The fire and the ghosts

When I see an image that doesn't just clinically depict a subject or a location my mind is left free to imagine what it could be.
Blurs and bubbles of light play with my creativity and I imagine things beyond of what I can see.


refitted projector lens 35KP-1,8/120    1/100sec

So, what good is that?
Well, it's no different than a book that vaguely sets a scene allowing the reader to create his/her own vision of the story. Some say that they prefer the book to the movie :-)
Images that don't state the obvious feed my dreams.


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More Russian love

I had no idea that the cumbersome Russian would deliver so much love.
At first I had my doubts I would be able to handle such a big thing and appeared rather difficult to get along with.
Then I worked out where she shines best and how to focus on her strengths; if I am careful and don't push her too hard she does reward me.


refitted Russian projector lens 35KP-1,8/120  1/3200sec

The images I can create with that big lens, that never was intended to make but rather show (it's a projection lens after all), are unique.
The blend of relative sharpness and the quirky bokeh for the background really help to isolate subjects where I want to tell a story, instead of just mere recording a place or event.


refitted Russian projector lens 35KP-1,8/120   1/10000sec

refitted Russian projector lens 35KP-1,8/120  1/1250sec

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Images from a Russian projector lens

I have a case full of modern lenses that can deliver ultra sharp images, all with the comfort of auto-focus, yet I am drawn to use old manual lenses that somehow give me a feel in my images.
In my book sharpness is overrated and the bokeh is king, but that must be textured and dynamic, not just soft out-of-focus blandness.
In my search for unusual glass, that often was never intended as photograph-taking lens, I came across an old Russian projector lens that is rather long and bright allowing for particularly interesting shallow depth of field.


refitted 35KP-1,8/120 (120mm f1.8)  1/1600sec

The lens is heavy and very cumbersome to use: it took some effort to refit it and make it usable on my small cameras. The images I take with it are often a bit soft, low contrast and they exhibit flare easily if pointed towards are strong light source, yet I love the results.


refitted 35KP-1,8/120 (120mm f1.8)  1/8000sec

Images that come straight of the camera could be considered a fail by some but with a bit of contrast and sharpness enhancement often they give a feel to my image that modern lenses can not.


refitted 35KP-1,8/120 (120mm f1.8)  1/1000sec

The eye has not got the opportunity to scrutinize the details but rather takes in the whole scene as one and draws on my recollection of places I have vised before for an unconscious trip down memory lane.


refitted 35KP-1,8/120 (120mm f1.8)  1/1000sec


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The gaze

Two black and white images of wild animals
I used an adapted old Russian lens (1957circa) from a rangefinder camera since I like it renders the out of focus background more than my auto-focus modern lenses


adapted Jupiter-11 135mm f4  1/60sec




adapted Jupiter-11 135mm f4  1/160sec


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Going deeper into the weird

Further and further I slip away from the norm, from what most want.
I find the pursuit of perfection futile and senseless if only applied to one parameter: sharpness.
I find less focus in images that are regarded as technically sharp but lack direction and emphasis on the subject that matters.


adapted Kodak Anstigmat 63mm f2.7  1/640sec

Lately I have been exploring the style applied to impressionist paintings: dots and brush strokes that form an image but are not intended to document a scene but rather give a feel for the moment.


refitted Helios-89  30mm f1.9  1/800sec

Purist photographers are applauded by such "low standard" style and a few years ago I would have been too...
Oh, how things change :-)


adapted Jupiter-11 135mm f4  1/250sec



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Beach kangaroos

A storm has been brewing for a few hours and the dark clouds started gathering and moving in.
I headed for the beach trying to capture the dramatic sky when I noticed a few kangaroos grazing on the dunes.
Just as I was photographing the shore a couple of kangaroos hopped right down to the water's edge wanting to dip their toes. A few minutes later a few more came and soon there were twenty or so.
In a rather bizarre moment they all lined up and started to wade, mother with joey in pouch, letting the spilling waves lap up to their bellies


adapted Jupiter-11 135mm f4  1/4000sec

The dark sky served me a surreal scene with the parting clouds and the bright sun complements to the moment. I stood in awe and observed what was going to happen next.
Some hopped around, some just let the waves wash them a bit to then gather again and slowly retreat to the dunes again to forage.


adapted Jupiter-11 135mm f4  1/2500sec

The evening brought some very soft light where I could capture them again in a large grassy field.


adapted Jupiter-11 135mm f4  1/100sec




adapted Jupiter-11 135mm f4  1/500sec

These are wild kangaroos, free to roam without enclosures, as nature intended.
I can not bring myself to enjoy observing wild animals in any other way...

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Park session

Only now that I am rediscovering the joy of manual focus lenses I started to seek locations where action is not the essence to create an image.


Russian lens, Jupiter-9 85mm f2  (@f5.6)  1/180sec

The hidden natural little gems of the numerous parks in my city allow me to explore the creativity and challenges that vintage manual focus lenses offer.
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