Josef Koudelka film

[boojum]

One thing that is noteworthy - Koudelka shoots a lot. Like a lot a lot. I met him once and he said that the difference between professional and amateur photographers is mostly how much they shoot. He really works what he is interested in.

He also appears to wear exactly the same type of clothes and boots that he wore when I met him 25+ years ago. I admire that sort of singularity.

I think this is critical. The fewer pictures the fewer good ones. That's so simple I can understand it. But not spray and pray. And to retell a story told me by a pro I knew years back, the fellow whose M3 " . . . had never been sullied by color film . . . " and who fed himself with his camera. He said when he started he thought every pic on a roll of thirty-six should be good. When I met he him was happy with one good one on thirty-six. So we have to be realistic in our shooting and while we should always be thoughtful shooting we should also know that not every shutter click is a prize winner. So shoot lots.

Overgaard is famous for his "Always wear a camera". The corollary is to shoot the damned thing. ;o)

Added later: Delete little. Pics I thought were not good years back were actually alright. When they are gone they are gone so be careful about what is deleted. HD storage is really cheap. ;o)

 

[filmtwit]

So, I own a Fuji G617 (the earlier version of what Josef is shooting). It's kind of amazing that hand holds it for every single shot including the lower light level fog/cloud covered hill top shots (with the two display tanks). IT's amazing since the camera lacks a range finder, a real viewfinder and is essentially a large format camera shooting to 120 film that you have to zone focus. Technically you could focus using ground glass in it before you load film, but that isn't that practical and you'd have to do most of your shooting from a tripod too.

Personally I've only ever shot it from tripod, composed and waited for subjects. Keeping it level and having what you want in focus is tricky unless you open up the f-stop a lot too.

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The older I get, the easier it is for ADD to pull/distract me from what I'm watching and doc kept my interest the entire time.... except during the commercial breaks which were all vacation of the same commercial for one of my local politicians who I did not vote for.

 

[Richard G]

So, I own a Fuji G617 (the earlier version of what Josef is shooting). It's kind of amazing that hand holds it for every single shot including the lower light level fog/cloud covered hill top shots (with the two display tanks). IT's amazing since the camera lacks a range finder, a real viewfinder and is essentially a large format camera shooting to 120 film that you have to zone focus. Technically you could focus using ground glass in it before you load film, but that isn't that practical and you'd have to do most of your shooting from a tripod too.

Personally I've only ever shot it from tripod, composed and waited for subjects. Keeping it level and having what you want in focus is tricky unless you open up the f-stop a lot too.

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The older I get, the easier it is for ADD to pull/distract me from what I'm watching and doc kept my interest the entire time.... except during the commercial breaks which were all vacation of the same commercial for one of my local politicians who I did not vote for.

Very interesting also. I just took a dangerous step and looked up this camera and found the following on emulsive.org:

“Film loading is pretty straight forward and handling is as simple as it gets. The viewfinder allows you to see the spirit level mounted on the roll cage over the lens. This is very handy as non-level horizons on an image this wide are brutally unforgiving.”

 

[Dogman]

As for gear, did anyone else notice Koudelka was apparently using the Nikon as a light meter? He would quickly lift it and glance at the back and then put it away and take his photo with one of the Fujis.

I also recall that at some point Leica adapted one of their medium format digitals for panoramas especially for Koudelka. I read an interview with him somewhere in which he said travel with film was becoming problematic for him--airports, I guess. He also commented that one of his Fujis was damaged during the Israel job, a reminder to always have a back-up.


....................

 

[Richard G]

As for gear, did anyone else notice Koudelka was apparently using the Nikon as a light meter? He would quickly lift it and glance at the back and then put it away and take his photo with one of the Fujis.

I also recall that at some point Leica adapted one of their medium format digitals for panoramas especially for Koudelka. I read an interview with him somewhere in which he said travel with film was becoming problematic for him--airports, I guess. He also commented that one of his Fujis was damaged during the Israel job, a reminder to always have a back-up.


....................

Yes I noticed that. A solid professional SLR and lens just for a light meter. And pretty obsessional as there were situations in sunlight where I figured he’d wing it. As to lugging the Nikon, again, he just had to. He’d be naked without it. Traveling in a place with increased unpredictability he’d hardly be able to quickly take three shots if some skirmish eventuated where getting the second shot required winding on four times. Not impossible that he’d have to consider ditching both Fujis and run for his life, keeping the Nikon and getting some winning shot on the way.

