[Leica] 135 Elmarit and Opera Photography

[Jesse Hellman <hellman@comcast.net>]

For the last few years I've photographed the student opera productions 
of the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, and have increasingly used the 
F/2.8 135 mm Elmarit, the one with the goggles that enlarge the 
viewfinder image. I have an M6 0.85, and in addition attach the 1.25X 
viewfinder magnifier, so the image is greater than life size. In 
addition I shoot with one or two other M6s using the 50 and 90 Summicrons.

The last opera performed by the students was Leonard Bernstein's 
Candide. As some of my pictures of it have been posted on their website 
I thought of getting out of lurk-mode and writing about opera 
photography and the 135, which has traditionally been a very underprized 
lens. It can usually be bought for about $500.

The focus is slow but most of the action on stage remains at a similar 
distance, so rarely have my failures been attributed to that. I know 
each work very well by the time of the dress rehearsal (Kit, yes, I do 
learn the Italian libretti!), and learn the blocking in order to 
anticipate the action. In Candide it is very very fast. With operas, 
additionally, often the mouth is open in an unattractive way and I need 
to watch for that.

The posted pictures were all shot at F/2.8, at 1/250 at best but at 
times at even 1/60. Film is Fujicolor 1600. Every picture is cropped, 
sometimes a lot. The 135 was used for most of the shots.

Obviously if I had the chance to try the new APO 135 I'd love to, but it 
is out of the question now and I still have a lot to learn about using 
what I have.

The Peabody Opera pages start at at 
http://www.peabody.jhu.edu/mainstreet/opera/

If you click on the picture of Heather Lockard holding two red roses 
(under "Candide Triumphs") you get to a page of 5 pictures, and from 
there to 30 others (my favorite picture is that of Darlene Enke holding 
the red flag).

Feedback?

Jesse

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