[Disclaimer: This is just for fun. Nobody really thinks there is anything better than the new M Mono and 50/2, I mean...come on...]
In honor of Leica's newly announced Monochrom and Summicron, I would like to start an image thread of our Leicaesque shots.
Rules:
1. Must be shot at f2
2. Must be shot at ISO 10,000 (pushed ISO's from pitiful, low-end gear will be accepted)
3. Must be presented in monochrome
4. Must include camera/lens combo information
5. Must end your post with the phrase: "Sure it has some grain, but it's very film-like."
Bonus points will be awarded for:
• Poorly focused images
• Mundane subject matter
• Poor composition
• Lack of contrast
• Blown highlights
• Rationalizing the above traits
• Coming across as a snobish asshat
I'll start:
OM-D, 45mm f1.8@f2
This image was captured at my summer house in Vienna, oh, wait...no, in my hallway in my humble ranch in smalltown, USA. While not exhibiting critical sharpness, I was able to capture the raw emotion of the moment, which is what the photographic arts are all about, no?
Sure, it has some grain, but it's very film-like.
Aside: This is funny as heck...love the challenge idea. I'm hoping for maximum bonus points just from my descriptions, as I really worked on loading up the BS.
My skills are so worth of viewing that I did TWO images for the challenge. Both are with the Olympus E-M5 and Leica 25/1.4 (See...mine truly is Leica-esque!)
This first shot shows the Unity Candle of my wife and I, lit by a different candle in front. This smaller candle represents my daughter, who lights the way and reflects on our marriage. In this way the flame represents our love for her, but also how she lights our life up. I did not need to shoot at ISO 10,000 for this shot, as I had sufficient shutter speed at far lower ISOs, but I shot at 10,000 to add more grain to represent the rough edges of life even when surrounded by love. As a result: sure, it has some grain, but it's very film-like.
This second shot does not connect to the first at all, even though it's the same candle providing the subject matter. See, I noticed when I blew out the candle that even though the flame's life had been extinguished, parts lived on in the smoke wisps that followed. It reminded me of life, and how when we die, those we touched will remember us, but that too, like smoke, will eventually fade.
As if the heavens acknowledged my thinking, when I took this photo of the smoke lit by the flame of another candle, a ghostly specter rose from the last breath of the extinguished candle.
Here I really did need ISO 10,000 to capture the shot, and sure, it has some grain, but it's very film-like.
Great humor here! If I had a camera that could operate at ISO 10000 (I don't, do I?), and if I were an artist rather than a mere technician, and if I could appreciate black-and-white, I might just attempt to come up with something to contribute to this thread. (If we had some bacon, we could have bacon and eggs... if we had some eggs.)
But I don't (at least I don't think I do, and I can't be bothered to check), and I'm not, and I can't.
@Ernie: You don't really need a camera that can operate at ISO 10000. You can just use the maximum ISO and push the exposure further in your RAW developer. For instance, use ISO 3200 and push about 1.5 stops.
@Ernie: You don't really need a camera that can operate at ISO 10000. You can just use the maximum ISO and push the exposure further in your RAW developer. For instance, use ISO 3200 and push about 1.5 stops.
Yes, in honor of the M9, we'll certainly allow 2500 pushed to 10,000.
Canon 5D2 Zeiss MP 100/2 @ f/2 iso6400 pushed 2/3 stop, added some grain and used some sliders to decrease the Zeiss contrast.
"Teigetje" (Dutch for "Tigger", the tiger in Winnie-the-Pooh)
This cat's most distinguishing feature are the eyes... No, they aren't, it's his nose. "Tigger" sleeps at night, so he doesn't need his night vision eyes. When he is awake, he has a nose for trouble and of course food. So that's where the focus should be. His paws are cut off, but that's on purpose, I like it more this way.
OM-D Leica 25/1.4 1/5 sec F2.0 ISO10000 Grainy Film Art Filter
The Zeitgeist of Leica is undeniably street photography. To paraphrase Arthur Fellig, "F2 and be there" is the concept for this work.
Despite being 2AM I was inspired by this artistic challenge to wander outside in my bathrobe and unlaced boots armed with a trusty Leica optic. Nothing else can draw a scene like this the way a Leica can. Unfortunately I don't have a bright line OVF for composition, but I have been seriously considering getting a vented hood as I sincerely believe it may improve the grid lines in my EVF. Regardless of this limitation I used my left eye to view the scene without the EVF lag so that I could capture the decisive moment. As Dorothea Lange said, "Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still."
Here the street passes through the image as our life path passes through time. The rigid double lines imposing the rule "do not pass" beckons us to cross to the other side - and not without peril. But without peril, what is life really?
The seemingly awkward alignment of the foreground lamp post and background telephone pole is of course intentional and is meant to challenge the viewer's Gestalt. Life is rarely what it first appears to be and we should always re-examine what we think we see.
The fence represents the boundaries we impose upon ourselves and the line of the fence leads the eye to the luxury car looking over the entire scene as a representation of the increasing dominance of crass materialism in our existence.
Needless to say, in honor of HCB this image has no post processing or cropping applied - crutches for the weak not needed here.
