Retina I

Something a bit different - a shot of a 1938 Kodak Retina I. This

was one of the first 35mm cameras to be cheap enough to make 35mm

film popular. It was about half the price of the equivalent Leica I

and still had the excellent Schneider Xenar f3.5 lens and top

quality Compur shutter. It also folded away to be small enough to be

carried around without difficulty. All comments welcome particularly

on my rather basic still-life skills!

Edmund Hillary and Tensing Norgay climbed Everest in 1953 and to prove it here is Hillary's shot of Tensing at the summit taken with his Retina I. The Retina was definitely a travel camera!

Hello Colin, this is a very nice still life indeed, well lit and thoughtfully set out. You may have wanted to cover that bottom left colner with the green cloth, but the worn stained wood is in keeping with the aged feeling of the other components.

 

I like the old lether bound books in the background. Had you considered using some old photos in an alternative shot?

 

Best wishes. Peter

Great!!!

It works. Definitely works. The bottom-left corner... wasn't to sure about, but may balance out the dark top-right one. The positioning of the books seems to spread the weight nicely, and I like how it's green book on green mat and brown one fading into brown background. Positioning of everything seems just right to my eyes, and I like the crop.

Peter, thanks. The brown corner and green are in fact the cover of a larger book (brown leather spine, green covers) I can see it might have been better to make it more obious what it is.

 

I tried a few different set ups and old photos etc is one I might have a go at in the future. Thanks for the idea!

 

Ahmed, thanks!

 

Stephen, thanks, I made quite a few variations of this shot and this was the closest. In a way I wonder whether it would have been better to have a wider shot and maybe include more things to suggest a context but I am still learning all this stuff by trial and error. (digital is great for the 'error' bit!)

Did you consider including all of the camera in the crop and adding another book for balance with all the camera in the frame? Not sure that would be better because I do like the composition here. The detail is very nice, as is the lighting. The history also adds interest.

Ken, thanks. I am just playing about with this sort of thing inspired by the excellent things I see here on PN - (including your work). Yes, I considered a lot of things and having the whole camera in the shot was one, having a foreground item for scale was another. I think the composition is a bit sparse and will try a few more things to see if I can improve it. I was mostly trying to get the lighting right here. I am just starting out on this sort of thing so any advice is welcome!

Colin, nice idea, and goood that you took the trail/error path, so you can try more of the possibilities with that nice camera, I would like to see all of it, pity that you have framed it with half wheel cut out, but in general, your still life is very nice,even a bit tight to my taste, I think it needs more space The old books and their colors are adding to the overall composition look.

I like the light and golden look of the camera ! Pnina

Colin, my kudos here. This is a beautiful still life, especially for me, as I don't like these kind of shots very much. The lighting is perfect and you also chose well those books in old covers... Very well done indeed...

Jiri

Thanks Pnina and Jiri!

 

Pnina, I think you are right about the crop - I shall try some different things some time soon.

 

Jiri, the light is one of the things I am trying to get right so thanks for your comment.

Colin, good still life and crop. I know you like color, but in this case with the old objects couldn't resist trying sepia, just another version. Sondra

WOW!!

Old books and a real, old camera...

Isn't this image medieval...?

I do love it, Colin. Thanks for giving us the taste of the real things... I can, almost, smell it!

Superbly rich colours and perfect focus as well as a novel 'still life' composition, Colin. Great work, as ever. Kind regards, Chris

beautiful piece of work, colin, showing your distinctive and very pleasing use of colors, clarity and perspective.

Very fine still life Colin.How You show the wear and use of the books and the camera,makes a "DOF" into Your past and further.besides that,it has intense colors and a well arranged composition.Very beautiful.

Limited still life skills? Bollocks!

 

It's beautifully taken, lit, and coloured.

 

The only comment I have on this is the composition: I, really, really, want to see the top of the camera, a square frame would be lovely - although I think this may be full frame as is. Another scruffy leather bound volume and the whole camera would make this a 7/7 for me.

 

Great work once again.

 

EDIT: Just spotted someone else has already said this above - I'm nothing but unoriginal :)

I don't get easily enthusiastic about stilllife, Colin, but love this, first for the old books ( a passion) and the old camera I confess I had never seen before. Excellent composition and light.

Just as what Ben has said , little up and little specs of dust to render it more neglected old look . A newer type of composition by you and I think my last general observation on ur photography was not wrong .

 

Rgds.

Thanks Sondra, I like your version.

 

Alberto, thanks, it doesn't smell too bad I hope?

 

Chris, Ben S, Alexandra, thank you, I am quite pleased with the colour well though the lighting is a bit yellow.

 

Ben, thanks I agree about wanting to see the whole thing. Next time I'll try that!

 

Paula, thank you I like old books too - very tactile! (oh - and old cameras too I'm afraid to say!)

 

Tuhin, thanks, yes, something new to try inspired by some of the excellent work I have seen here on PN.

I like it very much. Nice composition, those old books are a good background. As mentioned above sepia is also an option for such subjects, but maybe it tends to be over-used (i use it myself :-) ). Your choice to go for colours made your work more challenging imo, and you fully succeeded.

I don't mind the close crop, quite like the semi-circle for some reason. The center area seems very good... the large circle of the lens, the square of the cover, the balance of the Kodak stand, all spreading into the mass of the books.

 

A wider view with more objects should be fun, though. You're theme here seems to be more about the travels of the camera, or at least its go-anywhere size, so you'd have to choose the objects carefully. Mmm... sub-themes, you've got the famous travels already, maybe where you've been with this particular one, as well, objects picked up along the way, a photo taken with it, etc. Lots of fun to be had with these.

A very good attempt at still life, Colin. ( I have never tried it). The crop, clurs & lightings looks alright to me. There is a olden time feel.

Perfect still life, Colins. I wonder if this is inside work at home because of the English weather.

By the way, I was expecting you to pick some olives. Have a look to my last shot and you will realize what I mean. Cheers!!

Beautiful lighting to accentuate the patina.