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Great thread Raid. This is a favorite image of mine as it is my first memory of consciously seeing a street scene, stopping and taking the time to formally frame the scene in my viewfinder and then taking the picture. I remember immediately turning and walking away, sensing that the man may have noticed me. I recall barely having the courage to do such a brazen act. Later, after seeing the processed image, I saw that the man was indeed staring right at me and this made the image even more special to me. Now, many years later, I find myself easily completing such acts to hopefully achieve the shot, even waiting for eye contact in some instances - but I still remember the fear and thrill I felt at the moment of this shot.
 
Late July 1994, whilst on family holidays. I was a bored teenager with a walkman on my ears and a camera with tripod around my shoulders, I went for a long walk, late afternoon to kill some time - there was no TV or internet and no kids my age to hang around with.

I remember my excitement when i saw this picture - it was the first picture i ever took and i *actually liked it*. And i still do.

I made a Cibachrome print to send it to the photography magazine i was reading at that time but eventually i shyed away.

Ektachrome Elite 100 and Praktica BMS with the standard Prakticar 50f/.17

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My favourite favourite images will never be seen by the public because they are family photos. But of the ones I have online, here are a few with their stories:

A road trip for work took me and my work partner to Sydney in 2009. We stopped at the bottom of Glebe Point Road, overlooking Sydney Harbour Bridge. Nearby was a young woman with bright red hair, leaning against the bonnet of an equally bright red car while music piped from the stereo. Somehow we got talking, and she remarked how she often comes here, and how she sometimes wished her eyes were big enough to take in all of this magnificent sight. We exchanged phone numbers and chatted a bit, but she later told me that she had a boyfriend. Oh well. But this lovely sight still resonates with me, and one day, I'll go back. This was taken as two shots with the Sigma DP1, stitched as a panorama in Photoshop.

DP1 - My Eyes Are Not Big Enough by Archiver, on Flickr

At the end of 2006, I went to Hong Kong and hit the ground running. Back then, a DSLR or other large sensor camera was just a wishful thought on a very expensive shopping list, but I was fortunate to have my Canon S70 (28mm zoom 7mp compact) and the Fujifilm Natura Black f1.9 film compact. As many of you will know, the Natura cameras were Japan domestic products, aimed at fashionable young women who wanted to capture nights out with family and friends. The 24mm f1.9 lens was intended to fulfill that role in all lighting situations. Interesting how they chose 24mm f1.9, which is close to the default focal length of today's smartphone camera.

I shot about one roll of film per day, usually Fuji XTRA400, and had them processed at labs around Hong Kong. This was taken at the famous Peninsula Hotel, with its fleet of custom Rolls Royce limos in custom green. Every Christmas, the Peninsula sets up giant illuminated stars at the front of the hotel, and at night, they appear to be hanging in nothingness.

Natura - A Thousand Christmas Stars by Archiver, on Flickr

2020 was a hard year for everyone, unless you were super rich, in which case you just laid low and made careful investments. As I wasn't super rich, I made do by hunkering down at home and browsing camera websites. In December, a Zeiss Distagon 35mm f1.4 appeared on the website of one of my local pushers, er, enablers, er, camera shops. I had wanted a Distagon 35 ever since seeing Michael Bialecki's photos on RFF and flickr, and here was my chance. I hemmed and hawed because the pandemic had taken a bite out of my finances, but I traded in a couple of unused lenses and was soon in possession of what has become my favourite lens for my favourite camera, the M9.

This photo doesn't look like much, but it was the first time I had taken the Distagon out for a spin after a long year of lockdown. Melbourne was one of the most locked down cities in the world, with long periods of not being able to drive more than 5km away from home. So to be able to drive down to the Mornington Peninsula and take photos on the beach was utterly wonderful. And to my delight, the images from this combination are the perfect blend of sharpness, contrast, 3D pop and crystalline bokeh. So very Zeiss, so very good.

M9 - We Welcome The New Year by Archiver, on Flickr
 
Out to Lunch said:
So far, I've only used the Distagon with my M7 and haven't had the film developed. Are you using a hood with it? I'd like not to since it blocks the VF but I wouldn't say I like flaring.
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I've only used it with an aftermarket hood from Haoge. It's a large metal hood similar to the older Leica Summilux style. I've never noticed it obstructing the VF, but I mentally ignore such things out of habit.
 
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This was in Fleet street in central London and this bloody idiot had a wild fox on a rope in a shop doorway. Someone phoned the police and they took him away and the fox to some wildlife carers.
Only on viewing the negs did I see the framing with the fingers and eye. More luck than judgement, but as they say, the harder I work, the more luck I get.
 
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