Leica M Monochrom: best pics

Staying in Las Vegas (NM) tonight -- it was a harrowing day of driving. I made the mistake of heading east from Taos on Rt. 64 into the mountains, based upon everyone telling me that the roads would be fine (there was a snowstorm last night). Well, fine if you were in a 4-wheel drive vehicle, not so fine in a mid-sized rental car. So as a result, I didn't take too many photos today. I've given up the plan to go to Clayton (in the northeast part of the state), as they may have likely closed the road heading there. So I'm heading south.

This is the only one of any (questionable!) value from today. I'd be interested to know if you guys think this one 'works' or not:


Las Vegas by Vince.Lupo, on Flickr
 
Sorry Vince, I think I gave you that advice. I enjoy Las Vegas NM. Are you planning on exploring LV tomorrow. If you haven't and have time I would suggest to go down by the tracks and the old hotel by the train depot.

Another nice image...The telephone pole is such a nice balance and the lines all lead to the barns with the light powder of snow on them. Love the one way sign and the perspective of the overlapping barns. And all those repeating shapes at the horizon in the background. Wonderful image indeed.
 
I wanted to go that route, but was hesitant because of the weather. I asked the 'locals', and they assured me that I'd be fine. Well, it wasn't so fine -- I pulled into one little town and they were piling the snow in the middle of the street, so you were driving through this trough of snow. And climbing those twisty mountain roads (not to mention DESCENDING those twisty mountain roads) was definitely the cause of a stress headache. Ah well - builds character, right?

That shot above had some weird things going on in the sky, and I'm wondering if you guys have ever had this issue: Concentric circles in white skies. I had this phenomenon happen in that photo, and I adjusted them out the best I could. Almost like Newton rings.

As a comparison, here is more or less the same shot from my Fuji X100T (though it was shot at ISO 800):


Las Vegas #2 by Vince.Lupo, on Flickr

Hate to say it, but I'm actually preferring the Fuji version.

One shot from yesterday (no, not shot with the Fuji!). RIght near the Rio Grande Gorge:


Reservation #2 by Vince.Lupo, on Flickr
 
Vince - great shots, and to answer your question about the first version of Las Vegas - I would prefer more punch in this shot, which I think is what you can see (slightly) in #2?
 
I think if I could squeeze out more punch from that sky, I would. Two things though -- it was one of those 'white sky' days, and at the moment I'm working on my laptop on the road, so I don't have the luxury of working on my big-screen desktop in the controlled conditions of my office. I've never liked the screen on my laptop, and always have a devil of a time getting my black and white shots just right. So I may have better luck with that shot once I get home. But, I still do have the issue from time-to-time of these 'Newton Rings' in my skies, and it happens even without any Silver Efex processing (that would accentuate it though).

I may give the Fuji version another crack to see if I can add some 'weight' to the sky. Thanks for the feedback.
 
Completely crazy day -- I did a shoot today for The Communicator newspaper in Santa Rosa, NM. I was moseying in little downtown Santa Rosa (which is right off Rt. 66), and walked by the office of the newspaper. A fellow from inside stuck his head out the door and asked if I was a 'shooter', judging by the Leica camera hanging around my neck. I then came inside and we talked for about 20 minutes. He then said "For a steak dinner, can you get me a 'weather' shot?" It had just snowed the previous evening, and he wanted a shot that illustrated the effects of the rare weather occurrence. So, armed with my assignment I went out looking for a 'weather' shot. I started driving around with my eagle-eyes peeled, but the snow was quickly disappearing, and I didn't see many people out along the main Rt. 66 drag. Just as I came to the eastern edge of the town limits, I noticed a little residential enclave right by the Interstate 40 overpass. I pulled into the tiny community, thinking that I might find someone brushing snow off their vehicle or something. Luckily, at the very back row of residential units, I discovered two little kids playing in the snow. I asked the mother if I could take their photo for the newspaper, as I was 'on assignment'. Went back to the newspaper, and the fellow there was completely surprised that I came back with the photos that I shot. So the photo will appear in Thursday morning's paper!

And here is the fellow who gave me the assignment -- M.E. Sprengelmeyer, Reporter and Publisher for the Communicator:


M.E. by Vince.Lupo, on Flickr
 
Following your road trip is a treat, Vince. You must have a great time - looking forward to the next instalments.

Klaus, nice live set! My favourite is #1.

