A few time last summer we bumped into this lot of happy skaters, who were engaged in what can be described as a party.
Good atmosphere, disco music and smiles all around, all lead by the above MC.
Hurry up Alice or you ll be late to the party.
The sun was going down and available light was no much, but good enough for the Summicron 50 and the roll of HP5 loaded in the M6.
A bit of line dancing.
I m just passing by, please ignore me.
Here are a few shots of a Hare Krishna celebration in October in Trafalgar square in London. Is stumbled over the party by complete chance.
I was armed for the occasion ( well not for the occasion then as it was by chance) with the Leica M6 classic and the Summicron 50mmV5.
For once I had a Kodak TMAX 100ISO film loaded, not the usual Ilford HP5 coming from my endless bulk roll.
Very friendly atmosphere, an opportunity to remember and share our love of India and its culture.
So this is the second part of my second roll of Cinestill XX I started in Biarritz. I was not super satisfied with the scanning so I plugged the old Epson v800 and rescan the whole film. I did not like the scan for two reasons, first I forgot to ask for high res, and I though the pictures were a bit small. Second I thought it was too grainy and had too much contrast.
I quite liked the result of the Epson, if I recon correctly I scanned in 2400 dpi, saved as B&W JPG using the standard holders. The result is a bit smooth, that you may assimilate to lack of sharpness.
I think there is a bit on compromise between sharpness, grain and details. Well anyway I am not very technical, I like these scans better.
These shot are still part of the same trip so I think the lens is either the Summicron 50mm v5, either the Summicron 35mmF2 Asph v2, attached to the Leica M6 classic
After the second roll, its a bit difficult to make an opinion on the Cinestill XX, as I am not sure how properly my lab process it. As I said before a bit too much grain for my taste (remember my favourite film is the Rollei Retro 80), but maybe there is a ratio between the distance to the subject and the grain that makes it less suitable to my may of shooting (I usually do streets shots between 5 and 10 meters) ? Did anybody consider that?
Enough of the technical bit, Paris in the spring is a beautiful place to be. That’s a first for me in about 15 years so I was under the spell, and I thing that will be the same for the seasons to come.
Paris is not as eccentric as London, but there is a good mix of old and new, tourists and locals, fake and authentic, making you raising your camera every 5 minutes. Ok I am a slow shooter so that will be once every thirty minutes.
One last technical thing: I can see on forums the never ending question of bringing films through airports: remember that there are x-ray machines as well when you take the Eurostar. I never cared being worried about X-ray machines damage to film. I think if you are an amateur this is irrelevant. If you are a pro that’s different, but then you can always buy and process locally if its so important.
Thanks for reading.
All shots Leica M6 Classic, Summicron 35 or 50, Cinestill XX shot at 200 ISO, I put an indication of where the pictures were shot so you can plan a tour. This roll is older that the one displayed in My last roll of Ektachrome.
Last week end (2nd to 5th of June) was the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, a celebration giving some picture opportunities.
Friday, all started by the air parade shot from my window with the crappy Canon Serenar 135F4 mounted on the Leica M262. The lens was already mounted on the camera, I was just playing around last week.
The city was generally dressed up in national colours and royal memorabilia’s. Here the newspaper kiosk on Sloane Square, shot with the Summaron 35mmF2.8, the M version with goggles. I really went al vintage lenses this week,
Friday a steel band was playing on Kings Road, a couple of ladies made their best to warm up the atmosphere.
But they were not alone.
Even the Chelsea Pensioners were out.
Some people were rushing to parties in the hood.
The party went on until Sunday.
People rushed to the Mall on Sunday morning to see the parade.
and actually walking against the flow, we reached Hyde Park Corner and met the parade, with no crowd at all.
Sunday I changed the lens for the Summaron 35mmF3.5 ltm, a better choice as it is easier to focus without the goggles.
After watching so many horses, we moved to the Belgravia street party on Elizabeth street (the well named).
And all finished with a bit of music (and beer)
If you are not bored by now, I will have some film shots from Saturday to post as well.
All shots with Leica M262, with in order the Canon Serenar 135mmF4 ltm, the Summaron 35mmF2.8 M, the Summaron 35mmF3.5 ltm
I collected yesterday my first roll in a long time. It was probably finished the first week of the lock-down in Singapore which was on 5th of April.
This is an expired roll of Fuji Across shot with the Leica M6 and probably a mix of Summaron 35 and Summicron 28.
The roll is so so , maybe the roll is too expired maybe sitting on my drawer for 3 month was not a good idea, maybe I just mucked up the metering. Well there is a couple of fun shots. I put them as a slide show just to try.
One of the last week-ends despite not feeling very well, I head to Little India without any special idea in mind and the Hassie in the camera bag. Having left my shoes outside I walk inside the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple on Serangoon road to find that a celebration (or puja) was held that day. I just had half a roll and could shot the following.
The is Rollei RPX 400 ASA film, the first roll I ever shot. I must say I quite like it the grain is very thin, quite good contrasts. I have a little stock of both 100 and 400 ASA of this film in 120 format in the fridge, I may buy some 35mm when I’m back in France. When back from the shop the film was quite flat and easy to scan unlike the Rollei Retro which is so curly
I am not sure if this is a set meal or an individual set of offerings for each participant; I did no stat that long to check.
One of the musicians or the ceremony at rest.
The chariot of the temple that rides out in the city for some special celebrations.
CameraHasselblad 500cm
LensCarl Zeiss 80mmF2.8 probably 1/60 F4
FilmRollei RPX 400 ASA
Digi-filmScan Epson v500+Epson Scan software + lightroom 3.6
Time to pull another friend from the dry box ! At least once a year let’s get together and have a walk around town. The Ftn finder uses the same batteries as the Minolta Hi-Matic so there was no problem to get started, just loading a fresh (and cold from the fridge) roll of Ilford Delta 400 and off we go. When I say off we go its a kind of shortcut, because it took me more than two weeks to complete the 36 exposures, but you know what I mean. Oh, and I have chosen the original 50mm 1.4 Auto-s; last year I was very pleased with the pictures I did with the more recent 50mm 1.4 AIS, so let’s try to see if there is an objective difference or if it was just chance.
Here are 3 shots make on Orchard Road, in rather dim light, so wider aperture (probably around 2.8) and slow speed (30 to 60).
Nobody was dancing in the street at the sound of the band that Sunday, but that’s a common sight. Too bad!
In term of dancing I was luckier withe the Line Dancing Fiesta and the two shots below.
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