Thoughts on a recent shooting assignment with film Leicas

I remember having seen some kick-ass wedding shots here at RFF only using pushed BW film (Tri-X, from memory) when attending a friends wedding ... 😎
 
I hope you are pleasantly surprised when your photos are processed. The key in these things is to shoot plenty and edit heavily. Show them only your best shots where possible. You will find that you are your own worst critic and they will love the shots that you feel so so about.
 
Waiting for the results of a unrepeatable session is the hardest part of film-photography.
I had MANY sleepless nights because of that.

The only thing that works is calm down and don't think about it.
Only after you got your films back is judgement time... 😉
 
I remember having seen some kick-ass wedding shots here at RFF only using pushed BW film (Tri-X, from memory) when attending a friends wedding ... 😎

THANKS maddoc - here's one from THAT wedding - it was held in a small town church which only sits perhaps 100 people. The Confirmation last Sunday was in the Roskilde CATHEDRAL... A whole other ballgame!

med_U2246I1328822156.SEQ.0.jpg
 
Sure you'll have got way better results than you think!
I've done a few better-not-screw-it-up things recently with film alone, always had pleasant surprises when its all come back.
When do we get to see?!
 
Ha crazy .. I was shooting a confirmation too last weekend. I also shot a couple of weddings already. My rule is tho: I am never the main photographer - if somebody asks I say no and bring my film cameras anyway.
I try to shoot such events with 35 and 50mm, I once used a 15mm which was fun but most of the shots were garbage.

For the C-sonnar: why'd you take the lens with you in the first place when you don't know how strong it shifts? Well I think you'll be fine tho since the shift is not so bad on film anyway .. i.e. if you focus a 1.5 optimized lens on the eyes and shoot at 2.8 you'll still have well focused eyes. I find the character of this lens was best described as the focus point not wildly jumping around but rather a DOF that builds up behind the focus point. (something I've proven to be correct on film for my copy at least)
 
For the C-sonnar: why'd you take the lens with you in the first place when you don't know how strong it shifts? Well I think you'll be fine tho since the shift is not so bad on film anyway .. i.e. if you focus a 1.5 optimized lens on the eyes and shoot at 2.8 you'll still have well focused eyes. I find the character of this lens was best described as the focus point not wildly jumping around but rather a DOF that builds up behind the focus point. (something I've proven to be correct on film for my copy at least)

The C-Sonnar is lovely for portraits when the focus is right. I agree, it was risky to take it. My DR Summicron at f/2 would have perhaps been a safer choice...
 
When do we get to see?!

Thanks for your interest.

I need to deliver the C-41 film to the lab for processing (it's out of my way and inconvenient). Tomorrow is a holiday in Denmark. I may be able to drop it off next week, and then I'm out of town for a while. It could be a few weeks before I have time to do the scanning.

I'm a sloooooow worker...
 
I was going to make this point actually, had you used an M9 I'm not convinced it offers that big an advantage.
My limited experience using one, I found shooting wide open was less predictable than with film forcing you to stop down a bit therefore losing the iso advantage, but it is my limited experience, I don't know that M9 owners would agree.
 
I was going to make this point actually, had you used an M9 I'm not convinced it offers that big an advantage.
My limited experience using one, I found shooting wide open was less predictable than with film forcing you to stop down a bit therefore losing the iso advantage, but it is my limited experience, I don't know that M9 owners would agree.

Probably not😉
 
Reading this thread for the second time, a few months later. Still interesting to read but...any chance to see some of the photos? I browsed your gallery but didn't see.
Just curious, maybe too curious please apologize.
robert
 
Reading this thread for the second time, a few months later. Still interesting to read but...any chance to see some of the photos? I browsed your gallery but didn't see.
Just curious, maybe too curious please apologize.
robert

Robert, THANK YOU for your interest.

The photos from the day came out pretty well, and the book I made from them was well-received by the confirmation teenager and her parents.

I don't have access to my archive from where I am right now, but will post some pictures in the next day or so.
 
I had a dream/nightmare last night that I was back working as a news photographer (I was, 35 years ago). I was shooting film as then and after the first shot I looked down to the back of the camera to make sure I had it. All that was there was a film speed dial and I was definitely bummed. I would never shoot a job on one of my many film cameras now--they're just recreational!
 
I had a dream/nightmare last night that I was back working as a news photographer (I was, 35 years ago). I was shooting film as then and after the first shot I looked down to the back of the camera to make sure I had it. All that was there was a film speed dial and I was definitely bummed. I would never shoot a job on one of my many film cameras now--they're just recreational!

Ha, funny dream/nightmare.

Luckily, this job was am unpaid favor to some friends.
 
sleepyhead,
I believe this assignment would be great to use a Sony A7S on. It combines a silent shutter, accurate (even if not fast) focus, great high ISO and ability to check and deliver images fast. And you can track the focus shift on the Sonnar. I used to shoot weddings on film Nikons and this combination of features would have been a dream. You seem to be doing excellently on film from the photo you've shown.
 
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