Three from Oxford (Mono)

[Peter David Grant]

Hello there,

I've got the Leica M-M today, charged the battery and headed in to Oxford city centre for a bit of a walk / experiment after work. I've not used an RF for the last year and a half, having used a Fuji x100, which replaced an M6 (M6 images - http://www.pgrant.co.uk/portfolio/). The RF experience was massively missed.

Anyway, these three pictures are ok, nothing special in my mind, but thought people might be interested.

All shot with 35mm f2, edited in SilverEfex2

Thoughts and critique welcome. My views are shown below

1.

2.

3.

All three where shot around f8, which is normal for me (large DOF). Experimenting with smaller DOF is something I will do once I get my eye back in. Overall I feel the best of the three is 3, but it could be massively improved if I moved closer, and used a smaller DOF reducing the sharpness of the BG.

Cheers,
Peter

 

[Peter David Grant]

Thinking about it, no3 really lacks some deep blacks. Just did a quick edit in LR;

3 (v2)

 

[tightsqueez]

I think the first version looks great. But that's a matter of personal taste (could be variation of screen calibration).

 

[Nigel Meaby]

First version of the third photograph is the better one to me too. No detail left in the blacks or shadows in the edit on my monitor.

 

[Nigel Meaby]

Hope you don't mind I just tweaked the first one which is my favourite of the three.

 

[Peter David Grant]

Hi Nigel,

No worries, what changes did you make?

I think tightsqueez hit the nail on the head with screen calibration (Mine is by no means calibrated). I am looking forwarding to making a print from the MM, and seeing how it transfers to paper. Sounds a bit strange, having a non-calibrated screen and printing, but I normally do one or two test prints making changes as I go, to get the final print I am after, as I find it difficult to judge without looking at it full size.

Cheers,
Peter

 

[tightsqueez]

Chiming on content… the third image is great on so many levels. Sure, it's a direct approach but it works in this instance.

Here is a guy that I wouldn't imagine to be seen with a Che bag. While the Che icon has been around for a long time, you usually see younger hipsters sporting it. And to see this gentleman totting the "Revolution" theme with a shopping bag in a retail district is funny and ironic in some ways. Looking in a little deeper, the pipe does echo Che's love for cigars, albeit a contrasting view.

While the other images are okay, they don't "say" anything.

 

[Peter David Grant]

Chiming on content… the third image is great on so many levels. Sure, it's a direct approach but it works in this instance.

Here is a guy that I wouldn't imagine to be seen with a Che bag. While the Che icon has been around for a long time, you usually see younger hipsters sporting it. And to see this gentleman totting the "Revolution" theme with a shopping bag in a retail district is funny and ironic in some ways. Looking in a little deeper, the pipe does echo Che's love for cigars, albeit a contrasting view.

While the other images are okay, they don't "say" anything.

What a fantastic analysis, thanks. I was grabbed initially by the pipe, then when I saw the bag I new I had to make the shot. I've never been quite so forward with my photography, but it was a thrilling experience. I thanked him, he excitedly told me I was welcome and I went on my way.

The other two are nothing much, I agree.

 

[Nigel Meaby]

Are you using LR4 ? I just lowered the contrast a touch, lightened the shadows and blacks and reduced the highlights a tiny bit.
This, while not ideal, will help to calibrate your monitor, perhaps a bit more accurately than it is presently http://displaycalibration.com/

 

[Peter David Grant]

Are you using LR4 ? I just lowered the contrast a touch, lightened the shadows and blacks and reduced the highlights a tiny bit.
This, while not ideal, will help to calibrate your monitor, perhaps a bit more accurately than it is presently http://displaycalibration.com/

Mostly using SilverEfexPro2, although the V2 was edited on top of V1 in LR4 by increasing the blacks.

Thanks for the link, I've got a huey somewhere, so I'll dig it out, and see how much of a difference it makes.

Thanks again,
Peter

 

[Richard G]

I like 1 and 3 too, also version 1. Great you've got this camera and great you're posting some pictures and that they're good photographs. What a fine forum this is. I'd have been nervous as hell, feeling the pressure to post the best picture of my life in case some pratt chimes in and chides me for wasting my money pal as there's a tree growing out of the subject's head/the guy's leg is blurred or their Hexar is sharper than that $10,000 crippled camera I can't use properly. I really like the MM and would seriously consider it if I didn't have an M9.

 

[Peter David Grant]

I like 1 and 3 too, also version 1. Great you've got this camera and great you're posting some pictures and that they're good photographs. What a fine forum this is. I'd have been nervous as hell, feeling the pressure to post the best picture of my life in case some pratt chimes in and chides me for wasting my money pal as there's a tree growing out of the subject's head/the guy's leg is blurred or their Hexar is sharper than that $10,000 crippled camera I can't use properly. I really like the MM and would seriously consider it if I didn't have an M9.

Hi Richard,

Yeah, I wasn't sure what people would make, but while its a new camera, its still just a tool. I was in the market for a replacement for the M6, and this came along.

Thanks for posting,
Peter

 

[bigeye]

It's unique and fabulous. Enjoy it.

Charlie