george_weir1

<p>A couple of days ago I wrote a short piece describing just how my mind was working, what I was seeing, what I was thinking and how I attempted to capture something more than snapshots during one minute.<br>

It's here;<br>

georgeweir.typepad.com/george_weir_photographer/2010/05/in-a-minute.html</p>

<p>best<br>

George</p>

I use three m6 bodies for all my weddings. For the church stuff, 21 f2.8, 35 summilux asph, and 75 summilux.

Occasionally I'll use the noctilux and very very rarely do I feel the need to use the 90, in fact I don't think that I've used it for about 4-5 months!

If I had to use only two I'd feel very comfortable with the 35 and 75 luxes.

Karl:

The last thing I would do to my Leica gear is dismantle or play with it, especially if it were under warrenty.

However I did send an M6TTL back to NJ last month, with a stong letter describing how this was its third trip back there in less than a year.

I sent it on a Monday and at 9:30am Friday I received a brand new replacement M6TTL. No questions, no phone calls, just great service.

I purchased my third M6 the next morning.

Thanks for the original post Kirk, enjoyed reading it.

FWIW a few thoughts;

I dumped my MF gear just over two years ago and started shooting my

weddings entirely on 35mm. Nikons.

A year ago added an M6.

Never looked back.

Added another M6 last month because I really wanted to shoot my

colors with Leica also.

Really enjoyed shooting with two M's, however as I shoot with four

bodies, 35mm and 90mm's each for color and B&W I still wasn't there.

Added another M6 on the way to Saturdays's wedding and had an

absolute blast. I really was a joy to work with the three bodies. I

kept a N90s for syncro-sunlight but hardly used it at all.

I had another shooter who had wanted observe me shoot with his

digital (S1), gosh I'd forgotten how loud mirrors are. I coould hear

it all over the church.

I was able to shoot entire ceremony in a not too bright church with

NPS and FP4.

Reception was at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. Switched to

Neopan (reated at 640) and NPZ. Used 35mm, 50mm lux and 50mm noctilux

as well as some on the 90mm cron.

It really is light, fast, soooo easy to use in comparision to the

Nikons or other SLR's.

<p>

Usually I shoot anywhere between 35-50 rolls per event, I don't count

until I arrive home. If I see it I shoot it.

My costs factor this in so I'm not worried about how much I'm

shooting.

<p>

Comment: I know others may (will) say it shouldn't be done, but I'm

doing it and my m's have survived thus far.

I use a SB24 on one of my M6 TTL's, I have it set on Auto and the

shutter somewhere between 1/4 and 1/30, (it's usually 1/15. Stofen

Omnibounce, set at 45 degree angle. Aperture set at f/11 on a 35mm.

Good fast shooting.

<p>

All B&W film is hand processed and combined with C-41 for scanning

and proofing. There are no proof prints. Client receives CD.

<p>

It really is a temendous way to make a living. My wife tells me "You

don't even think that your'e going to work when you leave the house"

<p>

There's lot's more, however there's also an album to be finished

tonight.

All the best

George

B&W = Ilford FP4 and for really fast Fuji Neopan 400 all developed in

Diafine.

For consistantly great color,Fuji NPS, some NPH and you just gotta

love that NPZ for churches and receptions.

I don't think that any one of the 2,000 or so images on my site

wasn't shot with one of the above films.

All my film is scanned after processing, still hand print for albums

and Fuji Frontier for regular reorders.

I use it for all my B&W.

FP4 rated at 250 and Neopan 400 rated at 640.

I love not having to be overly concerned about temp especially as

I shoot approximately 30-75 rolls of B&W per week during my peak

periods.

Very consistant negs which are printed on grade 2.5 Multigrade with

Agfa Neutol WA developer.

<p>

Kodak Tri-X 35 is rated at 1600 and the 120 pro is at 1000 so you may

want to try a slower film.

All the B&W images on my site www.georgeweir.com were processed in

Diafine. There's a couple of thousand there just now, most are

smaller for speed however there are a few larger ones at

http://www.georgeweir.com/pages/photo-essay-home.html

<p>

Anyway, give the diafine a try, I believe that you will come to swear

by it like your friend. Then buy a couple of two and a half gallon

containers with floating lids and make your life that much simpler.

<p>

ALl the best

George

I purchased an M6 TTL four months ago, primarily to shoot B&W's at

weddings, been using Nikons for over 20 years. I was worried about

the loading and would it slow me down during weddings and how would

the focusing be in very low light. Oh my goodness, I can load it as

fast as a Nikon and focus with so much more accuracy in low light. I

wish I'd added it to my armamentariun years ago.

Finally shot some colors with it last week and my kids and wife all

declared "Why aren't you using the Leica for your color formals?"

It is an unbelievable tool, I love it and on Saturday shot about 80%

of my wedding with it, SLR's are now definately relegated to the

spare bag!

some samples

http://www.georgeweir.com/pages/Photographers-NY.html