Printing in dark room vs film-to-digital workflow

I started in darkroom in my early teens, somewhere in 68 or 69. Back then, everything was simple: not too many graded papers available, one developer, water from the tap, fixer and free time, which I had aplenty. I did not use any advanced techniques. Masking with my fingers for dodging and burning was the farthest it went. Because of this, there were negatives I could print easily and some I did not know how to print, the negatives too dark or too contrasty...when I had one, I just skipped it. Here is one of the prints from the time: some TASMA film pushed to 500 ISO, some old paper my father gave me:


(View from my darkroom AKA attic room. Yelabuga, 1973)

Leica Store Miami Instagram Contest

From Leica Store Miami:

During the festival we will be running an Instagram contest. Share your best image that embodies the spirit of street photography via Instagram with the hashtag #mspf2014. One image will be selected at the end of the festival and the lucky winner will receive a Leica Akademie voucher (value of $199) to be used towards a future workshop. All submissions must be posted between 12:00 AM Thursday, December 4th and 11:59 PM on Sunday, December 7th.

To see what others have been posting visit our live Instagram streaming gallery!

Leica Camera Russia blog on my Found Film project (Russian)

http://blog.leica-camera.ru/2014/05/15/19242/

Scholarship grant available for Alex&Rebecca Webb workshop in Miami, January 2014

here: http://goo.gl/cd5uIe
I have been through the workshop like this and can recommend it to anybody who is into human-interest photography.

Photograph above: © Alex Webb

Street Photographer In His Element

I rarely shoot digital/color, but yesterday at Leica Store Miami event I tried the new Leica M-E with 28mm lens and liked it since it has the same feeling and in many ways similar to my Leica M2 circa 1962. Unfortunately, the new camera died after few clicks; I put the lens on my M2 and continued shooting B&W film. I figured Buddha does not want me to shoot either digital or color. So be it.

Leica M Photo-Walk

Leica store in Coral Gables holding an open photo-walks this week to promote their M system. The official name of the event is "Discover the Leica M-System". They have new M along with older M Mono and M9 for participants to try. The first photo-walk will be Friday 10AM-12AM and the second (the one I am going to) is Saturday 3PM-5PM. RSVP to RSVP@leicacamerausa.com and do not forget to bring your own SD card.

Ocean drive's nights in September

The film has its limits; when the light is as weak as it usually is at the Ocean at night its failing to record anything at all, even at the sensitivity as high as 12500.
Still, people at night are open as never during the day and I just keep shooting, hoping for the sudden glimpse on the subject, just like in the picture above and below...

Miami Camera Show 2012

I have been there again. Since I am in love with old cameras, I liked it. The parking was no problem, and the floor was not very crowded. It is once a year show, it is not widely advertised, so if you'd like to go next year, follow this blog, I'll try to keep you informed. See more photos from the event in this flickr gallery.

Annual Miami Camera Show 2012 is coming!

Miami Camera show. Strange place, big room full of dusty cameras and half-crazy camera freaks (just like me:-). If you like old cameras, you are going to love it. You can take photographs there, its ok, you can also bring you camera to trade (not very profitable) or buy something (usually ridiculously overpriced).

Here is my gallery from the last year's event.

The original pdf can be downloaded from here. Fill it, then print and you'll get $1 off the ticket at the door.

I am going. See you there!

The Song

[Order Print]

He was moving fast on his skateboard and singing aloud...
Leica IIIF, 50mm, Efke KB25 at E.I.25 in Rodinal 1:100 stand 1 hour

Early morning in Kendall

[Order Print]

Kendall is the area in Miami where I live. This picture had been taken last week in Sabal Chase park near my home with Leica IIIf/Summitar 50mm.

Lincoln Road nights, continued...

[Order Print]

"To hell with the world!" it says under the picture of laughing woman. I was surprised the text this small turned out to be legible -- surprised, because this picture had been taken using 60 y.o. Leica IIIF with 50mm f/2 Summitar collapsible lens, pictured here, and the speed probably was 1/30 or 1/15, plus the aperture was wide open. Praise to old uncle Barnack! See few more pictures from the same session below --

Miami Camera Show 2011

I am going. See you there!

Family reunion

Close relatives of original Leica, left to right:
- Leica IIIF B.D. with 50mm Summitar f/2.0
- Nikon S with Nikkor S.C. 50mm f/1.4
- Zorki 1 type B mod 3 with 50 mm Industar f/3.5

Nice bunch.