Texas Leica goes to... Texas

[Hamel]

For my birthday my girlfriend surprised me with a trip to Austin. I decided to cut back on my gear for the trip and brought only the Fuji and focus on shooting rather than what camera to shoot with. So far I've only had a few rolls developed and scanned but should have quite a bit more over the next few weeks.

Bastrop, Texas:

East Austin, Texas

Best BBQ in Austin.

I've been posting one or two a day on my blog as well.

 

[Doug]

Some nice neighborhood character pictures, interesting details, thanks and have a fun trip!
Love Ms K's Catering, Notary, Bailbonds, and Reserved Parking.... 🙂

 

[Lax Jought]

Nice photos. I like the Sam's BBQ photo.

I thought you were saying you brought your Leica on this trip though, in the thread title.

 

[Lax Jought]

Yeah I like the bail bond photo too.

 

[Lax Jought]

How come you're hanging out in what looks like run-down neighbourhoods during your holiday?

 

[ssmc]

Which model Fuji is this? I've still only shot one roll of color and two in B&W with my GW690III due to health reasons but was absolutely stoked at the results. The detail in those huge negs is amazing. What film are you using - the colors look extremely natural - I need to experiment more with different emulsions to get the look I'm after. These are great - please keep 'em coming!

BTW I had a quick look at your blog - are the square(ish) images crops, or were they shot with a different camera?

Regards,
Scott

 

[DamenS]

Lovely - it seems entirely appropriate to bring that Fuji to Texas.

I thought you were saying you brought your Leica on this trip though, in the thread title.

The "Texas Leica" is a name coined for the Fuji 690 series rangefinders due to their sheer size (though you could proably also call the 670 series - non folders - and the 680 rangefinder series the same thing).

 

[Hamel]

Nice photos. I like the Sam's BBQ photo.

I thought you were saying you brought your Leica on this trip though, in the thread title.

Thanks. "Texas Leica" is a nickname for the Fuji 6x9 rangefinders.

How come you're hanging out in what looks like run-down neighbourhoods during your holiday?

My decision. I feel more comfortable taking photos in run down neighborhoods and towns rather than nicer areas. Talking to people in these areas gives me a better feel for the area than the touristy parts of town.

Which model Fuji is this? I've still only shot one roll of color and two in B&W with my GW690III due to health reasons but was absolutely stoked at the results. The detail in those huge negs is amazing. What film are you using - the colors look extremely natural - I need to experiment more with different emulsions to get the look I'm after. These are great - please keep 'em coming!

BTW I had a quick look at your blog - are the square(ish) images crops, or were they shot with a different camera?

Regards,
Scott

Thanks, I'll upload and post more tomorrow! They were shot with a GW690II (I'd love a wide angle version). The square ones were shot with a Minolta Autocord and the 6x7's are with a Fuji GW670II. Film of choice is Kodak Portra 400. It's an amazing all around film.

How in the world did your girl friend come to pick Austin?

And how did you find your way to Bastrop?

BTW, I've resided in Texas for more than 55 years, been through Bastrop myself a time or two. Too bad you're not in Austin right now for SXSW, too bad I'm in Houston right now and not Austin. . . .

BTW, nice images, I'm very partial to the dude and his dogs, love his truck, too.

She knew that I've had a soft spot for Austin and we have some friends that moved there within the last couple years. We had the advice from a friend to see Smithville area to see more of "real" Texas since Austin isn't the norm. We randomly stopped in Bastrop on the way back and walked around taking photos. After going through a working edit of my photos recently I saw that I rarely photograph people and forced myself to ask this gentlemen to pose for a portrait after taking a few of his cars. Glad I did because it's one of my favorites from the trip.

We also went out to Fredericksburg to see how it's changed since William Heat Moon wrote about it in Blue Highways. Hoping to develop and scan those this week.

 

[Laviolette]

Nice set!

Like the others said, love the bail bond photo.

 

[Clint Troy]

Very nice.

 

[robklurfield]

great stuff.

proof that the disease that is endemic to this site and others -- preoccupation with our gear -- need not be fatal.

