I haven’t been able to shake this and I’m not sure what it really means. There’s a million things more important, but hey, I’m writing about it. As I witnessed all of the current state-of-the-art at the Leica’s Photoville event it made me think of all that money for all that digital jewelry.  I’m certain all those that had the latest and greatest hanging around their necks felt empowered to make the best pictures possible.

Look, if it makes you feel good, do whatever makes you happy. And why not? We live in partially functioning democracy, so go for it. I just sat and took it all in. Someone even asked me if they could try my seventy year old Summicron on their M11 then and proceeded to make ten or twenty shots in less than thirty seconds.

This made me think about another great piece that appeared a number of years ago on the Leicaphilia website. So I had to find it again. Here’s an excerpt written in 2014, discussing digital and the great lengths people were going to in order have convenience while trying to emulate the look and feel of Tri-X:

“Which leads to the obvious question: why spend $7500 on a digital camera that emulates the “film look” when you can just buy a used Leica M film camera for $1000 and a 100′ roll of Tri-X and get the real thing? And another thing to think about: in 50 years that M4 you buy on Ebay for $950 will still be working just fine, no batteries needed, while your Monochrom will have been consigned to the junk heap decades ago.

The M4, all parts made by Leitz, is all mechanical, all parts capable of being replaced without much ado by a competent repairman or machinist. The MM (and all digital ‘cameras’) are consumer electronic commodities meant to be replaced by newer, “better” commodities every three years or so. Your Monochrom employs specialized chips and other parts, not made by Leica and therefore out of their control, which exist in finite supply: a proprietary shape and voltage battery manufactured by a third party, proprietary code to run itself, a proprietary imaging chip. Your Leica MM also depends on a host of other third-party technology (e.g. computers, image processing programs, web browsers) over which neither Leica nor you have any control. In 15 years, while your M4 loaded with Tri-X sits happily on your shelf next to book binders full of sleeved negatives you can touch and manipulate at your leisure, your Monochrom, all electronics and tiny motors, will be unrepairable because there won’t be parts. And good luck finding and/or retrieving all your MM DNG files.”

As far as I could tell from the Leica event, not much has changed since the above was written. That said, Leica is a great company and we are lucky to have it!!! Nothing I’ve said changes that fact. They arguably make the finest lenses and their cameras are beautifully made, best of breed tools designed to meet given sets of goals very well. They build a product that people want to buy. This keeps the company profitable and in business. And yes, Leica still makes film cameras!!!

Thank you Leica for helping to keep analog photography alive. I’ll think about all you’ve done and continue to do when I load my next roll of Tri-X into one of my M cameras, look through its gorgeous viewfinder and focus my Summicron lens.

Stay well,

Michael

It’s wonderful when the great and famous turn out to be normal people!  This is what I found when I had the good fortune to meet George Krause at the annual Photo Review Garden Party this weekend at Haverford College outside Philadelphia. I had a table representing the Monalog Collective where I was hoping to talk to curators and others that might be interested in our Visions of America project we’re working on.  Along came George Krause, who came up to my table and introduced himself. We had a nice conversation … he told me he thought I was only 50 and I told him there was no way he was 86!  Later on I got a chance to sit down with him, talk some more and admire his magnificent book George Krause: A Retrospective.

We exchanged information and agreed I would call him later this week after he returned to Texas. Fun fact: As I was attempting to have his contact information transferred from his iPhone to mine, George told me I might be the only person more technically challenged then him! Nice. In any event, I’m going to purchase a signed copy of his book, but this beauty’s also available on Amazon for only thirty five bucks! Get it … it’s a stunner!

It was a real treat spending time with a legendary photographer and photo educator who wasn’t in love with himself but was merely happy to talk to you. What a contrast to the insecure that think they’re great but really aren’t and the pompous asses who may be good but need to make sure you know how superior they are.

I’ve talked a lot about photography as a journey. The short time I spent with George was a real milestone on my path.

Stay well,

Michael

Last weekend I attended a talk by self-taught documentary photographer Devin Allen. The Leica sponsored event was held in Brooklyn Bridge Park as part of the annual New York Photoville festival.  I drove up early enough so I could find a parking space and have enough time to walk around and make some photographs. Happily I succeeded in both cases!

The focus of Allen’s talk was on his work that centers on Black life and protests in Baltimore where he lives. It was an compelling and lively presentation, but a related topic turned out to be of greater interest to me. That was his work with young people. He discussed how important it is for teenagers to be mentored and how he’d raised funding that allowed him develop a program to give cameras to kids, hold youth workshops and organize an exhibition of their work.  What a way to help young people get started on their photographic journeys!