Here are some of my recent live music shots:


Charlemagne Palestine & Áine O'Dwyer @ Cafe Oto, London, 21st February 2015 by fabiolug, on Flickr



Charlemagne Palestine & Áine O'Dwyer @ Cafe Oto, London, 21st February 2015 by fabiolug, on Flickr



Rie Nakajima @ White Cube Gallery, Bermondsey, London, 21st February 2015 by fabiolug, on Flickr



Rie Nakajima @ White Cube Gallery, Bermondsey, London, 21st February 2015 by fabiolug, on Flickr



Elliott Sharp @ White Cube Gallery, Bermondsey, London, 21st February 2015 by fabiolug, on Flickr
 
Another on the Music Theme

Another on the Music Theme

Zeiss 21mm, 4.5 shot at ISO 2000:

16364120700_2b1bf5599b_o.jpg
 
Vince,

I wonder if it could be my monitor too - at work, all the shots look a bit flat. They are better on the MacBook at home.

Interesting about the Newton rings in the sky - I have not yet had that with my MM, but do get it all the time when I scan B&W negs with a white sky (I should probably expect that, though - right?). Are you using any filters (I forget whether you mentioned that)?

Out of interest, what lens were you using, and do you only get the rings with that one lens?
 
It's a distinct possibility that all the photos will need readjustment when I get back home. As I say, I'm working on my 15" laptop in a variety of conditions (motel rooms, cafes, even the office of a newspaper), so we're talking fluorescent lights, lamplight, no light etc etc, as opposed to my 27" iMac in the controlled conditions of my home office. I went through the screen calibration process that's built into my Macbook (under 'System Preferences'), so I would have hoped that would have helped. Possibly not! So perhaps consider the photos 'place holders' as they currently are until I get home.

As far as the Newton rings go, I'm usually using my 0.95 Noctilux, my 35/1.7 Voigtlander Ultron (love that lens), and my 50/2 Summicron, and it can happen with any of them. Those are the lenses that I have with me (plus my Fuji X100T, which has been a great companion to the Monochrom -- I highly recommend it).

I'm probably going to send the camera into Leica when I get back home, just for a checkup. When I stop down (to say f/8 or more), there are these marks that appear in the sky, almost like smudges of some kind, right in the upper center of the frame. They're easily retouched out, but I looked at the sensor, and I can't see anything, but maybe with some kind of magnifier they might be noticeable. Hope it's not that corrosion issue!

As far as how the photos look, for example, the one above with the donkey on the roof, does that photo look too dark? It was taken at dusk, so I wanted to retain that sense of the end of day, but is it too dark on your monitors?
 
Vince, I hope you are not looking at sensor corrosion - fixable, but a period without the MM is not nice. If you are getting it with all those lenses, i guess the one common factor is the body....

The donkey shot (here at work) is a bit flat, but that could be the monitor, an HP 23" widescreen monstrosity (I have turned up the brightness and contrast a bit but it didn't help a lot). The street lamp is obviously "on" and shining light (IYSWIM) and there is contrast all over the shot against the sky, so I get the idea. I can't see into the store window beyond Tarot Readings, but there are a few specular highlights in there.

For a full range of tones, the Roswell shot is possibly better on this monitor. Will check on the MacBook when I get home.
 
Spent a few hours today in the tiny town of Claunch, NM. It's very much on a scarcely-traveled sideroad (Rt. 55) - you could probably lay down in the middle of the road and stay there for about 30 minutes, and you wouldn't have to worry about anybody driving over you. I was in the post office for about 3 hours, just talking with the postmaster and a few of the folks who wandered in to pick up their mail and chew the fat. Nice thing was that I had my Canon Selphy CP910 printer with me, and I was able to make 4"x6" prints on the spot for the people I photographed.

Shelly, the postmaster:

Shelly by Vince.Lupo, on Flickr

Jerry:

Jerry by Vince.Lupo, on Flickr

Bob:

Bob by Vince.Lupo, on Flickr


Claunch2 by Vince.Lupo, on Flickr


Claunch1 by Vince.Lupo, on Flickr


Ruins1 by Vince.Lupo, on Flickr
 
Great stuff Dektol, gundston. fabio and WOW Vince. Just killer stuff. The portraits are ALL terrific.

Dave great to see you posting images again and good stuff as always...
 
Thanks Allen -- I'm finding the best way to get good people photos is to spend time in one spot, rather than wandering around hoping to grab a quick snap (at least for me). Establishing a rapport, building some degree of trust, and being able to give them a print on the spot are helping me in that department. I don't think I'd make a good 'street photographer'.

I'm in Mountainair right now -- not sure where I'm going tomorrow or Friday. I head home Saturday afternoon.

And yes, Dave, nice to see your work appearing again.
 
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