GlennS

Hi gang. I haven't posted here in quite a while, age and health issues seem to be keeping me from giving the Leicas as much exercise as they should have. Thought I'd dip into the archives and post a couple of photos this week, one from the seventies and one more recent. Hope you get a chuckle... ;-) The first is from rural India when I was doing a lot of traveling in the seventies. Camera was a 3f and Agfa CNS. Women working in the field with the low sun behind made a perfect contra-jour image. Unfortunately flare kind of spoiled it but I did get a chance to try for a re-shoot, but 40 years later. I happened to be staying with friends from the seventies for a few days and the property backed on a field much like the one many years earlier. My friend had gone out and I was left alone with the cook and the gardener, neither spoke any English. Light was similar to the early photo, location was within a few miles the same, and a group of women was at work, perfect. Decided that the M4 loaded with Fuji 400 and 90mm Tele-Elmarit was best for the job. Headed out the back gate and along a path beside the field, hadn't gone far when I saw the angle to the sun was wrong. Coming back I started working my way along the edge of field behind my friends property. Up ahead I saw a grey stick poking up from the weeds, probably a field marker. I headed towards it, a few steps closer and could now see it had eyes and scales was actually a cobra reared up in strike mode! I backed up REAL FAST but paused when I felt the distance was safe. Heart and brain were starting to work again, take a photo dummy or it didn't happen. Brought the camera to my eye focused, pressed the shutter release, Nothing! In all the excitement I hadn't advanced the film. It only took an instant to advance the film but that's how long it took the serpent to go from posing nicely to slither mode in the weeds. I started backing up again, first sight of snake coming my way and it's warp drive out of there. At this point I'm hearing some very excited Hindi coming from behind. It's the curious gardener who's been watching the whole show from the gate. I only know a smattering of Hindi, but did hear samp (Hindi for snake) a few times. It was a relief to finally spot the serpent heading away, probably frightened it as much as it did me. This time there was one down the spout, unfortunately I was no longer close and not going closer without a gaggle of mongooses in tow. Snapped a quick one, this is a crop from the center. Friend got story from gardener upon returning home, " Crazy feringhi (foreigner) encountered a snake and rather than run stopped to take a photo of it".

One chilly morning I found this little fellow curled up on the sunny side of my house. The form is almost identical to the knot called, monkeys fist. Link > Monkey's fist - Wikipedia

Life size and 100% makes me think of something like the SBOOI finder Leica used to make. I believe these were only made for 50mm. I've got one and use it on old Leica models with squinty finders. Using this type of finder, you keep both eyes open retaining your 3D vision and being able to see outside what the camera does. You get the finder frame lines floating in your field of vision, probably similar to the HUDs (Head Up Display) used in fighter planes, and some new cars. Here's a link to what they look like... SBOOI - Leica Wiki (English)

The hummingbirds are happy that spring is here and nasty cold white stuff is gone....

You might want to take a look at www.rangefinderforum.com they have an active buy and sell section. The people are knowledgeable about older gear and the site has several threads about avoiding e-bay problems and scams. Glenn

Yesterday a couple of Downy Woodpeckers were checking out my yard. This one held still long enough for me to grab a camera. D800E, Tamron 70-300mm @ 300

Windy days on Juan de Fuca Straight brings out the kite surfers. D800E, 70-300mm Tamron

Jantar Mantar, Delhi M4, 21mm Super Angulon, Tri-X, D76

Rather than photograph the sun I went to a bay a short distance from where I live. Low tide and the eclipse were at the same time and many birds would be feeding when the skies darkened. In my location 88% of the sun was blocked and was curious if this would change birds feeding habits or cause them to head for roosts. The light dimmed and seemed to take on a warmer hue, no effect on the birds that I could tell. Think you need the total eclipse to see wildlife being fooled. Here's the bay on Vancouver Island....

Low tide at a beach on Vancouver Island, D800E, 70-300mm Tamron.

I wonder if they know that the image is reversed, probably scanned the negative upside down. Wind knob and shutter speed should be on the right not left side of camera.

Cast bronze statues, M4, 21mm Super Angulon, Fuji 400H

Some bug porn this week. Found these two in my asparagus patch and got a photo to aid identification. They're spotted asparagus beetles (Crioceris duodecimpunctata) , which my book says do little damage and only feed on the seeds.

This year robins built a nest in one of my pear trees. They all fledged a couple days ago.

Here's an old one from the archives. Kathmandu in December 1970 shot with M4 and 50mm Summicron on Kodachrome 64.

It's a trade off trying to use a slow enough shutter speed to get some prop blur, but keep the plane sharp. These were @ 1/250.

Another vintage aircraft, "Maid in the Shade" a B-25J on tour with the Commemorative Air Force. Flaps down as it lands at Victoria B.C. last Sunday.

Here's another fun shot with Sigma glass. Like Matt I also use the 35 Art lens, but this one is from something a bit longer. Recently got a 150-600mm Sport, wow what a beast! Will mostly use it on heavy video tripods but was curious if it could be shot hand held. To lighten the load camera used was a D3200 rather than my usual 800E. Was sitting outside when I noticed contrails overhead and tried a shot handheld at 1/250 , f/9 iso 800. This is a small crop from the DX frame. It appears that image stabilization makes a difference. A pilot friend said that a plane on that course would likely be at 37 thousand feet doing well over 400 knots. As it wasn't straight overhead probably 8+ miles away. Not too shabby considering I'm 73 and only weigh 150 lbs soaking wet.

Pot Shot, South India M4, 21mm SA, Fuji 400H

Rural India barber... M4, 21mm SA, Fuji 400H

Victoria, BC

Chinatown market, M4, 15mm CV, Tri-X

At extreme low tides Seastars like to shelter on the shady sides of large rocks. On this day I had a Rolleiflex loaded with B&W film. Location Vancouver Island.