Arles report

R

Roger Hicks

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A beautiful city, countless photo exhibitions, a chance to try the latest Leicas... For a report on this year's show, take a look at

http://www.rogerandfrances.com/photoschool/ps events arles 2008.html

And there's still time to see most of the shows! There are a couple of faults (typos, one missing pic) but the web-master should cure them pretty quickly. But as it's now twenty-five to two in the morning, I'm off to bed...

Cheers,

R.
 
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How lovely. At this time of year I long for those lazy, indulgent days in the culture of La France profonde, but childless and employed I wait till September for my turn. Tell us more about the "latest Leicas", please.
 
Austerby said:
How lovely. At this time of year I long for those lazy, indulgent days in the culture of La France profonde, but childless and employed I wait till September for my turn. Tell us more about the "latest Leicas", please.
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Can't until September 15. The 'latest Leicas' at Arles were just the current ones -- but there are some really interesting lenses lined up for photokina. And one or two other things that they wouldn't say too much about: just 'You must be at photokina'.

Cheers,

R.
 
Yes, they're all M8 shots, mostly taken with 35/1.4 pre-aspheric, 50/2.5 Summarit (as I said, Frances just bought one) and a few with 50/1.2 Canon. I used the M8 in the interests of speed because they're just record shots, not Fine Art (insofar as Fine Art means anything -- after all, it's not the only thing F.A. stands for).

As for why film cameras outnumber digital 2:1, I'm not sure -- but as someone else said, it's almost as though the proportion of Leicas to SLRs is reversed. Of course it isn't but it sometimes feels that way. I think it's because so many Fine Art photographers feel that silver halide has more soul than digital. Are they right? Who knows. But it's a popular perception. Most artists prefer good, simple, durable tools, so maybe that's it.

Cheers,

R.
 
thanks for the review/article on Arles - makes me want to go as soon as possible... the photos add a lot to the article...

can't help but notice some banding issues in 'Couple on dais' - were these images taken with an M8? or is it a scanning issue?
 
monochromejrnl said:
thanks for the review/article on Arles - makes me want to go as soon as possible... the photos add a lot to the article...

can't help but notice some banding issues in 'Couple on dais' - were these images taken with an M8? or is it a scanning issue?
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As soon as you can, GO! The problem is finding both the time and the money together: most of my life, I've had one or the other. Now I'm only a day's ride from Arles, I don't need so much of either.

Where do you see the banding? There's a bright streak behind the LH blue wall, but that's the way it was lit. Yes, it was M8, and yes, I've had banding problems, but I don't think I see them here. (Point 'em out and I might see 'em -- my internet computer, one of half a dozen I use regularly, has a lousy monitor anyway)

Cheers,

R.
 
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Roger Hicks said:
A beautiful city, countless photo exhibitions, a chance to try the latest Leicas... For a report on this year's show, take a look at

http://www.rogerandfrances.com/photoschool/ps events arles 2008.html

And there's still time to see most of the shows! There are a couple of faults (typos, one missing pic) but the web-master should cure them pretty quickly. But as it's now twenty-five to two in the morning, I'm off to bed...

Cheers,

R.
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Well damn, i wish I had been in Arles when this was going on. I was there back about a month ago...
 
Roger, thanks for the Arles shots. Looks hot though and being of Scandinavian descent, I start melting at 30+! I like those visiual overloads that only France can put on. When we lived in Paris, in the early 80's it was the start of "Mois de Photo" there and one would come home after 9-10 exhibitions/day with seared eyeballs!
We spent some time in Arles in the early 90's. We were contemplating buying a house there at the time. Sanity prevailed and we didn't as the ownership of a second home would force us to go there at least a couple of times a year, to the detriment of other trips.
I think film is doing a "come back" (though I dont think it really went away completely). In Tokyo in May/June I saw more film based cameras around than dSLR's. I think the 5 MP cellphone has taken over from the digital P/S and the editing process of shooting DSLR has become too tedious.
Photokina could be interesting, we will be there on the Thursday/Friday and avoid it as a plaque on the Sat/Sun (rather go to the camera swap on the Sunday anyway).
It will be interesting to see what Dr Kaufman can do. He has the advantage of being an enthusiastic photographer and collector, just like Mr Kobayashi and that could steer Leica into a new direction, actually listening to the user of cameras, rather than the "marketing" and "designer" experts.
TomA
 
It will be interesting to see what Dr Kaufman can do. He has the advantage of being an enthusiastic photographer and collector, just like Mr Kobayashi and that could steer Leica into a new direction, actually listening to the user of cameras, rather than the "marketing" and "designer" experts.
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Let's hope so! 🙂
 
amateriat said:
Ouch...from where I sit, I see three bands.


- Barrett
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Dear Barrett,

I still couldn't see 'em on my internet monitor so I went and looked at the calibrated Iiyama monitor on which I prepared the article. Yes, I can see a couple of thin lines streaking sideways from the fluorescent lights, but I can't help feeling that our Welsh chum's 'enormous magenta bands' is something of an exaggeration. Then again, his reference to Dr. Kaufmann being my good friend illustrates his talent for understatement.

But thanks for pointing them out so I can see them.

Cheers,

R/
 
Tom A said:
Roger, thanks for the Arles shots. Looks hot though and being of Scandinavian descent, I start melting at 30+!
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Dear Tom.

You're welcome!

This year and last were quite cool -- maxima in the low 30s (80- 90 for diehard Fahrenheiters) -- but yes, a hot Arles requires EVEN MORE rosé wine...

My belief is that Dr. Kaufmann is very much like Kobayashi-san: a real enthusiast, and a thoroughly nice guy. Much like Dr. Nasse at Zeiss. We are extremely fortunate to have people who speak our language (photographically speaking) in such positions of power.

Point fully taken about a maison secondaire. Every now and then we think about this; do the sums; and conclude that barring capital appreciation, it makes MUCH more sense to wander rather than to buy. If money is no object, the capital appreciation may sometimes justify second (third, fourth, fifth...) homes; but we've never been that rich.

Cheers,

R.
 
YrDdraigGoch said:
Come on, if that was from any other camera you'd be trashing it.
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Dear Yg-etc.

No, I probably wouldn't notice there either. You may not have noticed, but I don't habitually review digital cameras. If you don't like the banding -- which I regard as trivial, in the context -- and it worries you, it's easy. DON'T BUY AN M8.

What is upsetting you so much?

I vastly prefer film to digi. For a piece like that, where I'm not after 'fine art', digi's fine, even with banding -- and the M8 is the only digi I enjoy using.

Cheers,

R.
 
It's nice on a Sunday afternoon to be able to travel vicariously to the South of France. Looks to be a lovely spot for photographers share and visit.
 
Arles

Arles

Roger
Looks great, I've never been [although only two1/2 hours away] as always seems to be somewhere else in July [too manyt people in Antibes , we go to lreland every August]
It also looks a a lot more laid back than Visa in Perpignan, I have been there last two years and now plan on alternating the two.
How are the evening slide shows?
Will be passing your way en route West Cork>Antibes [via Roscoff] at end month, and again end September and end October.
We could compare monocles..................
Slainte!
Clive
 
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