It has been a long day

A day filled with excitment and drama ends with a glorious sunset .

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 afterglow

Sunsets: I have shot at least a couple of thousands. And I never tire of them.
From my very early days doing the mistake to just wait for the sun to come close to the horizon and then point in its direction before it disappears. If I was smart enough, I would have at least a subject in between so I could end up with a silhouette, of dubious quality.
As film could not hold the high contrast too well I then tried to wait for a softer light, post sunset, if my subject was back-lit. Suddenly the colors will start to show up in my slides, way more pronounced that my eyes could see. Little I knew that our eyes adapt to the changing light temperature and what might have looked "normal" with my eyes, film would record as very warm tones as the whole landscape was lit by candlelight.


adapted C-mount Navitar 75mm f1.3 @ f2    1/25sec

With digital photography things change a bit: one can adjust the color setting and the sensor can capture way more details in the shadows than any film ever could. But the soft light remains the same.
I wait, knowing that the real show will happen when people are gone :-)


* and thanks to technology I was able to create this image that otherwise would have been totally blurred in my film days: 1/25sec on a 150mm lens!

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Dragons at sunset

The Westerly wind blew in kitesurfers to my beach.
Like dragons with colorful wings they scooted along the shore occasionally taking flight.


refittted Russian projection lens Triplet 78mm f2.8  1/1250sec


refittted Russian projection lens Triplet 78mm f2.8  1/3200sec



Cintagon 100mm f3.5  1/60sec


There was an angel among them and at the end of the day she carried her wings when the wind dropped.


Pentax-110 50mm f2.8  1/60sec


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Sunday afternoon feeling

A cold beer on the deck watching the sunset is what I associate with the "Sunday afternoon feeling"


Pentax-110 50mm f2.8  1/500sec

As a photographer nut, I repurposed a vintage lens case to serve as beer cooler :-)

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Spanish guitar

She plays with ease and passion, I find her music really relaxing.


Kodak Ektar 25mm f1.9 (16mm film cine lens)  f1.9  1/6sec 

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Spencers creek

A few minutes of the golden hour illuminated the puffy clouds above our camp.


G-Lumix 14mm f2.5  @8  1/15sec to 1/180sec (composite image)

Company

Photography for me can be an almost spiritual experience.
When the light is soft in a calm setting I get to experience a dream.
Looking down on the screen of my camera I create images of moments that later I can relive.


SMC Takumar 50mm f1.4  1/6000sec

I love to have company with me, to share the experience and later recall it.

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Flowering jacaranda trees.

The parks and streets are dotted with purple color: one could compare the jacaranda trees to the cherry blossom in Japan.


Lumix G 14mm  f4  1/125sec


Meyer Optik Trioplan 50mm f2.9  @f4  1/750sec


Lumix G 14mm  f6.7  1/90sec


E.Ludwig Meritar 50mm f2.9  @4  1/90sec  (motion blur from the wind)

Foreshore playground

There is a dog friendly beach that I like to visit at sunset.
Not all dogs like to chase balls and retrieve sticks, some are just happy to stroll or go for a swim.


M.Zuiko 40-150   f11  1/750sec



M.Zuiko 40-150   f5.6  1/1000sec

Ball play

Never tired of chasing that ball.


M.Zuiko 40-150R  f11  1/90sec


M.Zuiko 40-150R  f6.7  1/750sec

Waking up in nature

I make sure I can leave the city already on a Friday night to then drive for a few hours, West, into the bush.
A short walk in the dark and set up camp, sometimes late.
It's all worth it, for waking up on the weekend one more morning in nature .


Lumix G 14mm  f5.6 1/180sec



SMC Takumar 50mm f1.4 @2.8  1/1500sec