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flare - glow - whatever


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Flare or glow - the discussion goes on and on; butno matter what

camera or lens at our disposal, it's all about capturing and using

light in a way that is satisfying to the photographer. Win some,

lose plenty. I was happy with this one...

 

This image was taken with a 1929 Lieca IA - in available light,

handheld by pulling the case strap tight to my face - braced against

a post - exposure about 2 seconds with the old Elmar wide open -

using an old Elmar hood. Film: Jessops brand 200 ASA Diamond. D&P

shop processing.<div>00Fqex-29154684.jpg.bcbf5f29918f6868d84205f9e2d37141.jpg</div>

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<i>no matter what camera or lens at our disposal, it's all about capturing and using light in a way that is satisfying to the photographer.</i></p>My job would be much easier if I had only to satisfy myself. Not that I'm not my own toughest critic, but I do know my likes and dislikes whereas clients are strangers.
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Hi Paul - John

 

John - yes - the left side cropped; and I wonder about the softness there. I thought it might be the intensity of the light - and its vibrations - rather than just out of focus. I didn't crop because of the softness - just to concentrate the image.

 

Paul - I love the way the old lens worked here. Daylight film, too.

 

Thanks guys.

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Here's another from the same evening. It works for me - but maybe not for others. I anticipated some blur with the 2 second handheld exposure - but I think it enhances rather than detracts from the atmosphere. Same camera, lens, and film.

 

About the softness on the left of the previous pic, I have another from a little further along the waterfront that shows the same effect: the more intense reflected light showing up as vibration?<div>00Fqlu-29156484.jpg.49768df19b482d4fa54f26befd5c57e5.jpg</div>

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Rob, I don't believe Terence was delivering a stricture, or that he meant that he was inhabiting the 'real world'. I don't agree with him that things are simpler when doing what one wants and without constraints from others. Hockney gave a talk at the art school where I was doing graphic design - years ago - his argument was that the only difference between graphics, or commercial, art and fine art is who sets the brief, - you or someone else. It made quite an impression - at least on us graphics students - though, perhaps, it was a bit simplistic (my interpretation, maybe). There is a difference between the application of this notion to photography and to painting/drawing; though, as Robs work shoows, this difference is perhaps becomeing vague ; an image is an image. I never did go into a commercial studio because the point at which I get touchy about being dictated to about what I do is not deep burried, (and I never had a family - I wonder why !) but I've kept a certain amount of professionalism towards clients for portraits and the like.

 

Don't know if I've said bugger all, there.

 

Adrian.

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Rob -- for what it's worth, that softening looks more like a scanning problem to me. Check

the negs on a lightbox with a loupe. They should still be sharp, as it is probably just that your

negative holder (or whoever's did the scanning) is not holding the film flat. Of course, it could

also be a film flatness problem with the pressure plate of the IA....it is 77 years old after all.

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Guys - thanks for all the input - and the comments and comparisons. Stuart - appreciate you raising the possibility of film not being held flat - either in the camera or scanner. I'll try and check it, although I haven't noticed this area softening with normal daylight exposures.

 

Cheers

 

Rob

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Perhaps the difficulty in knowing whether to call it "flare" or "glow" is that it may be a combination of these things contributing to the unique signature. It just might be, that we should call it "flow" -- a portmanteau word, after the manner of Lewis Carroll, honoring both attributes.
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