aplumpton

<p>Rudolph is very influential as a teacher. Steve did a very fine job of recomposition in his images, better than I did (cropping is best not done and considered final too quickly, as there are many opportunities that are only a few mm away. Not to suggest that spontaneity does not provide its rewards as well).</p> <p>Julie, i never feel that I am really subtracting (in terms of the power of the image) when I crop, as the aim is usually to rid the frame of unnecessary elements and seek a better composition. Less is often more.</p> <p>Of course, if the way that the subject matter is portrayed and composed is already all that is needed, then any subtraction is usually a negative result.</p> <p>The frame for me is as useful as the period following a sentence in a text. In both cases, frame or period, the creator can still ask questions or suggest things related to what follows or what transpires or is derived from what is read or seen within the confines of the original statement. The frame is for me an important element of the composition.</p>

<p>Your 50mm Summilux will make a good portraiture lens (about 67 mm equivalent), with the 28 becoming a 37mm wide normal.</p> <p>A 21mm lens can take the place of a 28mm on a full frame camera and you might find either an older used LTM or M mount f2.8 lens. Less expensive is the 21mm f4 VC lens, but a used Japanese Kobalux f2.8 lens (production ceased in 2002) can also probably be found for less than $500, although you might need a separate 28mm VF for your M8.</p> <p>Have fun.</p>

<p>Charlie, I should explain where I am coming from. Before buying the A7RII I shot film and digital Leica, presently the M9. Exchanging the M9 for an M240 was not an option for me because the M240 is 24 MP (not much of an increase vis-a-vis the M9 which I like), is very expensive and has no tiltable monitor which is an advantage for me that is provided by the A7. Yes, I cannot use my 21 and 35 mm Leica optics at their best on the A7RII, but a 50mm f2 manual Loxia and a 16-35mm Vario-Tessar (Zeiss designed, Cosina produced) was not very expensive and I shoot Leica 50mm and up using Metabone adapters on the A7.</p> <p>So, I cannot afford the latest M or a 50mm APO Summicron. I prepared an exhibition of some 50 B&W and color images this past summer and had prints made up to 18 x 24 inches with the A7 and the aforementioned two optics, with some other images wet darkroom or digital from MF (6x9 Fuji) and Leica M9 negatives or files. The hosts of the two month exhibition as well as some clients were quite pleased with the quality of the prints. The prints could have been even better of course, but they were still a cut above most images I see printed by serious amateurs.</p> <p>I am not trying to say that you guys are "gilding the lily" in terms of ultimate resolution, but perhaps we should be less worried about small differences at considerable cost differential. This can become a bit like the mania of former years when "The Absoute Sound" extolled often subtle differences in the quality of recorded sound.</p> <p>Modifying an A7RII is perfectly fine as far as I am concerned, as long as one is conscious of the fact, like the case for unmodified A7 users with say a 35 mm ASPH Summicron as in my case, that only certain optics will be advantaged, and not others.</p>

<p>I think I agree with one point, that Sony A7 series is not meant to be a universal system accepting all legacy optics. Originally Sony had a very limited series of lenses at the start, but that, and their collaboration with Zeiss, is changing that situation. Not many camera producers are providing one form only that accepts all lenses, why should Sony? </p> <p>If Canikon were serious about accepting legacy optics, their cameras would likely be made to be fully compatible with them. </p> <h2 > </h2>

<p>My preference of a 35mm focal length for B&W photography is the 35mm f2.5 Cosina-Voiglander lens, classic version. Excellent Q/P ratio if you want to avoid expensive alternatives. I no longer have a Tessar formula (4 element) lens, but it was always very fine in film B&W. I think the 50mm Elmar-M f2.8 collapsible in bayonet mount and previous f3.5 and f2.8 versions from the 60s or 70s in LTM also used the Tessar formula.</p>

<p>Firth and last crop.</p> <p>Overall, as you no doubt know, the originals contain abundant subject matter and invite perception of what is the principal or more arresting subject matter. The crops can gain by being even more focussed than some of these. Thanks for posting the exercise as it is key to seeing in visual perception of scenes. </p><div></div>

<p>Fourth crop</p><div></div>

<p>Third crop (pic should read Cropped leaves ap2)</p><div></div>

<p>Second crop</p><div></div>

<p>A few minutes before leaving for town. Interesting overall images, Julie, with much potential for evidently quite subjective cropping and identifying strong subject matter. Here are my 5 versions and I will be interested later to see others.</p><div></div>

