit the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. It is a well done attraction with lots to see and numerous interactive exhibits. I hadn't shot with my Noctilux in a little while so I switched lenses to try my luck. What a mistake that was. It was difficult photographing the fish as they swam around with a 1.0 aperture. It was simple with my iPhone but I was up for a challenge. After taking some shots of the little fish and not being happy with the results I settled on shooting Jellyfish. Shooting at the minimum focus distance so there was basically no depth of field. I tried Live view with my Leica M (240) as well using the rangefinder. Moving the camera froward and back while looking through the rangefinder seemed to give the best results. I really earned those images, and must say that I liked how they turned out. Using the iPhone with it's 28mm lens and auto everything gives great results but shooting with my Leica gave me more of a sense of accomplishment.

Leica M (240) with Noctilux 1.0

Leica M (240) with Noctilux 1.0

Leica M (240) with Noctilux 1.0

Leica M (240) with Noctilux 1.0

Sad day in the Photography World

Popular Photography magazine is stopping production.  

I'm really sad to read that they are no longer publishing their magazine. Way back in the 70's I read every issue that came out. Before leaving to get my degree in photography I learned so much from every issue of Popular Photography. I started subscribing again a few years ago because it was so cheap and I enjoyed the nostalgia factor. Good bye old friend. 

Peak Design Field Pouch Review

The Peak Design Field Pouch is my new walk around carry bag for my Leica and no one is more surprised than I am. My system carry bag is an Ona Prince Street leather bag. How could this little pouch carry all of my street shooting equipment you ask. Well the answer is found when you re-read the previous sentence. The Ona bag carries my complete Leica system and the Peak Design just carries the essentials. It is so freeing to walk around shooting with just my M240 and a small pouch attached to my belt. 

Now for the little secret. The Field Pouch actually carries everything I need while shooting. Inside this little case I have a Noctilux 1.0, 35mm Summicron, extra battery, lens pen, Think Tank Photo Pixel Pocket Rocket for SD cards, and a Leica Tabletop Tripod with Large Ball-head. Yes all of that equipment in that little pouch. The only compromise is that the tripod is disassembled into 2 parts. It only takes a minute to screw the tripod back together. 

I store my equipment in the Ona bag and transfer items to the Field Pouch when I have arrived at my shooting location. With a camera and what appears to be a fanny pack I feel that I draw less attention to myself while walking around shooting. That is always a good thing. Carrying a small amount of equipment also allows me to focus more on seeing and less on gadgets. And that is the reason for owning a nice camera. 

I bought my case at Samys camera in Orange County. They had a nice display of Peak Design products. I have read all over the internet about how Peak Design got started and how everyone seems to like there bags but I had never seen them in real life. The longer I checked out the Field Pouch the more I liked it but almost decided against it when I discovered that the front inside pocket had stitching down the middle to make it two little pockets. I felt that if that pocket extended the full length it would be perfect for my SD card holder. Deal breaker for me so I passed. As I was talking to my wife next door I commented on the stitching and she said “just use a seam ripper”. I was stunned. That was so obvious. I went back into Samys and sure enough, there was just some simple stitching that separated the little pouch into two parts. I bought the bag, went home and borrowed her seam ripper and in two minutes had the perfect little carry bag that I was looking for. Thanks Hun. ( This is another reason to support your local camera store. You don’t get to touch online products )

Now I carry two bags for my Leica system and I couldn’t be happier. I just carry the combination of equipment that I want for each shooting situation. Sometimes more, sometimes less. Take a look at the Peak Design Field Pouch, at less that $50, it is a handy little bag.

2 Little Pockets

I Removed This Seam

Better Pocket Design

Peak Design Field Pouch with Leica Equipment

UPDATE to Peak Design products here.  

Leica Sofort Review

In 2016 Leica introduced the Sofort camera that uses Fuji’s Instax film and I couldn't be happier. I have been shooting the Impossible Project film for a couple of years and I have been reasonably happy with the results but have longed for higher quality images. 

Having used Polaroid products for over 20 years I was saddened when they discontinued their instant film. I have a Spectra, SX-70 models, and still have my 545 sheet film holder for 4 X 5 cameras. Before digital there were a lot of uses for Polaroid film. From passport photos to vacation snaps and exposure tests instant film was always in demand. 

