shooting motor sports with the Leica M-System

Wed, 16 May 2012 03:57:23 +0800

A few revisited photographs is, what I am posting today, as I am already in preparations, to visit the 2012 edition of the 24h of Le Mans.

I always make it a practice, to review photographs, consider and play with ideas, learn from faults or work on a certain look before shooting a race. Revisiting especially your old shots is a great lesson for learning, improving or developing fresh ideas.

Why working in black and white you wonder? Well, curiously I do see photographs in black and white, ever since I started, to shoot black and white film as a time limited experiment a few years ago and never imagined, that it might somehow stick, including shooting motor sports in black and white, whenever possible t this day.

Here are a few shots, taken mainly with my favorite motor sports lens, the Leica 135 f3.4 APO-Telyt, but also lenses like the 75 f1.4 Summilux or my all time favorite lens, the Noctilux f1.

a few portraits around down town Shanghai

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:53:33 +0800

W hen you want to meet interesting locals around Shanghai, make it a habit, to get up early and visit places as the very touristic area around the Bund. You will be amazed by how different the place looks before busses will be unloaded onto the famous promenade with thousands of visitors.

Locals use the spacious area with the beautiful backdrop of Shanghai’s skyline for recreation. Running, working out, practicing Tai Chi, flying kites or simply having a morning walk, chatting with neighbors and friends or even having a picnic with a view on the modern face of the metropolis.

flying kites

Sun, 13 May 2012 06:13:12 +0800

O ne spare time activity you can witness all around parks and recreation places of Shanghai is flying self made kites. In certain places around town, these mostly elderly gentlemen can be seen in groups, getting their kites up into the metropolis’ sky.

Shanghai portraits - Mr. Song

Sat, 12 May 2012 14:30:24 +0800

M r. Song is 80 years old. I was quite astounded, when he told me. His eyes are of exceptional clarity, having the deepest black, I have ever seen in a persons eyes.

Leica M2 black paint unboxing

Fri, 11 May 2012 13:27:56 +0800

T his cannot be just a coincidence - on the very day, Leica finally announced the camera, I am asking for so long - a monochromatic digital Leica M, named the Leica M MONOCHROM, a package arrives on my door step.

Let me introduce to you: Leica M2 black paint

Shanghai portraits - Hasselblad 110 f2 FE

Thu, 10 May 2012 11:01:52 +0800

T he first rolls, I have shot with the Carl Zeiss 110 f2 FE for Hasselblad have been developed. I will share a few of these shots in upcoming posts.

Here is one of a gentleman, I met on a walk in the early Sunday morning at the Bund promenade. It is indeed very interesting, not only, to visit the Bund, to see the nightly lit skyline of Shanghai, but the early morning hours with many locals doing their daily workout, practice dancing or even their voice, singing or just shouting.
One can see old masters, flying their kites and Tai Chi classes, practicing or just visitors having a relaxed morning walk …

Shanghai portraits and famous artists …

Tue, 8 May 2012 01:37:22 +0800

P ortraits of famous people with cameras are fun to look at and camera geeks go bananas, finding their favorite model or actor, posing with their favorite cameras. This is Derek, trying out a Hasselblad 203Fe with 110/2 FE Zeiss lens in the Peace Hotel of Shanghai. Derek is a designer - the Hasselblad suits him well I find.

Shanghai portraits

Mon, 7 May 2012 14:41:02 +0800

T the following posts will be about a few faces of Shanghai - people, I met on the streets and took portraits of …

This old gentleman can be found every morning along the promenade at the Bund, walking up and down the waterfront, training his voice, exercising tones in high volume. In any case, I find it remarkable, how the elder generation in Shanghai keeps themselves active and healthy with regular exercises.

Adam Yauch, Beastie Boys 1964 - 2012

Sat, 5 May 2012 13:10:16 +0800

A dam Yauch has passed away at age of 47 after a long fight against cancer. RIP MCA … you did so much good in this world, inspiring so many people and having been part of so many of my generation growing up during the time, you made the music.

It has been sad, sad news to me, hearing about it.

RIP MCA

a portrait from Leipzig - 50 Summicron 1913-1983

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 01:45:13 +0800

A young gentleman, chatting with a few friends in front of the old Capitol cinema. After asking him about taking his portrait, he didn’t hesitate, willing, to give me one shot - thank you!

The cinema is gone since a few years and made way to another few shops of yet another few redundant goods (shoes in this case, I believe). I remember very well the old Capitol cinema with it’s inviting, beautiful entrance area, where one could walk in, watch the movie poster hangouts, and go towards the lobby after having bought a ticket in the small booth.

This cinema has seen probably countless young couples, having had their first kiss in the old fashioned red plush seats. I miss the cinema.

This portrait has been photographed with the special edition Leica 50 Summicron 1913-1983.

a view from a train through Germany

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:17:20 +0800

O ne thing I always love about visiting Germany is taking the fast train, to connect between big cities. Of course, I have always a camera with me to hold on to those impressions.

Leipziger portraits + thoughts on street photography

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 10:08:24 +0800

A gentleman, who stood out on a walk along Grimmaische Strasse in the very center of Leipzig is subject of this post. Although I do not know his profession, or even his name, he immediately reminded me of the characters, one can find in the universities of Leipzig and Dresden, I spend some time in.
He did not hesitate, to permit me to take his photograph, when I approached him - a sign of trust, that indeed is a very fragile thing, when asking a stranger on the street at first. It either works and doors open magically or it does not with subtle signs of angst or even completely ignoring the photographer, which sometimes indeed can hurt the soul of your very picture taking.

This is one aspect, I have learned, when working fast on the street - an aspect many photographers, new to the genre of street photography have their biggest insecurities and many questions.
An advice, I often give, when asked about, how I get to go as close, intimate and direct towards my subjects is, to always forget immediately about a person, character or potential subject, once this very person rejects or even worse ignores your kindly asking. Do not ask yourself in that very moment, why you might have been rejected or question the subjects decision - just accept, and immediately move on. burdening yourself with questions will slow you down and prevent your free creativity from flowing, which is so essential, to allow an open mind towards your next subject.

back in Shanghai - with love from Leipzig

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 03:28:14 +0800

I have been on a short trip through Germany over the last week. As always, if time permits, I travel back to the city, I spent most of my younger years in - Leipzig.

This city really gets to you, once you spent some time there. People are inviting and very friendly, the dialect is lovely, the beautiful buildings and places are just perfect to enjoy wandering the streets and of course the coffee houses invite for a stay with coffee and cake, while watching life in the city.

This time, unfortunately, I had less than a day to spend in little Paris, as Leipzig is often called - I concentrated on shooting portraits of people on the streets - originally from Leipzig, just living or working in Leipzig or tourists, spending a visit to this beautiful place. I think, one can indeed sense, who is who …
I will upload some of these portraits on the blog here, so come back and see people from Leipzig.

that was a great one Kimi!

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 13:26:27 +0800

F rom 11th place on the grid on the podium in 2nd and even with a chance, to challenge Sebastian Vettel on first place - a fantastic race from Kimi Raikkonen.

Although, I couldn’t be there and shoot the race, I truly enjoyed watching it.

a few shots from around the track

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 04:14:08 +0800

A few photographs from around the track from Sunday …