Words of Wisdom
Nikon V1, 10mm @ f/2,8 1/4000
Messages are found all around us. This one, at the end of the Lost Coast trip, rings loudly in my ears, especially this time of the year. I know for many, we turn to introspection as the year comes to a close, a way to review what we have accomplished and sort out what is still to come.
For those attempting to live in the moment, this ritual becomes somewhat of a challenge. On the one hand we must believe strongly in the now, which by its very nature means we accept where we are as some form of perfection. And yet, we also believe that we, as humans, have the inherent ability to in some way, shape, or form, decide to alter our projected paths. We have the ability, to in some small way, alter our destiny -- or do we?
These two, somewhat conflicting thoughts, way heavily on my mind these days. To deep to write in depth about, but worthy of tossing it out to the universe and seeing what comes back.
Not always about sharp
You hear a good deal of internet chatter these days about the concept of sharpness. While sharpness can be important, it is often more critical that an image have impact, feeling, or some form of energy. Sometimes these require sharpness, but more often than not, they don't.
Old Man Winter is Coming
Just in time for Christmas, we have an arctic cold front moving through the area and an opportunity for significant snow accumulation tonight and tomorrow.... Wohoo.. So, in preparation for the change, I got the Muk out and put on the Escalators in lieu of the Husker Du's. I have the studs on order and am really looking forward to there arrival.
Riding the frozen beach line, sea smoke off in the distance
The new 45Nrth pogies are in, but today it was so cold, -9 this morning, that I did not want to chance things and instead went with my trusty Down setup. By the time I got out for the ride, most of the sea smoke was gone and the temps had crept up to right around 10f with a solid wind to keep things frigid. I am unfortunately still running the Ergon saddle because I have not found a suitable replacement.... Argh!!
I always get questions about clothing in these types of conditions so here is what I wore today. It was not a long ride, a bit more than an hour along the beach and back roads, which actually hurts a bit more than it helps. Why? Well, when you are not cranking up your internal engine, you are prone to getting a bit chillier than you would when you are really working. Today's kit was as follows, top to bottom:
- Smartwool hat, the kind that is not too light and not too heavy and easily covers your ears. Too heavy a hat and I really begin to sweat.
- A wool buff. Another must have as it allows you to cover your face and regulate body warmth. For me, there are two key areas that help me control the sensation of hot and cold. One is my ears and the other is my neck.
- Ibex 150 weight base sleeveless layer
- Patagonia Cap 4 top (the greatest!!)
- Endura softshell - I prefer my outer layer to simply protect from the elements and not add ANY insulation. This allows me to fine tune my body temperature in better increments. While touring, my favorite piece for this job is the super light Patagonia Houdini. It adds no bulk and simply serves to block the wind and trap in a bit of heat.
- Soft gloves for under the poagies, in general I like the OR brand of stretchy gloves. They are warm, but not too warm. For longer distances, they are too warm for under the poagies and I will switch out to a simple glove liner to keep my hands from sweating.
- Bike Shorts - I will compliment these with some Ibex 3/4 wool knickers in very extreme conditions. I run warm, so this would be for -15 and below.
- Craft wind pants
- Icebreaker wool liner socks
- RBH Vapor Barrier Socks - A MUST HAVE
- 45Nrth Wolvs - A size larger (45) than last year (44). My normal shoe size is a 42.5, the Fasterkatts are a 43. The extra size will allow me to add another layer of insulation on my feet for the truly extreme conditions.
There you go, a tried and true outfit for winter biking. This kit will take you down to the negative temps as long as you have insulation layers to throw on once you stop cycling. This kit will not keep you warm while standing still, but instead will protect you from the elements while riding and allow you to maximize your ability to vent off heat and avoid the dreaded moisture beast.
Slowing Down
Click through and read the text...
The camera, a week in my hands, and I am in love. Their are warts for sure, but all in all it is a joy to use. I can't remember having said this about any camera in recent memory. I ran across an old ad for the Leica M4, and the words, while not totally accurate for today's modern M, certainly rung true to my ears.
More than anything, the camera makes you focus, slow down, and think. None of which are a bad thing unless you are a sports photographer, in which case, fire away (no disrespect intended as I love shooting sports as well). With the Monochrome, I am challenged to see and think my way through an image or through a scene. Simply pointing and shooting is no longer possible.
I am totally taken back to the days of shooting chrome where I spent all of my time looking for shapes and lines and evaluating colors and luminance, working all the while to think in terms of zones... For some, in this modern age, that is just too much work. For me, short of the focusing issues I am working through, it is a godsend. Their is an indescribable Organic feel to the camera. Its weight, form and function, all feel like a camera. I don't have to touch the menus and when looking through the view finder, I am simply presented with my subject, the shutter speed, an indication if I am below my 'auto iso' preset (in the form of a flashing shutter speed) and a small dot that indicates I have locked my exposure. Nothing more is needed. If I blow out the highlights, well, it was my fault, not the camera.
