Born in the 1960s–The Best Years for Growing Up and Being a Photographer

I was born in 1964. That means the Nikon F2 was out when I was 10, the FM2 when I was 20 and I grew up in the era of Kodachrome film, Fuji Velvia, Ilford HP5 and Kodak Tri-x black and white films, and plenty of wonderful photographers working in those days like Garry Winogrand,...

Just Imagine What I Could Do With A…

Nikon F2! Such a machine!Leica M6! Ohmigod, fine German engineering!Olympus OM3! No batteries needed! Pentax MX! Look at that huge viewfinder!Nikon F! The legend, it went to war!Canon F-1! Built like a tank!Leica R6.2! All Leica goodness! Contax T3! Small wonder, Zeiss lens! Leica IIIf! The ultimate photographic jewel! You know what I can do...

Why Gear Does and Doesn’t Matter

What is the need for the biggest and best most expensive gear? I was out and about this weekend and saw protesters for the Black Lives Matter movement in my town and made photographs in both digital format with a Nikon D610 and 35mm and 120 film in a Leica M3 and a Rolleiflex 2.8C....

Nikon vs. Leica

I am both a Nikon and Leica shooter.  I shoot film and digital with both brands and the other day I sat down at my Olivetti Lettera 22 typewriter--that's where I do my best thinking on paper--and I wrote out what each camera type is good for. For shooting street photography, Leica may be classic,...

35mm Film Camera Buying Guides/Camera Recommendations

I have a buying guide for Film SLRs (and TLRs and Point and Shoots, sometimes, too.) Check it out if you're looking for a good Film Camera!   Happy Shooting!

A Challenge To Shoot Film

I keep running into people who see my old Leica IIIf over my shoulder and marvel that they still make film.  And that it is readily available.  I assure them it is. I have a standard response to their "I have a great old camera that I never use."  I tell them to just put...

Documentary Photography AKA Street Photography

Street photography.  Those two words have a lot of connotations, and often, it seems to be photos of people standing on the street, maybe checking their phones.  Those photographs don't do a lot for me.  They are more like record shots, than documentaries of anything going on.  While taking place on the street, they tell...

The Power of a Rolleiflex to Start Conversations and Meet Strangers

Carrying a Rolleiflex around, people come up to you to talk about it.  And you can approach people with the line, "Can I take your photo, I have this old camera I'm shooting," which is the 100% complete truth, and people will let you.  It's a great ice breaker.  That's how the image at right...

Film is Like Christmas Morning Surprises

The one thing that I really love about shooting film, that is really missing with digital photography for me, is the waiting.  The time between shooting and processing is a welcome delay.  Because I have a mind that easily forgets what I shot, and when the roll is finally processed, I have a surprise waiting...