My daughter was the deciding factor for adding the Instax line. She is attending University and those little prints have been a big hit. In our digital world analog really is a conversation starter. She has a Mini camera and recently added a Wide model. I purchased an Instax SP-2 printer last summer to print photos from my iPhone and have been really enjoying my mini printer. 

I went to the Leica store to look at the Leica Q and decided against it because of the 28mm lens but while there the Sofort caught my eye. The Fuji instant cameras are kind of ugly but the Sofort is one nice looking camera. I chose the Mint color, white is too plain and Orange is gaudy. So much for fashion. 

The Sofort has a lens that is equivalent to 34mm on a 35mm camera. Since that is the most popular Leica lens for street shooters it is very familiar to me. It is smaller than I anticipated which is a nice surprise. I am looking forward to trying the Bub, Macro, and Double Exposure modes. I’m not much of a selfie person but it will be a popular feature. There is even a mirror on the front of the camera to assist with selfies which is a nice touch. 

The image quality seems to be the same as the Fuji models. When the Sofort was first released it was implied that the lens was made by Leica but that was refuted after the cameras release. It is easy to use and the images are usually well exposed and in focus. But the reason for shooting this camera is not for quality but to have unique keepsakes and the camera excels for this use. I just love this camera. It is so much fun to shoot “Polaroids” again. As much as I like the Impossible Project film it just feels to experimental. The Sofort and Instax line is just plain fun. 

The camera is square and boxy looking. I prefer this to the Fuji cameras that can be best described as puffy. The Sofort is a cousin of the Fuji Instax Mini 90 camera. Both cameras have similar features. You can use both Leica’s and Fuji’s film which both come in color and black and white. The only difference I could see was that with the Leica film the white border around the image was a little gray. Other than that the images were identical. I have really enjoyed shooting black and white film. The prints are 62 x 46 mm so they are smaller than the old polaroids that we remember. A pack of ten shots is about $10 if buying the Fuji film and a couple dollars more if buying Leica’s film. Surprise, Surprise. 

The front of the camera is pretty basic. It just has a viewfinder window, mirror for selfies, and the flash which is good to about 10 feet. The innermost ring around the lens is to set the lens to normal focusing distances or close-up which is 3 - 10 feet. The focus mode is shown on the LCD on the back. The back has the chamber for the battery and the film pack. The battery is rated for 100 shots. A little birdy told me that the Fuji battery can be used instead of the Leica battery if you need a spare. Your mileage may vary. The buttons on the back are for setting the camera functions. They are Power, Mode, Flash, Self Timer, and Exposure Compensation. 

The shutter button is of course on the top and is slightly recessed. The viewfinder is clear and bright and is perfectly usable for eyeglasses. The tripod mount is offset to the side. The included strap is acceptable and Leica sells colored straps to match the camera. Would be nice if this would have been included as a standard accessory. 

Yes the Leica is more money than the Fuji. Of course. This doesn't even matter. I am really enjoying my new Leica Sofort. It seems so long ago that I stopped shooting Polaroid film. Having an analog product in a digital world kind of gives you a warm feeling inside. Cost $300. Go get one. 

Leica Sofort

Leica Sofort unboxing

Leica Sofort battery

Leica Sofort back

Leica Sofort extras

Leica Sofort

White: 19100 Mint: 19101 Orange: 19102

Instant camera 62 x 46 mm

Film Type: Leica instant film pack: 10 shots, colour or monochrome, Instax-mini format, speed ISO 800

Lens: 60 mm f/12.7 (34mm in 35 mm equiv.)

Focusing Area: 3 Focus Steps: 0,3 – 0,6 m (Macro)/0,6 – 3 m (close range)/3 m – infinity (far range)

Shutter Speed: 1/8 – 1/400 sec. (mechanical shutter)

View Finder: Optical real image viewfinder 0,37x with target spot and parallax compensation for macro mode

Modes: Automatic, Selfie, People & Party, Action & Sport, Bulb, Macro, Self-timer, Double exposure

Exposure Mode: Time automatic

Exposure Compensation: -0,7 EV/0,0 EV/+0,7 EV

Light Metering: Automatic exposure control LV 5.0 – LV 15.5 (ISO 800)

