You can’t always have your camera with you but whenever you can it’s a good idea.  I was in Bethlehem, PA this past week with another Monalog member for a meeting at a gallery where we’re going to have a show in August. While walking to a diner for lunch a hairdresser in a somewhat bizarre dress walked outside the door of her shop. It would have been a good picture … if I had my camera with me #$%^&%^!

On Saturday my wife and I drove to Jersey (I always seem to be in Jersey these days) to see my grandchildren’s dance recital. This time I brought my Leica M2 and some Tri-X with me. So quiet, it was perfect and promised not to draw attention to itself or to me. Running late as usual, I ran out the door without loading my camera so I had to do it in the in the Middle School auditorium with the lights dimmed. Note to Self … don’t try loading film into a Leica M2 or M3 in poor light!  Not only do you have to somehow hold the removable bottom plate while loading, but you also have to remove the film spool and attach the film to it, then insert the film cannister with attached film spool and make sure the sprockets line up properly. Then re-attach the bottom plate and advance a few frames. Now you’re finally ready to go … except I couldn’t see well enough to do it.  So I waited to the intermission and loaded the camera without a hitch. Yeah I missed a few pictures during the first half of the recital, but having attended many of these before I knew the second half of the show would offer much of the same thing but with different outfits.

The lighting was challenging with my Summicron lens but I still managed to use an entire roll of film.  The tiny and cute pre-school ballerinas made the best pictures and I am hoping for some keepers. My purpose in attending the recital was to see my grandchildren, but if I didn’t have my camera with me I never would have had this added opportunity! So do yourself a favor and carry your camera with you whenever possible.

Oh, and another Note to Self … remember what I wrote here and don’t be a bozo!

Stay well,

Michael