I think it's funny that some thought to match the color of the shed with the color of the Karmann Ghia.

 

[zsas]

Wow!!!!

Many years ago my wife and I lived in Austin, the other day I was telling our kids (who were born after my wife and I moved from Austin) about this BBQ place that was out of the park good!!! I told the kids that I would take them to this BBQ place when we visited Austin one day, I knew "where it was", somewhere on the East side, I woulda found it in our walks, but you my friend, found it!!!! I sure hope you had some lunch at Sam's! What a great place it was. A gem for sure, thanks for bringing back such wonderful memories!

 

[Hamel]

Nice set!

Like the others said, love the bail bond photo.

Mrs. K has quite the range of talents! Her house is directly across from the district court so she has the perfect location for her business. I bet she has some stories to tell.

great stuff.

proof that the disease that is endemic to this site and others -- preoccupation with our gear -- need not be fatal.

I think it's funny that some thought to match the color of the shed with the color of the Karmann Ghia.

I have my fair share of GAS but a lack of money to fund it so usually one camera goes when another comes. The 90mm on the Fuji is about the same as the 40mm on my Bessa R3a so it makes shooting interchangeably a breeze.

Wow!!!!

Many years ago my wife and I lived in Austin, the other day I was telling our kids (who were born after my wife and I moved from Austin) about this BBQ place that was out of the park good!!! I told the kids that I would take them to this BBQ place when we visited Austin one day, I knew "where it was", somewhere on the East side, I woulda found it in our walks, but you my friend, found it!!!! I sure hope you had some lunch at Sam's! What a great place it was. A gem for sure, thanks for bringing back such wonderful memories!

I ended up there for dinner the next day. The slogan "You don't need no teeth to eat my beef" painted on the front instantly drew me inside. The smallest sandwich they offered was half a pound of brisket and my friend downed an entire pound in a sitting. It was THAT good. Glad I could help bring back some memories of Austin for you!

 

[PatrickT]

Good stuff!

 

[zsas]

🙂. Gosh I'd love some brisket from Sam's!

Also, I never knew what a Karmann Ghia was till I got to Austin! Thanks for capturing the soul of a city!

I dream of retiring and one day renting a small warehouse on the East side, just enough to have a darkroom/studio for photo-paint-whatnot, yet close enough to Sam's!

Great art you've made in a great city! Keep up the seeing, you are hooked into the matrix per se!

 

[Kenj8246]

In the interest of fairness, how many bbq places did you try in Austin? Nice shootin', by the way. Loooove my Texas Leica.

 

[Bill58]

Austin is special........ Nice shots.

 

[Lax Jought]

The "Texas Leica" is a name coined for the Fuji 690 series rangefinders due to their sheer size (though you could proably also call the 670 series - non folders - and the 680 rangefinder series the same thing).

Thanks. "Texas Leica" is a nickname for the Fuji 6x9 rangefinders.

Ah thanks I had no idea, I will not look them up lest it develops into another GAS item because it sounds like it could be a likely candidate...

My decision. I feel more comfortable taking photos in run down neighborhoods and towns rather than nicer areas. Talking to people in these areas gives me a better feel for the area than the touristy parts of town.

I agree with this outlook.

but you my friend, found it!!!! I sure hope you had some lunch at Sam's! What a great place it was. A gem for sure, thanks for bringing back such wonderful memories!

That is a really awesome story.

 

[jwicaksana]

Great stuff, love the Murpho's!
Oh and I love SRV and the Double Trouble, too. 😀

 

[citizen99]

Great pictures 🙂.
I've often fancied trying a wide-angle 690 Fuji, but they're not so plentiful on this side of the pond, and shipping and (especially) customs costs to import would be significant 🙁.

Mrs. K has quite the range of talents! Her house is directly across from the district court so she has the perfect location for her business. I bet she has some stories to tell. ...

Being in the UK, I've just learned a bit about bail bonding from Janet Evanovich's 'Stephanie Plum' novels 😉.