There is nothing else there, nothing else to confuse or mess with my mind. I am simply focused on the task at hand -- capturing the image that my mind has already seen unfolding in front of me. The camera, well, it feels like a camera and acts like a camera. I can see where for some, it is too minimalist, but for me, not so much.
These past few days have been challenging on a very personal front, and I found the Monochrome to be the perfect tool for the job. Unobtrusive, relatively quiet, and capable of performing in a variety of conditions. I will share some of those images tomorrow, but for now, I sit, drink a glass of wine, and contemplate how lucky a man I am.
ISO 320, f/1,7 -- Handheld
Low light performance
This image was shot hand held, ISO 3200 @f/2.0, 1/30 second. Processing applied only a small amount of noise reduction. Notice the subtle tonal shades in the newspaper located in the lower right hand corner... WOW!!
Lucy staying warm by the fire
Learning to focus all over again
So far, the most challenging aspect of shooting the Monochrome is not the B&W or the exposure, but instead learning to focus, especially in low light Focus in the dark and focus on small objects like eyes, is currently my biggest challenge. This shot, in a dimly lit restaurant has tons of shadow area with good detail that I was able to lighten up, making it a usable image
The Grandchild
My first chance to play with the Monochrome and people. Definitely a serious learning curve relative to focus. With that said, the results, to me, are simply outstanding strait out of the camera. These have a slight curve adjustment, a vignette, and not much else. The picture of the deep black cat against the white walls is particularly impressive.
An Evening Stroll
Toy Trains
A Walk In The Park
Our First Date
We went out on the town last night, visiting one of my favorite cities in Maine and a few of my favorite establishments. Like any first date, I was nervous as all get out, but you could tell she was calm as steel. As we got to know each other, it was sort of a dance, one that I am sure will continue for the forseeable future. Like any new relationship, it is all about balance, discovering each others likes and dislikes, learning about each others strengths and weaknesses, and all that sort of stuff.
For instance, on our first date, I learned that she likes to take things slow, definitely no rushing this girl. She also seems to really not care for bright lights too much, something that I will have to be very conscious of as we get to know one another. Oh, did I mention she is slow, not in a bad way, but in an old school sort of way. She likes to just take her time, looking pretty, in no rush. I can tell that I will need to bring the same mentality to our relationship.
We ate dinner, talked, had some wine and then took a walk through town. She is one of those types that needs to eat constantly, so it is a good thing I brought an extra snack because she quickly bonked, her energy was just zapped, even though we had a decent dinner, not a full one, but decent. I guess I will just have to keep an eye out on those sorts of things and continue to carry extra energy sources at all times.
I love the way she looks and dresses, all black, very simple, nothing too loud. She is definitely a quiet one, not looking to draw attention to how she behaves or what she has to say. Looking back over the evening, it was clear that she has great potential. Potential in the way that keeps me both nervous and excited. She is clearly the type of gal that will push me to my limits, help me grow as an individual, and constantly remind me to slow down and just take my time.
Yep, I am excited, I think this is really going to work.
And So It Begins
D800E waiting to be shipped
I wrote the other day that making this switch and waiting for its arrival was akin to being back in High School when you asked out that beautiful girl in your class, over and over again, until finally she says yes. Will she be everything you dreamed she would be, or will it be a bust... Well, that is about how I feel right now as the switch to Leica from my beloved Nikon gear is now complete. I have sold off everything, all my Zeiss lenses, my Nikon D800E (sitting in the background waiting to be shipped) and any other of the myriad of small bits and bobs I had laying around of value.
Today, she arrived, all dressed in black, devoid of any tell tale markings, especially that bright red dot. The ultimate in stealth, shooting only shades of gray, I take my last color picture for a while as I begin the journey of shooting solely in gray scale and with the simplicity and elegance of an all manual rangefinder camera. To say I am excited is an understatement.
Road trip begins in a few hours and the batteries are charging and I am ready to go. The first 7 days will give me a chance to shoot people, landscapes, the coastal regions and some city scapes. All in all it will be a great introduction to life with the Leica Monochrome.
Finding Inspiration
Sometimes we find inspiration in the strangest of places, but almost always, when we need it. As I begin this transition, back to B&W, and away from Nikon towards Leica, I stumbled upon this video which is so inspiring on many fronts. Take 10 minutes out of your life to watch it and tell me what, if anything from it inspires you.
Remaining Gear For Sale
The holidays are approaching and I have my own little 'Post Black Friday' sale taking place. Still on the block are two of my favorite pieces of Zeiss Glass. If you are looking for beautiful lenses at an amazing savings off of retail, then look no further:
- Zeiss 2/100 ZF.2 - Body 8, Lens 9 $1400 OBO SOLD
- Zeiss 2/50 ZF.2 - Body 9, Lens 9+ $1000
Email for pics and more details.