<p>Very sad news. I new Tom only through his very generous replies to my few email questions in regard to a Japanese photographer and craftsman he knew. He was a keen and intelligent person. I offer my sympathies to his wife and family. </p>

<p>I don't really understand the collection mania for expensive rare cameras, black, chrome, well used or pristine. A camera is but a tool to be used. Its body and lenses are made black for practical rather than aesthetic or fashion reasons.</p> <p>So, it is not very complicated to take a good working order and quite well cared for IIIc or IIIf chrome Leica, costing perhaps 3 or 400 dollars, and having a specialist disassemble it, strip it of its chrome and intermediate nickel coatings over brass, and have it well repainted in black, for an additional 500 dollars. For some that is not necessary, but for photographers wishing a black camera in order to attain some greater degree of invisibility while photographing, the 800 or so dollars may not be a high price to pay. It is certainly considerably less expensive than trying to find a serviceable original black camera of that period. And in many cases, the resulting finish is more durable coating than Leitz provided.</p> <p>In such cases the process of blackening mandated by a photographer has rarely the intent to falsify the camera's original state. <br> <br> Because a rare old black camera has marks of use and brass bones does not make it better. If a well known photographer previously owned such a camera, his visable "mileage" on the camera is not going to make you the same photographer and create better images.</p> <p> </p>

<p>Sandy, the term describes different styles in different countries (USA, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Ireland, and of course Bangladesh). Different low rise bungalow styles exist in the USA. The Ultimate bungalow, or California Craftsman style is a refined exterior and interior designed house using high craft and often exotic woods. Wikipedia shows some photographic descriptions of the varying styles that relate to the definition of "a low house, with a broad front porch, having either no upper floor or upper rooms set in the roof, typically with dormer windows." With an aging population and in regions where adequate land is available for their extended footprint, the one storey house devoid of levels has some attraction.</p> <p>I don't know many such low rise structures that are also convenient for museum or gallery exhibition of photographs or art. My coach shed seasonal gallery is akin to a bungalow or cottage of one or one and a half stories and its available exhibition wall space is limited to just under one hundred linear feet despite its 32 x 30 foot footprint and two compartment interior. Perhaps the most efficient use of space for photographic or art display might be a restored and repurposed multi rise factory structure or apartment building of several floor levels. However, the current multifunctional requirements of modern museums seeking enhanced public use require much more open and airey visitor and exhibition spaces. The gallery of the Fondation Louis Vuitton at the Bois de Boulonge, Paris, designed by Canadian-American Frank Gehry, is perhaps a typical example of this requirement.</p> <p> </p>

<p>Interesting that the British brought to the west from Bengali the house of that style and name that was retermed bungalow. These one story houses, often with verandas, were then built in many places of the world. In Canada a bungalow is invariably of one story (excluding basement). Also, what is normally called the neoclassical house of around 1800, and locally the unique Quebec vernacular version, has a bell shaped roof, the end of which covers the veranda. A local building overlooking Montmorency Falls from the end of the 18th century was the sometime habitat of Queen Victoria's father in that period and possibly was one of the first to have that form of roof, also imported from India (although I question this as being the only influence, as some areas of central France have roofs and overhangs of somewhat similar form and from a region that supplied early immigrants (including tradespeople) to North America).</p> <p>Architectural inspiration knows few boundaries, and this is seen in the form of museums throughout the world. The attempts in the twentieth and present centuries to welcome a greater cross section of the population to museums is reflected in the architecture trends and the multipurposing of these buildings (enhanced range of activities).</p>

<p>David, your interest in Spanish California Colonial Revival struck a cord, also that of Craftsman type that was invented in California and perhaps similar to the arts and crafts style we occasionally see here. Our visits to Spanish missions on the west coast were much appreciated. Vernacular architecture is often ignored by our locals, just as they used to throw out painted antique pine furniture about 50 or so years ago as being passée. I personally love the old vernacular architecture of our rural area near Quebec City which like the contemporary architecture you produce is of elegant simplicity. My wife and I also adore spending a bit of time in France or England for the simple country vernacular cottages and village life.</p> <p>The Quebec City museum was designed by OMA in NYC in partnership with Provencher Roy associates in Montreal. Some views are seen in<br /><br /><br> http://oma.eu/projects/pierre-lassonde-pavilion<br /> <br /> <br />If you can Google Quebec City museum and Globe and Mail of June 2016 you may see an article in English describing it. I tried to transfer the link but failed.</p>

