Leica photographers - the naked truth

[NB23]

As far as I’m concerned, this was a mighty rolleicord, shit in the mighty old Acros, developed by the mighty old Hc110, printed on the mighty Focomat IIc + the mighty Focotar 100mm f5.6.

La crème de la Crème.

The irony of presenting a blurry pic from someone who demands that everyone has to use the sharpest lenses, the finest gear and nothing but that.
Not judging the pic. It is what you make of it.
Just looks like it could have been taken with a Lubitel, or Seagull, or Lomo. And there's nothing wrong with that because gear doesn't matter.
It's your vision man. And your vision for this pic was blurry. Bravo. I doff my bandana to you.

 

[NB23]

Mamiya C220 + 65mm

print in fixer

 

[Huss]

Mamiya C220 + 65mm

print in fixer

View attachment 282599

I love that Lomo-esque look you got going on.

Seriously.

That is one unusual looking dood!

 

[NB23]

I love that Lomo-esque look you got going on.

Seriously.

That is one unusual looking dood!

Thanks

What is lomoesque? If it’s a synonym for Lo-Fi, then it has everything to do with the iphone shot of the print soaking in a fixing bath and uploaded “medium” forum size. In other words.

 

[Huss]

Thanks

What is lomoesque? If it’s a synonym for Lo-Fi, then it has everything to do with the iphone shot of the print soaking in a fixing bath and uploaded “medium” forum size. In other words.

Any chance seeing it out of the fixer?

 

[PerTulip]

I
You miss the point. It's not about what you or I like, when you talk about how some people use cheap cameras, purposely overexpose and overdevelop, or whatever they do. It's all only about what they like. They tend to think the equipment or process adds something to the image. They tend to think grain adds character or mood to an image. T...

That's why I didn't write an absolute statement like "Grain doesn't..." but "I don't think grain is interesting." with "I".

 

[flavio81]

Some people say my caipirinha is top notch, but I use a lot of ice, which some people complain about. One thing I’m sure: we could all have this discussion drinking caipirinha somewhere in the world. I can take the cachaça. Lemon, sugar and ice are pretty easy to find.

Yes, cachaça is extermely easy to find in my country. As easy to find as M-series Leicas on snob photography clubs.

 

[Down Under]

I'll never forget the first time I used a Selectric. Wonderful.. Same with a Leica.

Ah yes, the IBM Selectric. I bought a new one in 1980, paid A$1500 for it, a fortune then (still a lot for me now). In due course I had something like 25 golfballs (or 'goofballs' as we called them) for $50 each.

It was my status symbol as a freelance writer, the visible sign that I Had Made It In The Writing Trade. Ribbons for the damn thing cost A$10 each, and on really busy days I could easily go thru two of them.

All money flushed down the gurgler. On-site I did most of my writing with a 1940 Remington portable typewriter. I still have it and it isn't exactly flash, but it still works.

Twelve years later I bought my first laptop, a box-like thing with an orange, yes, orange screen, and sold that Selectric to a friend for $75. Status symbol indeed. At least Leicas hold their value.

As the owner of a 1954 Leica iif with two lenses (Summitar and Summicron, both collapsible, both hazy), I feel qualified to join this thread.

 

[faberryman]

View attachment 282585 I lied, it’s more like 18,000 prints actually. I got carried away. I slacked down to 25-30 prints a day this past month.

Here is a picture of 3 months worth of printing, 4x10 fb (xpan negatives).

Why do you keep your prints all wrapped up in red plastic bags? What do you intend to do with them?

 

[faberryman]

As the owner of a 1954 Leica iif with two lenses (Summitar and Summicron, both collapsible, both hazy), I feel qualified to join this thread.

I didn't realize you had to qualify to join the thread? Who is checking credentials? Huss started off the thread with a video of Leica owners mocking themselves and other Leica owners. I believe it was intended at satire. Do you really have to own a Leica to post a reply?

 

[removed account4]

Well, if you count the 22,000 prints I’ve done in the darkroom this past year alone, it probably is something more like “I have valid opinions on analog photography”

View attachment 282585 I lied, it’s more like 18,000 prints actually. I got carried away. I slacked down to 25-30 prints a day this past month.

Here is a picture of 3 months worth of printing, 4x10 fb (xpan negatives).

nice stack

I’m so high in the art of photography that you wouldn’t understand. Depends on your level.
Lately I’m into ultra minimalism. Yesterday I fixed a blank sheet and I called it “Life”. You want to see it?

I'd love to see some of your high level art photography, and ultra minimalist photographs .
do you have a website or any way we can view them? the ones you posted didn't seem to be minimalist or high art.

 

[NB23]

Why do you keep your prints all wrapped up in red plastic bags? What do you intend to do with them?

black bags in which the papers are sold, and then taped with red tape.

