Monsoon shades

<p><br />I took these pictures a couple of months ago. My eyesight is not very good these days, a bit blurry. I hesitated to post any pictures. Felt the urge to keep in touch; I am posting these Monsoon pictures taken around the community one afternoon late August. Hope they are worthy of PN.<br /><br />I took the pictures with a Praktica LTL3 that I had bought recently. It is a black one; seems better finished than the Chrome ones. Possibly, they paid more attention to the smaller numbers of the black ones on the production line; possibly, it is an illusion too. The LTL3 seems to be the same as the MTL3 except for some small refinements. I perceived one such in the PCB for the meter, though with the same circuit as in the MTL3. I used a Pentacon 50mm f/1.8 lens that I had bought separately. It had a slipped lever that would operate the aperture. A little CLA and correction made it work. I have an “almost new” camera, now.<br /><br />Everything worked well “except the meter.” That is what the seller said. The price was so low that I bought it anyway. I paid more for postage than for the camera. I installed a button-cell after some cleaning and lube and tweaked the potted resistors. The meter came alive quickly. It took another ten minutes to calibrate it against a reliable hand held meter.<br /><br />The pictures are typical of a Monsoon afternoon. The light was mild and diffused. The tones on the picture are soft. I added a warm tint in Picasa. Appreciate your viewing these and your comments.<br /><br />[My digital camera has run out of juice; I shall post the picture of the camera a little later.]</p><div></div>

<p><em>Chaat</em> vendors open shop in the afternoons. Their customers are mostly younger people and those returning from work.</p><div></div>

<p>These are becoming common these days. The Government Post Offices are diversifying into handling financial and insurance business, to keep up with the general profit margins. Also, India Post reaches all the villages in the country. The Banks do not.</p><div></div>

<p>The stools and pots in the foreground belong to an itinerant Tea and snacks vendor in the street corner.</p><div></div>

<p>We are still using cylinder gas, LPG only. Some plans are under way for a national grid for LNG. It is also facing a lot of environmental problems from the farmlands selected as the route.</p><div></div>

<p>Newer building materials, glass, awnings etc., are in vogue now. Traffic is also increasing.</p><div></div>

<p>These roads were not designed for automobile traffic. Just making do with the changes.</p><div></div>

<p>Newer building styles along with old wheel-barrow vendors.</p><div></div>

These look great to me. Good to hear from you again. As always I enjoy viewing your city through your photographs.

<p>Welcome back. It's good to see you posting again. Those are pretty sharp shots, if you asked me. The Chaat place, I assume, is street food vendor. Few days ago I made some Garlic Naan, man was that good. I guess I am going through Indian food period in my life. Keep shooting and posting.</p>

<p>Welcome back, it's nice to have you posting again.</p>

<p>I really like these. I think you capture the quality of light wonderfully.</p>

<p>You inspire me to return to my "collecting roots" and do some work with my neglected, but beloved, VEB Pentacon cameras. The L series have always been my personal favorites. </p>

<p>SP--excellent pictures! Always good to see your side of the world.<br>

Hope your vision improves soon. Take care. and thanks again!<br>

Best Regards,<br>

Paul</p>

<p>Hi SP, welcome back, and it's always interesting to see the changes in your town. I really like those barrow traders, wish we had that here.<br>

I have been playing with a Praktica mat recently, quite liking this camera and will post some results soon. Our little town has gained two Indian restaurants over the last twelve months, spoiled for choice!<br>

I was looking at photos taken in India by Henri Cartier-Bresson, and the light over there is quite beautiful, especially during the Monsoon.</p>

<p>Nice to see you here, <strong>SP</strong>; I was feeling some concern during your absence. Another enjoyable and informative post; the LTL3 is a typically solid Praktica and I don't have to extol the quality of the Pentacon lens. You had a very nice soft light, and I like the gentle sepia tones. Hope to see you back, soon.</p>

Thanks for posting SP. I like the light sepia touch. I think it fabulous how you are monitoring the changes in you area. Change is constant and in India it seems quite rampant. You have done well to record it. Like Rick D.- I was getting concerned and that with the eyesight.. .. mmhh me too! I ma happy to see you using the Praktica and stirring another great Fan ( JD) with your post. I need a new collector category like I need a hole in the head. I have access to many DDR equipment. I have both the M42 Zeiss East and Exakta. I do hope you post a pic of a "black" version of the LTL 3. I find Praktikas quite attractive.

<p>The shots are excellent. I enjoy very much your snapshots and views about the community modernization. Someone will have to write a modern Kim on what is happening in India.</p>

 

<p><em>Hi SP!</em> Like Rick, I was a bit concerned about not seeing any posts from you for awhile, so it's good to see your pictures again. These look great (quite sharp!) and as always, I thoroughly enjoy seeing your neck of the woods through your lenses.</p>

<p>Admittedly, this is my first time seeing your pictures, as my life activities spread me pretty thin and keep me from participating as much as I'd like... they are excellent! I always try to capture the daily life of the places I travel to, away from the usual tourist attractions. To see a place as viewed from the "local" perspective is a treat... thanks for posting!</p>

<p>Picture of the Camera</p><div></div>

<p>The "LTL3" imprint has vanished. It was screen printed and did not last very long.</p><div></div>

<p>Thanks <strong>Mike</strong>, Very encouraging. <strong>Kris</strong>, yes, <em>Chaat</em> is street food, usually a mixture of many things. There are many varieties; just Google for <em>Chaat</em>, you could try some with Beer. Oh! <em>Naan</em> is a favourite! Now, I am careful as it is quite fattening.<br>

Nice to be back <strong>JDM</strong>; I have yet to find a “bad” Praktica camera; I have found a few mishandled and mauled by a previous user. If the meter works some 40 years after production and the shutter keeps accurate timings, it must be “reasonably good.” Thanks <strong>Paul</strong>, I am getting better.<br>

<strong>Tony,</strong> I like the Praktica Mat too. In mine, the meter is problematic. I have not found a way get to adjusting the same. The VF is very bright and the shutter seems excellent. I think Ray published a book on Bresson in India. I recall that Life Magazine published an issue on “Monsoon India” in the late 1950s, in colour. About ten years ago, Nat Geo produced a long Documentary on “Changing Seasons in the Western Ghats.”<br />Thanks <strong>Rick</strong>, I always look forward to your comments and learn something from them. <strong>Chuck</strong>, I find the DDR cameras as good as any. If we keep the politics out we can appreciate the technology and the humanistic effort, mush as you do. Thanks <strong>Julio, Andy</strong>, good to hear from you. <strong>Allan</strong>, nice to hear from you; I perceive a lot of interesting things in ordinary urban scenes; framing them in an interesting perspective seems to be the more difficult job.</p>

<p>Good to see you back. Nice pictures</p>