<blockquote> <p>I would not want to live in any of Phillip Johnson's houses, but they remain fascinating exercises and explorations of his design ethic and vision.</p> </blockquote> <p>David, perhaps one of your three criteria (a functional space for the occupant) in that case was not well thought out, or somewhat ignored by the architect. Man should enjoy his enclosures. Without extending the thought to the works of Johnson, architecture is like art in one sense, there are examples which many might consider good and bad architecture.<br /> <br /> I visited with friends the new museum addition in Quebec city yesterday. The principal architect was Shohei Shigematsu of the firm OMA (of Rem Koolhass). The majestic white spiral staircase over three levels, the large public spaces, the glass and connection with the nature outside, and the rooftop garden impress me, like others. I wonder though if the building contains enough gallery space given its actual footprint? The galleries are nonetheless efficient and the long tunnel (of varying volumes) between buildings is well used to house the very long and surprisingly beautiful Riopelle 'Hommage to Rosa Luxembourg' painting. <br /> <br /> I have to think a bit more about this building as it evolves with its two other detached sister buildings (a converted Bastille or 19th century prison and the original neoclassical design museum) and houses different exhibitions.</p>

<p>Rarity is the Holy Grail of many collectors. There are few historical black paint Leicas.</p> <p>If one wants a black paint Leica for photographic reasons (unobstrusiveness?), it is quite easy to have an old chrome Leica stripped of its coating and recoated with black paint and white numerals and letters by an artisan.</p> <p>Some modern Leicas are available in black paint. I think that their price is quite similar to a chrome version if the latter is an option.</p>

<p>Tim, Freeman Patterson is a photographer from Nova Scotia who has written several books. He therefore is not just using words but showing results of what he teaches.</p> <p><br /> Richard Zakia, Prof. emeritus at Rochester Institute of Technology, has written several texts, at least one with Minor White. Perception and imaging is an interesting text (art and photography).</p> <p><br /> Rudolph Arnheim (Harvard, Univ. of Michigan, Univ. of California) educator on psychology in art , has published several useful texts including "Art and visual perception" and "The Power of the center - A study of composition in the visual arts".</p> <p><br /> These people are not just art critics but art or photography practitioners and theoreticians. Their lessons may not always make it into all of our photography, but knowing where they are coming from can help us in defining our personal approaches.</p> <p> </p>

<p>I understand "strongest" I think by the impact (rather than market volume) that high quality wet process B&W prints seem to be having on viewers accustomed to many digital prints they are seeing. A little anecdotal evidence of similar nature was obtained in comments from some viewers to my summer show who saw both my digital and silver base images. The wet process image seems to have more depth to the emulsion or something that I can only guess at (Some uncertainty may be due to the fact that glossy digital and semi-matte silver prints were being compared). </p>

<p>I can also recommend "Understanding a Photograph" by John Berger (1967, latest version Penguin 2013), very thorough and practical analyses, which I read too sporadically between activities on vacation in 2015, but which I will appily return to. I got as much or more out of it than in the books on the similar topic by Rolande Barthe, Susan S., or Janet Malcolm). A book that it is worth going back to for inspiration from time to time. </p>

<p>Thanks Laurie and Anders. Amongst only partially read or unread books in my library (there should be a public penalty instituted for that, a bit like that for not mowing your grass in the suburbs in summer) are others on the ways of seeing (Patterson, Zakia, Arnheim, Kandinsky...). In addition to other unbought unread books are those by Berger you quote and also one of his sources of thought, the German art critic Walter Benjamin. Ah, between art practice and art theory, each day I have to question "where to start?"</p>

<p>Charlie, it would be interesting to see the results at other than f2 or widest aperture, as most shots made are likely at f2.8 or smaller. The OP did not specify his particular interest in f stop range (he was presumably referring to the whole range?) and has been absent to date from the discussion. The V4 Summicron does not surprise me at f2 as it is noted for a pretty good compromise between all apertures. I have a feeling that the Planar (Loxia?) does very well at smaller apertures than f2 and like the V4 it is a double Gauss design.</p> <p>I wonder if optical bench measurements are close to on camera performance, particularly with the specific cover glasses of various cameras, their analogue to digital conversions, etc? Does the Kolari modification help improve the corners of the wide angle non Sony lenses like the Leica 21, 24, 28 or 35? Of course, it might go the other way in regards to performance for Sony Zeiss wide angle optics made specifically for the same camera.</p>