[Leica] #326 & #327

[geebee at geebeephoto.com (GeeBee)]

From: "Peter Dzwig" <pdzwig@summaventures.com>

Subject: Re: [Leica] #326 & #327


> GeeBee wrote:
> > Leica IIIf : 50mm Summitar : red filter : Kodak T400 CN
> > http://www.geebeephoto.com/2005/05326.htm
> >
> > Leica M6 : 50mm Noctilux : Kodak T400 CN
> > http://www.geebeephoto.com/2005/05327.htm
> >
> >
> Graham,
>
> Not really sure about 326 at all. I presume that it is a version of 325,
cropped
> and with "a little light PS-work" done on it. I like the effect at the
bottom,
> which I presume to be unsharp mask and not the Summitar. It reminds me of
> something though I can't quite put my hand on what. The detailing in the
> maize/corn is great, but not "Leica glow". The sky sort of works for me.
It has
> similar effect to a heavily polarising filter, but too much so. But the
overall
> combination just doesn't quite seem to gel.
>
> It's great to see a IIIf being used creatively in the landscape though.
>
>
> 327 is a whole different kettle of fish, though. What a risk with M6 +
Nocti,
> hope that it was firmly strapped round your neck! Very interesting angle
on it,
> literally. It captures life on board a narrow-boat better than the more
scenic
> views in other pictures. Not sure what I think about cropping the woman's
body
> though. Why was she leaning back? Her mouth open laughing? It'd be great
to burn
> in the plates a little more so that we could see what they were eating!
>
> All the best,
>
> Peter
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Hi Peter,

It's not a crop I often shoot a scene both horizontal and vertical and I
usually post the horizontal, being most peoples' preference, even though I
usually prefer the vertical myself. Posting the second version was an
attempt to squeeze a bit of extra mileage from a scene that I was really
enthusiastic about when I took it but didn't quite capture somehow.

I think the overall softness, probably camera shake, which I tried to
correct with some extra USM was due to a number of factors. The red filter I
bought for the Summitar is deep red and cost me 4- stops and I also needed
reasonable DOF to get a smallish aperture to stay reasonably close to the
foreground flower. This pushed me towards a slow shutter speed which I then
compounded by swaying about as I hunkered down (too muddy to sit) for a
viewpoint to give the flower added prominence. I offer all this by way of
explanation and not as an excuse :-)

I don't use camera straps and although I had a firm grip I did get a sinking
sensation in my stomach as I leaned over the bridge and my imagination went
through one of those 'what if' scenarios :-) The shot is full frame and even
though the boat was moving slowly I did not have much time to frame the shot
looking straight down on the boat just a few feet below.

The woman is looking up at the idiot on the bridge with a camera. I could
have cropped her head out but maintaining the 4:6 ratio would have meant
cutting into the life jacket at the top of the frame or shaving some off the
back of the boat.

Thanks for looking.

--Graham