The Night at Ocean

This Saturday I've got a chance to stroll the South Beach. The Ocean drive was packed with folks celebrating, flirting, kidding, snapping selfies. My Olympus XA died after years of exemplary service but Lieca M2 worked and these are the pictures (Tri-X shot at E.I.1600 and pushed to E.I.3200 in TMax developer):

Night in Wynwood II

Again, Tri-X at E.I.1600 in Leica M2 but this time with Cosina's 35mm f/2.5 lens.
All on 1/15 and wide open.

Last night of November at Lincoln

Leica M2 with 28mm on TMax P3200 @ E.I.12500

Friday's Night Catch

Leica M2 has become my #1 camera for night work. Tried: Leica IIIf, Nikon F5, Nikon S, Contax IIa...you name it. M2 is a clear winner. The lenses are 35mm and 28mm (this is 28mm).

Kodak discontinues TMax P3200 TMZ film :(

British Journal Of Photography

Sad news. The film is the one I use every week, my nocturnal companion...oh well

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...

South beach nights

Night is the only time when I can shoot comfortably these summer days. Even at night --- this one was hot (87F) and humid -- the feel and the load of subtropical summer never goes away.
Shooting streets at night is tricky:
- the light is unpredictable;
- exposure error is rather a norm;
- bracketing rarely helps;
- focusing is unreliable, both manual or AF,
and despite of all of this I love the view of night-time pictures and how people open to the simple emotions in the dark. Again, Satursday's South Beach was packed with people, celebrating life and I had my glimpse of it. Here another second for you:

"Big Night" in Lemon City

Three frames from the event in Little Haiti. Taken with Nikon F5 camera on Kodak P3200TMZ film shot at E.I.12500.

Soccer fan

At South Beach last Friday, Tmax P3200 film exposed at E.I.6400 / developed to ISO 12500; Nikon F5 camera with DW-30 waist level finder installed.

Nikon Nights: myths debunked

It had been my believe for ages that a rangefinder is the best camera for available light/night time candid street photography, and it still is...with one bold exception: Nikon F5 SLR. Heavy big camera just won't shake at all. It is stable in hands as it is attached to the tripod -- well, almost. Plus, it has interchangeable viewfinders I love; use them to compose from the low view point; like the bright high magnification finder DW-31 or the convenient waist level finder DW-30. Add to the recipe Ilford Delta 3200 or Kodak Tmax P3200 film pushed to 12500 ASA and you have the best film-based night-time street setup ever! Of course it is BIG, BOLD and HEAVY camera and I have been noticed and frowned at much more often when with F5 than with my leicas but the results are stunning and I don't care. Let it fly!

The last few days of decent weather...

The hot and humid South Florida summer is around the corner; it is becoming increasingly hard to stay in the streets for a long time. Shot on Tri-X 400 with Bessa L/25mm. The last two are night shots on Ilford Delta 3200 film exposed at E.I.8000 in Leica M2 camera with 21mm Voigtlander lens and developed to E.I.12500 in Tmax Developer (13 min at 74F/25C)

Full moon fever at Ocean drive

Moon shining and night frenzy is in full swing at Ocean Drive and in the alleys of South Beach. A spectrum of gestures and emotions all registered on Tri-X with my trusted Leica M2 circa 1962. Enjoy:

Calle Ocho at Night

It was Friday/Friday it was...two weeks ago. Leica M2/35mm/Tri-X at ISO3200.

Ocean Drive Nights, continued...

As promised, more night shots. Most of these were taken with Leica M2/35mm lens on Tri-X rated at E.I.3200/developed in 2xDiafine. The other camera was Bessa R3M also with 35mm lens:

Ocean Drive Nights

Shot few rolls of Tri-X at South Beach this weekend: it was St Patrick day and the crowds were dense and wild...more pictures to follow

At the guitar concert in Little Havana

Leica M/Tri-X at E.I.3200 in 2xDiafine

Ticket to Heaven

Last Saturday at Lincoln road...Leica M2 with 35mm Scopar lend on Tri-X film

Another night at Little Havana

Last Friday of every month there is an event at Calle Ocho in Little Havana named Viernes Culturales ("Cultural Fridays"). The site is down at the moment but the event is going on; it is relatively easy to find street parking and a lot of small venues to enjoy, a lot of subjects to photograph. Here is few more frames from the roll I shoot last Friday:

Miami nights

I slowly came to like the night street photography for few reasons, one been Miami's unbearable heat+humidity duo. My problem is that I'm _not_ a nocturnal creature; I usually get up before sunrise and in a bed at 10PM. So I have to force myself to drive to Miami Beach or to Calle Ocho etc after the sunset; but I like what I'm getting so much...
My usual night setup is a rangefinder camera with 35mm or 50mm lens and Tri-X film pushed to 1600 or 3200 ASA. Check this flickr gallery to see more of my Miami night photography

Wind from the sea

First time the "M" letter in camera's "Bessa R3M" name had gotten a use: the battery died that night but the camera, been fully manual, worked. I just happened to have an external exposure meter and used it instead of the internal.