I intend to never open those bags again. I have more than a hundred. A lifetime’ work.

Why I’m doing this is simple: honoring my negatives, all the time put in shooting, by printing the good ones. That is all.

 

[NB23]

nice stack

I'd love to see some of your high level art photography, and ultra minimalist photographs .
do you have a website or any way we can view them? the ones you posted didn't seem to be minimalist or high art.

I was being funny. Wasn’t it obvious? No great art, nothing special. Just my own thing.

The closest photos that would qualify as “minimalist” or “art” that I can think of, from my most recent darkroom sessions would have to be these, and similar. I work in batches of negatives, these are all from Rolleiflex/rolleicord/Ikoflex/Mamiya C220.

You decide if it’s art or not. I don’t mind at all if it’s good or bad. It’s my life, my diary, what I saw.

 

[removed account4]

sorry,
didn't know you were joking I kind of take what people say at face value so I had no idea.
people describe their work in all sorts of way, its hard without seeing it what it is..
=
thanks for the images!
I always love to see what it is the people I read often see and print, its a real treat!
=(added later)
keep coming back ... that grinning door cracks me up

 

[Arthurwg]

NB23, I dig your stuff. Jnantz too.

 

[RDW]

As the owner of a 1954 Leica iif with two lenses (Summitar and Summicron, both collapsible, both hazy), I feel qualified to join this thread.

You didn't see the guy at 0:50? - "Wait, you only have one Leica? HAHAHA!"

 

[Huss]

It’s my life, my diary, what I saw.

Love that comment.

Pic of the footsteps in the snow on the curved path? So sweet.

 

[snusmumriken]

This is such a stupid thread. I enjoyed the video. Sure, it makes fun of hype that to some extent I have fallen for, but my conscience is clear. I use my Leica M6, and am very happy with the results. I also use a Rollei 35, ditto but frustrating ergonomics. From childhood I progressed from a Box Brownie through a Zenith SLR to a Nikon FE. The Zenith was rubbish. The Nikon fell short in many ways. I bought the Rollei as a cute miniature stop-gap, and then the Leica. Both can produce negatives that make quality 16x12 prints. So there is no going back, but importantly for me there is no going forward either. I am content with that quality and can concentrate on getting the content. I also love analogue processing.

 

[Huss]

This is such a stupid thread. ..

How much of it did you read?

 

[zanxion72]

I can see that many compare cheapo cameras to rather expensive ones with the artistic point of view first place. But photography is not always just art, and not always blurry or photo quality that sucks means art. Imagine passing to a client a blurry passport photo:
Client: "Hey who is that?"
You: "I swear it must be you!"
Needless to say anything about macro. In photographic equipment, as with everything else in this world, you get what you pay for. An as with everything else, if you want to really enjoy it you'd better spend as much as you can on it.

 

[snusmumriken]

How much of it did you read?

OK, good call. Clearly I joined late, so please don't flame me for not having picked through the entire 17 pages! But I read enough to see how people were reacting. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply that your subject was stupid - the video is great fun. But while many contributors here took it in that spirit, some seemed to be very serious and defensive. My clumsily-expressed point was that most of us succumb to hype, and that we can and should laugh at ourselves about it. Maybe we should feel uncomfortable, do a little soul-searching. But still, we haven't (necessarily) made a bad choice of camera. I've tried making good photos with bad cameras, and it was frustrating. Enough, let's keep smiling.

 

[removed account4]

<snip ... > Both can produce negatives that make quality 16x12 prints. So there is no going back, but importantly for me there is no going forward either. I am content with that quality and can concentrate on getting the content. I also love analogue processing.

never say never. you might get bored, we all get bored once in a while.. .. and you never know what will happen tomorrow..

 

[faberryman]

I've tried making good photos with bad cameras, and it was frustrating. Enough, let's keep smiling.

I am glad you bought a Leica and can now make good photos. Please say a prayer for those who do not have a Leica and cannot make good photos. Maybe one day, if they are lucky, and save up their money, they can buy a Leica and make good photos too.

 

[henryvk]

An as with everything else, if you want to really enjoy it you'd better spend as much as you can on it.

What – so either drive a Formula One car or walk? Kobe steak and caviar or skip dinner? Get the most expensive Japanese denim or just go pantsless?

Sorry, that makes no sense whatsoever.

 

[removed account4]

What – so either drive a Formula One car or walk? Kobe steak and caviar or skip dinner? Get the most expensive Japanese denim or just go pantsless?

Sorry, that makes no sense whatsoever.

I'd rather walk, skip dinner and wear the same jeans I have been wearing for 20 years.
too many morons drive fancy SUV's who are distracted by life and their cellphone and will ram you in your million dollar formula 1 car,
caviar and beef? meh, I don't see the point, I didn't even know there was Japanese denim...