Two thing he said struck me the most …  that it’s never too early to start mentoring others, and that working with youth has made him a better photographer.

Allen works hard to pay it forward, and in doing so he gets as much as he gives.

Stay well,

Michael

A week ago I walked into town for the annual Doylestown Memorial Day Parade. First, I always photograph the festivities. Then, when the parade is over I walk over to the cemetery for the memorial service. As the parade was about to begin a teenager that looked vaguely familiar came up to me proudly holding his Canon AE-1 camera and zoom lens. He said that he saw me at last year’s parade and it had inspired him to start making pictures with film!  Damn! It turns out he lives around the corner from me! I told him give me a call and I’d give him a darkroom tour. We’re going to get together after school is done for the year. Maybe I can help him a little bit.

If you can, I think it’s a noble idea to pay it forward. I’m trying to do it with the high schoolers I’ve been working with and maybe I can do it here. I’m also talking to an art center about working with their teenage program and hope to be starting that in the fall. And why not? Kids are great and a lot of fun to be around!

I wish I had someone to show me a thing or two when I was young. Things worked out fine, but it might have been a little less painful if I had someone to give me a few pointers like “your meter only sees the world in middle grey”.  It took me awhile to realize what was going on. Books helped, though trying to fully understand Ansel Adams’ explanation of the Zone System was challenging. Thankfully I stumbled across Fred Picker’s little book The Zone VI Workshop and everything finally made sense!

As always the parade was fun and the memorial service was special. I’m grateful to all those that served and especially to those that made the ultimate sacrifice so I could enjoy all the fun that Memorial Day is.

I think I made a few good pictures and ended up with my own opportunity to pay it forward.

Stay well,

Michael

I taught three back to back photography classes this past week back at Nazareth Area High School and survived the experience. Actually I had a lot of fun and look forward to doing it again! The first two were Photo I classes and were a bit of a challenge. The kids didn’t say very much. The third was the Photo III class I have worked with several times before and they had recently co-exhibited with Monalog at Penn State.  They were great!

I showed them the gear I use and then about twenty prints, including those from two projects.  Then several of the students showed me some of their work for a critique. They were all a little bit nervous as I suspected they would be, but there was no reason at all to be scared. While I intended my critiques to be “friendly”, I didn’t expect that little or no changes in any of the work should be made! Their photographs were that good!

First, I was shown a delicate platinum landscape made at Glacier National Park. It was beautiful!  Next up was a diptych; two self-portraits that told a story that was immediately easy to see and understand. Well done! Finally, there was a large double exposed portrait of the great photographer Larry Fink who lives in the area. While the double exposure was unintended, the student was gifted enough to realize he had made a gem!  So much so that we discussed the possibility that he might wish to make more such portraits in the future.

I was humbled by the quality of the student’s work, their thoughts concerning how the work was made and most of all what they were trying to say with their images.  I felt I could learn something from them!

Truly a great experience. Again, I would like to thank Nicole Stager for giving me this wonderful opportunity.  She’s a terrific teacher and a great photographer, who really cares about her students … and it shows!

We talked about me coming back in the fall and I hope I can!

Stay well,

Michael

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

This week started out badly. On Monday, my wife and I drove up to central Jersey to visit a dear family member who was in hospice. Sadly, an hour after we left the hospital she passed away.  A devastating loss. As terrible as that was, I am so grateful we saw her one last time, together with her devoted and loving husband. On Wednesday the funeral was held. Afterwards we went to the cemetery, and then to their daughter’s house where friends and family gathered to be together … and eat.

Every Jewish holiday or lifecycle event somehow revolves around, or at some point involves food … even the ones that require fasting because there is always the break-fast! Things were getting a whole lot better after three days of being together with family and noshing on deli. Seeking more grub, on the way home one day I found a few Jersey delis. Suffice to say by Friday night I had maxed out on bagels and cream cheese and the goodies that what went with them!

During one of the get togethers one of the family members mentioned she was going to the annual Harleys and Hotrods outdoor extravaganza held streetside in downtown Rahway New Jersey, so it was only a matter of course that on Saturday we met and I spent the afternoon photographing bikers and listening to outdoor classic rock and roll music.  I had a blast! I think I got some keepers and enjoyed Seventies cover band. So did most of the people I saw who happened to be of a certain age like me. And not surprising there was “weed, whites and wine” around (Little Feet, Seatrain and Linda Ronstadt if you must ask!).

On Sunday I concluded the week celebrating Mother’s Day with my wonderful wife and mother of our two children.

Sometimes things get better as time goes by.

Stay well,

Michael