Today in ‘featured’ track cyclist Tahlay Christie from Autralia. Enjoy!
1) Can you tell us a bit about your background (as a photographer)?
‘When I was younger, my Dad let me use one of his Canon DSLRs but I never felt a major attachment to photography. I love to draw and paint, so I felt that I gravitated more towards that artistic side. My grandfather gave me his very old F1 last year and my Dad helped me get the hang of it. I fell in love with the complexity and uncertainty that came with analog. I found it exciting to find out how my photos turned out, sometimes they just didn’t work out, but I loved the idea of not knowing. I appreciate photography as a whole (both digital and analog) now as I’ve been able to explore the medium.’
2) How did you get into the Leica system?
‘My F1 is my baby, I love the camera very much. Before I came to Europe for a 6 month trip, my camera was getting serviced. My Dad was kind enough to let me borrow his Leica M6 until I returned home. I had used it a few times before and loved how easy it was to capture something that interested me. I really have Dad to owe for introducing me to photography and to the beauty of Leica cameras. I’m obsessed.’
3) Which camera and lenses do you have?
‘I use my Dad’s Leica M6 with his 35mm Summilux. Leica make such beautiful cameras and the lens is perfect for most of the shots I take.’
4) What kind of pictures do you take and why?
‘The world is my subject. If something interests me I’ll try to make it work in a frame. The film will sometimes play a role in what I want from a day of shooting. Back at home I love to go into the city and use Tri-X 400 black and white to get landscape photos of the high rise buildings. My favourite film to use is Ektar 100 because I’m obsessed with the high saturation of reds and blues. I usually take the camera out to the beach when I’m using that film. The film doesn’t always constrict my subjects, if I think it works I’ll try my best to get a good photo. I like capturing memories, like day trips/outings, family dinners, anything where I can look at a photo and remember what the occasion was. ‘
‘Thanks for this opportunity to share my photos.’
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