Tuesday travel: Arbeit macht frei

Today we’re celebrating the fact that our country was liberated from nazi Germany in 1945. Only a few months ago I was in Theresienstadt, near Prague. One of the scariest places on earth. In this concentration camp, no less than 33.000 persons died. Not because they were murdered (although there were executions), but mostly because of the extreme conditions: starvation, cold, stress and disease (especially typhus).

One of the strangest things that I noticed is that there are actually people living again in the houses that were once used to ‘house’ the inmates. While the main fortress was designed to house 7000 people, the nazis squeezed ten times as many people in the barracks. No wonder so many died.

Yesterday I watched a documentary about Sobibor, an extermination camp in Poland. A few archeologists have discovered the remains of the gas chambers very recently. This means that the almost 200.000 dead are finally given a voice. The nazis tried to cover up the camp, but in the end, we will all know the truth.

Leica M9 with 35 summicron

 

 

The all new Leica M Monochrom

We’ve been waiting quite a while for it and now it’s finally there: the new Leica M Monochrom type 246. Of course, the biggest question was which sensor would be built in and now we all know it’s a CMOS, not a CCD. While I’m impressed by the images of Jono Slack, I think there will be a few people feeling disappointed. After all, the old Monochrom was able to deliver such unbelievable images thanks to its CCD sensor. We’ll find out soon enough if the new typ 246 will match that camera.

I think there might be a rush on the old Monochrom, depending on the qualities of the new one, because we can be pretty sure there will never be a new CCD camera anymore from Leica. But again, I could be wrong.

Wednesday Wedding Pic: the first look

Although I shoot digital almost exclusively these days, sometimes I’m asked to shoot on film. For me, the biggest difference is the planning I’ll have to think about. Which film do I load in which camera and when do I change film? Focussing and exposure are similar to my digital workflow, except the exposure should be a bit more on the shadows. With my M6 I carry a handheld light meter to ensure more precise exposure. Also, because the fastest shutter speed on the M6 is 1/1000th of a second, ND filters are a must when shooting outside.

Leica M6 with 35 cron on Kodak T-Max 400

Tuesday Travel: The opera house

While I’m not a big fan of shooting the highlights, you can’t miss the Opera House when you’re in Sydney. When I’m traveling, my credo is “don’t try to shoot the postcard images”, instead, do something else, or ignore the highlight at all. One day, I found the Opera House in front of a magnificent sunset and the building just shouted to be photographed. With my 90 tele-elmarit (a terrific lens for a very good price) I shot a tight crop of the building and I was happy enough with the result to post it.

Leica M9-P with Leica 90 tele-elmarit

Q&A: Billingham Hadley small vs L2

Hello Joeri,

I just finished reading your reviews on the Billingham Hadley small, L2 and 1.4. A breath of fresh air in the world of gear reviews. Very nice. I would really appreciate your thoughts on the best bag for my gear given your field experience: I shoot with 2 Leica M’s with lens mounted and carry 1 spare lens in a small pouch. I shoot with: 75mm summicron APO, 50mm APO and 35mm Summilux. I usually have the 75 and 50 mounted on the bodies and swap in the 35mm. Then just a couple of filters, extra battery, SD cards.   Cell phone… and that’s it.
I was giving serious thought to the Hadley small (it looks a bit sexier :), but unsure if it can take the 2 bodies and extra lens. Anyway, I would love your opinion on the matter.

This was my reply:

I’ve done a quick try-out with my own gear. I can fit two Ms with a 50 Cron (same size as the APO) and the 75/2.5 without the hood (should be the same more or less) and a 35 cron on the side. As you can see, it fits (sort of), but the L2 will make it easier to fit this gear because of the boxed design.
Furthermore, you can fit more stuff in the front pocket, the L2 won’t tip over (the Hadley will), the only thing I prefer about the Hadley is the strap design. Both are excellent bags, the L2 is just even better in my opinion.
And I attached this crappy iPhone shot. The thing is: the L2 is a much more versatile bag than the Hadley Small. The only downside is its strap mechanism and its higher price.
Here’s the review of the Billingham L2 and the Hadley Small.

IMG_1954

 

Do you have a question for me? Just send me an email and I’ll try to get a response online when I can.

Travel tuesday: the boat III

Lots of boats here lately. This one was also actually shot from a boat. Which is quite a challenge, because using a tripod and a long shutter speed won’t get you what you want. Because your boat is floating on the water and moves up and down, a long shutter speed will create a blurry picture. I opted for a shutter speed of 1/8th of a second, ISO 320 and aperture of f2.

Leica M9 with 35 summicron

 

Wednesday wedding pic: getting ready

The Leica 50/0.95 Noctilux is slowly starting to replace my trusted 50 Cron. At first I thought I’d use the Nocti only in bad light or for situations where a shallow depth of field would add to the mood. But now, I found out that the Nocti is also perfectly usable with smaller apertures. And that makes it possible to switch from a light sucking ultra-thin DOF monster to a sharp and ready to shoot allround 50mm with just a flick of the fingers. On a wedding day, that’s all you want. If there’s a situation where I know I don’t need the Nocti and theres enough time to switch lenses and take it easy, I’ll still use the 50 cron. It’s easier to focus, is still better at smaller apertures and it’s a lot lighter and smaller. Talking numbers: the amount of Nocti shots is now 22%. The 50 cron makes up for 24% and the rest is 35 cron, 28 Elmarit and CV35/1.2.

Leica M9 with 50/0.95 Noctilux (yes, I’m using the M9 again for weddings only with the Noctilux)

Here’s my wedding website. I am available for destination weddings and weddings abroad, as long as you’re looking for a documentary approach. I don’t do any staged settings, nor pre-wedding shoots. Bear in mind that my calendar fills up quickly and that most days are booked more than a year upfront. Feel free to send me an email.

Tuesday travel: the boat II

One of the best features of the Leica M system is it’s size and weight. This makes for the perfect travel camera, but mind you: if you carry six lenses, two bodies and a tripod, your bag will still be very heavy. So the key for a perfect travel bag is to take as little as you can. One body, one or two light lenses and no tripod. This picture was taken in Prague with a shutter speed of 0,5 seconds. Not handheld of course, but pressed against a solid piece of stone on that bridge. If you’re creative enough to ‘see’ the pictures, you’ll be creative enough to find something to replace your tripod as well.

Leica M9 with 21/4 Color Skopar

Want to know more about how to use your rangefinder camera on your travels? Check out my Leica workshops or read my ebook.

What’s up on the gear news?

Well, lots of reviews to be published, but I’m also in the middle of my wedding season. Being a photographer is still my job, so you’ll have to be patient I’m afraid…

What to expect in 2015? At least these lenses will be reviewed:

  • Leica 28/2.8 Elmarit (Just buy it already, it is that good!)
  • Leica 50/0.95 Noctilux (is it a true photographers tool?)
  • Leica 75/2.5 Summarit (you could still find one with a discount)
  • Leica 24/3.8 Elmar (sharp as my ice skates)
  • Leica 35/2 Summicron V2 (don’t know about that one yet)
  • Zeiss 35/2.8 (If you can’t afford a 35 cron, get this one)

So all I can say is stay tuned and enjoy the regular posts!