ISO Sensitivity: ISO 800

Self-Timer: 2 Sec. / 10 Sec. waiting period

Flash: Built-in electronic flash

Auto, Forced on, Forced off, Forced on with red-eye reduction

Operating conditions

Temperature working range: 5 – 40°C

Battery: Lithium-ion battery (supplied) 3.7V, 740mAh, 2.6 Wh

Voltage/capacity Battery life (approx.): 100 pictures at 20°

Dimensions (W x H x D) Weight: ca. 124 x 94 x 58 mm

(without battery and film pack): approx. 305 g

Scope of delivery: Camera, battery BP-DC17, charger BC-DC17 with adapter plug (varies from country to country), carrying strap, brief instructions

My Photography Workstation

Here's my Photography Workstation

Photography Workstation

The most common question I get after what camera do you use is what is your computer setup. I have been a Mac user since 1986. At first I used a company owned Mac but it was used for graphics and page layout. I have personally owned Apples since 1999. When I went to work as a government contractor we used IBM clones for about a year and then switched to the Power Macintosh 8500. That was a long time ago. The government upgraded us. To various Mac’s over the years until the government IT department switched to PC’s about a year before I left. The Mac has been my choice for my personal computer all of these years. 

Currently my workstation is a 27 inch iMac. Lots of RAM and a terabyte hard drive, nothing fancy. After using whatever was on sale for my external drives I have standardized on G-Technology hard drives. I am pleased with their performance and reliability. I use them for backup and storage. I have a 8tb thunderbolt raid drive as my main working drive and two drives for redundant storage. A 4tb USB drive handles the Time Machine duties. 

I am on my 3rd Wacom tablet. The medium tablet is just right for my use. I am more comfortable with a tablet than a mouse. I use the pen even when I don't need pressure sensitivity. 

Since you can't be a photographer these days without also shooting video I have a nice set of audio monitors. They are Mackie HR-824 mkII speakers. I just love the sound from these speakers. The are so flat and clean sounding. The only other brand that I considered were Genelec speakers but they are quite a bit more expensive and I had used Mackies on a recording session and just fell in love with them. They are really sweet. 

Everyone has there little dorky product that they can't live without and mine is a product called a Page-Up. It is a small plastic piece that has a narrow slit in it for holding sheets of paper upright on your desk. They are great for referring to shot lists or editing notes while working. They are about $10 at Amazon. 

I am a big fan of X-Rite color calibrators and ColorChecker passport. I use mine all of the time and they are so easy to use. Get one now, the will make your work so much better. 

As far as software goes I use what pretty much what everyone else uses. I use Capture One Pro for image capture. Lightroom CC for organization and simple editing and Photoshop CC for serious edits. For video editing I use Final Cut Pro and DaVinci Resolve for editing. Of course Protools for audio editing. 

For all of my writing needs I use Scrivener by Literature and Latte. It is just a perfect program. I use it both on my Mac and iPad and sync with Dropbox. I would like to be a writer just so I could use this program all day it is that nice. 

Final Word. 

Now just a comment on workstation placement. I see so many photos on the internet of people working with their monitor in front of a window. Please move your monitor now. Having that light coming from behind your monitor is terrible for color correction. Just a friendly piece of advice. 

Fujifilm Instax SP-2 Review

I recently picked up a Fujifilm Instax printer and I must admit it is a lot of fun. The photo below gives a sense of the size of the printer. It is advertised as a printer for smartphones but will accept jpg's from camera's that are wi-if enabled. 

Fujifilm mini 8, Fujifilm Instax SP-2, Fujifilm Instax film

The Fujifilm Instax is an instant film process that bucks the "digital has taken over storyline". Digital images are so perfect and clean looking that when comparing an Instax print to an image on an iPhone the nostalgia factor tanks over and the print is kind of view as artwork. I have shot so many Polaroid image in my life that I really didn't appreciate how instant can be such a compelling and unique art form. Now that it is such a big deal to shoot in an analogue fashion the wonder of it all has returned. I especially recommend an Instax printer to anyone that has been raised only on digital photography because you get such a different feeling when viewing instant images. 

Fujifilm Instax SP-2

The printer is small and lightweight so that it can be carried in your camera bag while out taking photos. There are two trains of thought on using this printer. On one side it is convient to sit down at home after a shooting session and print your favorites. The alternate argument is take the printer with you when shooting and stop and print images as you go. I prefer the latter. I seem to feel more in the moment if i stop and contemplate my photos while shooting. The prints are great give gifts to give to the subject while shooting. On our trip to London in the 90's we took along a Polaroid Spectra and shot images as we traveled each day and when returning back to the room in the evening we displayed the prints around the room. That made the trip even more enjoyable and repeated this on each trip until Polaroid stopped making film. I am looking forward to having prints around our room on trips again. 