 

[boojum]

As for gear, did anyone else notice Koudelka was apparently using the Nikon as a light meter? He would quickly lift it and glance at the back and then put it away and take his photo with one of the Fujis.

I also recall that at some point Leica adapted one of their medium format digitals for panoramas especially for Koudelka. I read an interview with him somewhere in which he said travel with film was becoming problematic for him--airports, I guess. He also commented that one of his Fujis was damaged during the Israel job, a reminder to always have a back-up.


....................

This answers my question of why he hadn't approached HB or Phase One for this. Full pano like Xpan seems rare from what I know. Is "screen" pano more common, or even considered pano? I am taking "screen" to be 16x9.

 

[filmtwit]

 

[boojum]

Koudelka, and so many others, are amazing at what they can get into a camera. Is it a challenge, a humiliating dare, that we will never achieve their status? Or are they mentors on the road to improvement, showing what can be done to become better. It depends. What does your heart tell you?

 

[Ororaro]

koudelka relying on a secondary camera to measure light? This seems unreal.

 

[Ororaro]

Overgaard is famous for his "Always wear a camera". The corollary is to shoot the damned thing. ;o)

This needs a correction.

Overgaard is famous for:

-The Alligator camera bag Fiasco
-his deceitful lens hood business practices
-Adding the prefix von out of nowhere as a marketing stunt

There were some savorous internet discussions, over time, on all the above.

 

[Harry the K]

-The Alligator camera bag Fiasco

What was that? I can´t find anything about it. You mean the bag which looks like the late Queens shopping bag from the fifties?

 

[Ororaro]

What was that? I can´t find anything about it. You mean the bag which looks like the late Queens shopping bag from the fifties?

Oh man, the dude started offering real alligator skinned bags (or was it elephant?) which turned out to be illegal as well as unethical.

One of the best internet moments I’ve ever had…

 

[Harry the K]

Oh man, the dude started offering real alligator skinned bags (or was it elephant?) which turned out to be illegal as well as unethical.

One of the best internet moments I’ve ever had…

Aah, elephants. That story can be found on Petapixel. He should´ve sticked to croc bags, elephants cause protests because of their human touch.

 

[CP93]

Any relation to Josef?

 

[Ororaro]

Any relation to Josef?

Legends collide

 

[boojum]

Oh man, the dude started offering real alligator skinned bags (or was it elephant?) which turned out to be illegal as well as unethical.

One of the best internet moments I’ve ever had…

US judge: California can't ban alligator imports, sales

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — California cannot ban the importation and sale of crocodile and alligator products, a federal judge has ruled, in a victory for the state of Louisiana, which challenged the ban along with businesses in multiple states.

apnews.com

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[Ororaro]

Yeah right?
I bought seven.

 

[Retro-Grouch]

Koudelka, and so many others, are amazing at what they can get into a camera. Is it a challenge, a humiliating dare, that we will never achieve their status? Or are they mentors on the road to improvement, showing what can be done to become better. It depends. What does your heart tell you?

To me, his "status" is irrelevant. It's his vision that's extraordinary. Status is like fame; it might be earned, but it's often arbitrary. My heart tells me to pursue my work with the same intensity as Koudelka, if I can, and to try to see more deeply, more intensely. My heart also tells me that status can be a curse, and measuring myself against others is a fool's errand.

 

[Freakscene]

US judge: California can't ban alligator imports, sales

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — California cannot ban the importation and sale of crocodile and alligator products, a federal judge has ruled, in a victory for the state of Louisiana, which challenged the ban along with businesses in multiple states.

apnews.com

NCESC - Discovering Employment Paths and Travel Experiences

Explore a diverse knowledge hub offering expert insights on careers, shopping, money-making, lifestyle, and travel. Join our community today.

www.ncesc.com

It is legal to own elephant skin in the US. It is not in many other places. Irrespective, the elephant skin in his bags seemed to not be CITES approved and therefore it was illegal to transport it over international borders.

He is mainly famous for being a fake Deconstructing The Illusion | Leicaphilia

 

[Retro-Grouch]

He is mainly famous for being a fake

A lot of that going around. Besides, who cares if you're a fake, as long as you're famous?