Leica M3, Canon 50 f/1.5 LTM Sonnar, Kodak T400CN

f/8 @ 1/50

The tule fog enveloped us last week, making for moody and atmospheric mornings.  I flashed back to a series from two years ago I shot and wound up a roll of B&W in the Leica M3 hoping for a little of the same magic.  Ava seemed to match the somber mood of the morning and wore only her most petulant expression, but at least she was moderately still.  The Canon Sonnar resolved the light beautifully and gathered a few comments on its own.  People just aren’t used to seeing film cameras, even less ones from the 1950s.  It is a particularly pretty combo, the M3 and the chrome Canon, and makes me feel special just holding it.  But they’re no shelf queens and the two make images just as well today as they did 50 years ago.

walking meditation …

little napoleon …

portrait with slide …

full gallery here

Ava in Crissy Field in fine, devil-may-care, wind-blowing-through-the-hair form …

Leica M6, KM 50 M-Hexanon f/2.0, Ilford XP-2

More Ava …

Ava at the Discovery Museum …

Ava and Naomi at the hostel … I dubbed this shot “Pine Cone Perkins sitting at the ivories” : )

and Ava sharing a tender moment with Kimberly …

And if you’re so inclined, you can see the full series here

Leica M6, Canon 28 f/2.8 LTM, Ilford XP-2

Sitting outside Lappert’s ice cream in Sausalito, enjoying the super premium (read: extra fat and calories) treats, I was mainly watching

Ava as she was well into her “no nap today, up past bedtime, out on vacation and I’ve got an audience” wild and crazy antics when

who should stroll into the frame but this picture perfect gentleman.  Usually I wait for any extraneous characters to clear out of the composition

but I decided to let him stay.  Of course, he totally makes the shot.  As I said, I’m no great shakes as a street shooter but maybe this is the

inspiration I need to break out of my box.

This shot was from just a moment before, and it’s still a keeper for the interplay between Marc and Ava, but when you compare the two

there’s a clear winner.

Well, there wasn’t much drinking going on, us being mostly teetotalers and all, but

we felt like we were a world away in the Marin headlands over spring break.  This is

one of the buildings on the site, a former army base, that’s now been converted to an

artists’ residence and studio complex.  I’m not much of a landscapist, but the lovely

soft tones of the Portra film lend themselves nicely to the subject.

Leica M6, KM 50 M-Hexanon f/2.0, Kodak Portra160NC

We stayed at the Marin Headlands hostel over spring break as a way to jump start the summer and get out of city.  The hostel

is what you would expect – a little funky, a little ramshackle and full of interesting people from all over.  But though it’s just a few

miles from SF, it feels a world away once you get over the bridge and get down into the headlands.  Peaceful and quiet with miles

of trails to explore and beaches nearby.  Ask Kim about the racoons sometime ; )

The trusty Tacoma hauled our bikes and trailer so we could get over to the Presidio and take in the trail around Crissy Field and smell

the fresh ocean air.  Since Sausalito is just up Hwy 1, we made a day trip there and rode the trail along the bay.  Of course, when in Sausalito

one simply must get to Lappert’s for ice cream and rest assured we let no opportunity slip by.

There’s also a terrific hands on museum for the kids on the Marin side, the Bay Area Discovery Museum,

where I got a fun shot of Naomi up in the crow’s nest with the bridge behind her …

Leica M6, KM 50 M-Hexanon f/2.0, Ilford XP-2

And since I couldn’t resist the view, no matter how cliched the shot, I had to try framing the Golden Gate myself.  Do you prefer

the straight B&W …

or the cross tone?

Leica M6, KM 50 M-Hexanon f/2.0, Ilford XP-2

More to come, see the full galleries here

Leica M6, 50 KM M-Hexanon, LegacyPro 400

f/2 @ 1/30

Little Naomi tinkling the ivories at ArtBeast last month.  We met up with Isaac and Naomi for a playdate and

as usual I chased the kids around with a camera.  I hadn’t used the Hexanon in awhile so I thought it was due

for a workout.  Just a beautiful lens and a stellar performer as well.  Some people speak of it as a poor man’s

Summicron, but I don’t feel like I’m missing much.  Just as well, since chasing gear rarely leads to better art.

One mostly ends up with empty pockets instead of fulfilling art.

Leica M6, Canon 28 f/2.8, Arista Premium 100

f/2.8 @ 1/30

After the HCB show we walked across the street to the Yerba Buena gardens.  It was a fantastic SF day, uncharacteristically warm and sunny, and the early evening was just as nice.  A skater was hitting the steps, some other couples strolled around holding hands and a few tourists had their cameras out snapping the skyline.  I had Kim sit by the pool and strike a pose.  The MTM theme song popped in my head and I had her give me her best “girl in the big city” look.  Despite the fading light, slow film and relatively slow lens I managed to hold steady and get a few nice frames.

Camera geek notes: The 28 Canon is a fantastic little jewel of a lens.  I’ve managed to collect three of the Canon LTMs: 50 f/1.5, 35 f/2.8 and 28 f/2.8 and I’m in love with them all.  The share heavy chrome over brass construction, smooth, well damped manual focusing and all draw beautiful vintage B&W images, especially skin tones.  The 28 is also great fit on a M body – small and unobtrusive and oh-so-pretty in chrome on black (M6).  Even if your shots come out looking like a dog’s lunch, you feel like a million bucks just holding the kit : )

* link

Leica M6, CV 28 Ultron f/1.9, Arista Premium 100 (Tri-X 100)

f/1.9 @ 1/15

Probably my best shot of Kim ever.  Went to SF to see the Henri Cartier-Bresson exhibit at SFMoMA last month; we stopped for lunch after getting into town.  I had the 28 Canon f/2.8 LTM mounted on my M6 but quickly switched to the Ultron to compensate for the dark interior and 100 speed film in the camera.  I opened it all the way up and dialed the shutter waaaay down.  As the shutter lazily dragged across the film plane I tried to stay as still as possible.  The moment was there and then it was gone and then it was time for lunch.

Two weeks later I got the roll back from the lab and scanned it.  The frame just jumped off the screen.

Leica M3, Canon 5cm f/1.5 Sonnar, Kodak BW400CN

f/2 @ 1/80, natural light

And one more …

I think both of these came out quite lovely, and the slight sepia gives them a little extra warmth.  I’ll post the straight B&W next

for comparison.  As usual, the Canon Sonnar lens really sings.  It excels at drawing people at wide apertures, there’s

warmth, smoothness and character to spare.  Foreground to background separation, pleasing bokeh and just enough sharpness

but no bite.  And of course the M3 maximizes the 50mm lens: it has the best viewfinder and focusing patch, is small, quiet and discreet

and puts the subject at ease.  After poking the giant gripped 5D and 24-70 (with hood) in Jill’s face all afternoon I’m sure she felt more than a little relief

when I put it away and picked up the Leica.  It’s like shooting an Olympic target match pistol.  The 5D is closer to a riot shotgun, about as heavy and just

as subtle.

Canon 1D Mk II, Canon 20-35 f/2.8 L

One more …

Having a Coke and a smile …

Leica M6, CV 35 f/2.5, Neopan 400

Leica M3, Canon 50 f/1.5 Sonnar, AristaPremium 400 (re-badged Tri-X 400)

probably f/16 @ 1/500