Instax SP-2 on/off and reprint buttons

The printer creates a wifi network that uses Bluetooth to connect to the printer. Setup is drop dead simple. Remember to update the firmware when you first get the printer. This achieved with the Fujifilm Instax Share app available at the iTunes app store. This app is also how you send images to the printer. It acess's images through the Camera Roll so you can work on the images in you favorite iOS editor before printing. The images are low resolution but look great.

Instax SP-2 battery

The SP-2 is the second version of the printer. The best change they made was making the battery rechargeable. The first version had a funky hard to find battery. It comes with a cable that you can just plug into your iPhone charger. Real convient. 

Instax SP-2

Loading film is as simple as opening the door and aligning the yellow marks on the print cartridge and the printer. Once loaded don't open the door or you will fog the next print. 

Instax Photos

Instax photos have a nice "Polaroid" look to them. I personally prefer to shoot with my iPhone and send them to the printer than using a Fujifilm camera. I like to see the images before making a print. Less waste and I find that I use the camera more this way. It really is a nice product and if you have any interest in instant photography I recommend you get one. Fujifilm is really making some great products. 

William Eggleston : Portraits

William Eggleston, master photographer of nothing. I just received the book “William Eggleston: Portraits” that is currently showing at the National Portrait Gallery in London. Being a lifelong Eggleston fan I new I was going to appreciate the work but I will admit it is different than the usual work that we have come to expect from him.

The greatest hits that we have come to expect are here but the majority of the images are not familiar to even fans of William Eggleston’s work. Many of the early black and white images might not be even recognized as his work. The style is so different that one is forced to realize that Eggleston was not born with has signature style and that it was developed over time.

Once the work switches to color the work seems to achieve more depth and excitement. If the was ever a photographer who was destined for color photography it was William Eggleston. He has such a master of color work. He can slam you in the face with bright garish colors or tiptoe around the edge and use just splashes of color to decorate an image.

The work is very good but there are a few misses. This book would not be recommended as an introduction to Eggleston’s work. It is probably because limiting him to just portraits does not do justice to him because of the wide range of subject matter that is seen in his other books. Critics of Eggleston’s work are going to point to this book and say “See, much ado about nothing”. For better or worse every book that has his name on it is going to be compared to his majestic book “ William Eggleston’s Guide”. That is ok because that work has already been done, and good or bad, these images are going to be copied and inspire photographers for generations to come.

William Eggleston : Portraits

Field Notes Byline Edition

I have been a staunch Moleskine fan for over a decade by there may be a crack in the ivory tower. I have just started using the new Byline Edition of notebooks by Field Notes and I just love them. Field Notes will not replace my daily notebook but it is perfect for one specific use.

For those that don’t know FieldNotes are the brainchild of Aaron Draplin of Draplin Design. He currently has one of the hottest books on Graphic Design. He has had a life long love of a certain type of notebook and decided to make some of his own and sent them out as marketing material for his design company. They were a hit and one client approached him with an idea and they started a company selling Field Notes notebooks. They have unique design and are getting more popular. They make a full line and do compete with my beloved Moleskine notebooks. At this time I don’t see me completely switching but I am carrying a Byline Edition for use as a caption book when I photograph. They are also proudly made in America and are headquartered in Chicago.

There is an interesting back story to the development to the Byline Edition. John Dickerson of Face The Nation approached Field Notes and asked them to make a certain style of notebook that he used early in his career. They apparently liked his idea and are selling them as a limited edition. I am hoping that Field Notes realizes that it would be a good addition to their line and makes it a regular production item. The few that I ordered are not going to cover my projected needs.

I really like the form factor of the notebooks. They are 3.75 x 8 inches and are spiral bound so that they lay flat when you are writing. The quality of the paper is first rate and there are 70 pages in each book. Not to thick but enough to keep the book from being floppy during use. When taking notes I like the long pages because captions can get involved and it's nice to have all of the info on one page so that I am sure that I have the proper notes for my article before I leave the location.

I have recently started carrying my Leica in a Prince Street bag by Ona and it fits nicely in one of the front pockets. The Byline has kind of an old world look so it matches the look of the Ona bag. Every time that I have taken it out when photographing it has been a conversation starter.

Being kind of a hybrid note taker I use both paper notebooks and my always depended on Evernote. I have enough Moleskine notebooks to get me to the rapture but I have decide that there is just enough room to add another notebook to my life. I am so enjoying these books and suggest you take a look at them, they are functional and have first rate workmanship.

Fields Note Byline next to Moleskine

Field Notes Byline

Pasadena Museum of California Art - Brett Weston

There is a terrific exhibit of the work of Brett Weston at the Pasadena Museum of California Art. He is one of my all time favorite photographers who is vastly under appreciated in today's photography world.  

Born in 1911 he was the son of one of the most famous photographers ever, Edward Weston. Edward had 4 sons, Chandler, Brett, Neil, and Cole. While still in his teens Brett started to make a name for himself and his work was shown with his fathers and later in solo shows. There was no father and son rivalry, Edward respected his son and his work and they worked side by side for many years.  When Edward was diagnosed with Parkinson's in the late 40's Brett put aside his work and helped his father with printing his negatives. After the death of his father in 1958 Brett resumed his work.

Brett's work is very graphic in nature and quite beautiful to look at. It is such a shame that there have not been any books printed in the last 20 years showcasing his work. There are 42 prints in the exhibition at the Pasadena Museum of Art. They are contact prints and the detail in the work is incredible.  

Back in 1991 on the occasion of Brett's 80th birthday he gathered dozens of friends over to his home and did the unthinkable. He burned all of his negatives. He was upset that his family had been reprinting Edward's negatives for so many years and did not want the same fate for his work. He felt that only he should print his negatives. So into the fire they went. He continued photographing and when he was done printing each project he burned those negatives also. 

If you live anywhere in the Southern California area please go to the Pasadena Museum of California Art and see the work of Brett Weston. This is a rare opportunity to see some masterful black and white photography. 

The show runs thru September 11. 

Color Management - X-rite ColorChecker Passport

Color management is so easy to control these days it is surprising that everybody is not utilizing monitor calibration and using a color checker.

Xrite ColorChecker Passport

Before digging into exposure and cold practices from my past, notice anything odd about the above photo. A Macbeth ColorChecker? That is an original 9 x 13 color calibration chart. Macbeth is no longer around, they are now part of X-rite. I have been utilizing a managed workflow a lot longer than computers have been around.

Exposure Box from 1981

This is the very first image that I took at the start of my photography program. Yes the date says 1981. All assignments started with an image of the exposure box. This was a box in the far corner of one of the studios that had controlled daylight balanced illumination that had a grey card and a gray scale. This was to make sure that the camera light meter was calibrated and would show if you processed your film correctly. The school that I attended was geared towards turning out working photographers. Consistency in results is a sign of quality work.

This is how we standardized the exposure of Black and White proof sheets. All proof sheets included a Kodak T14 exposure scale. When step 7 was neutral gray the proof sheet was properly exposed and it would show if the film was properly exposed and developed.

Florescent Lighting Test

This image shows the process for the beginning of color management. This project was to show how to filter for florescent lights. There are many different bulbs that emit light at different color temperatures. This is all done automatically with todays digital cameras. It is only a problem these days when you have mixed lighting. Daylight and tungsten in the same scene is very common problem. Yes the slide is faded, but you get the idea.

Kodak Gray Card

Kodak grey cards had multiple purposes. Before matrix and multi-zone metering the use of grey cards was wide spread in professional photography. It was the surest way to get a correct exposure in difficult lighting situations. Another trick was to include a grey card in a photo to assist printing. Many of times I would have a grey card in the corner of a product shot on large format film. The card would be cropped out during printing.

Colormunki Display

I now have all of my screens calibrated with X-rite products. The are easy to use and are reliable. I remember back in the 90's using a control panel on my Mac to visually color balance my monitor. Technology marches on. One of the great features of the Colormunki is that it has an ambient light sensor that monitors lighting conditions and adjust your monitor accordingly. I carry a ColorChecker passport with me on all shoots so that when I get back I can profile my camera for best results. One of the best examples I have ever seen to justify the use of a monitor calibrator was when I was shooting official portraits for soldiers. On the uniforms soldiers wear awards that are various colors. When comparing a calibrated monitor verse an uncalibrated monitor the color of the awards would change. The red awards appeared pink. A calibrated monitor doesn't just remove a color cast, it renders individual colors properly. 

Add a calibrator to your workflow. It is not a calibrate once and never use it again. Monitors change as they age. Rental laptops need adjusting. Make your work look better on the web. The more you learn about exposure and color the better photographer you will become.