How to be happy when there's nothing really to be happy about (playing w/ camera

[S21FOLGORE]

Life at ISO12,500

I decided to take a short walk, before the next rain starts.
I started a little too late. It's already getting darker.
But, it's a good opportunity to try high ISO shot.

All these photos were taken at ISO12,500.

I found 1966 Chevy C10. (Registration sticker on the license plate is 2009.)

'Kodachrome look'
Chevy-Kodak by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

"Dusk"
Chevy-dusk by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

"Film Noir" look
Chevy-Fil Noir by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

Side view, this is how SOOC image looks like
Chevy-SOOC by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

I tried to create the "feel" of old film look.
Chevy-film look by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

Film Noir again
Chevy-Film Noir2 by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

This is a small town, that USPS doesn't deliver mail to each household.
(Everyone has PO Box).
Also, there's no gas line running here.
Each house has propane tank in the yard, parking, somewhere.
L1000676 by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

This shack reminds me of "The Thing (1982 film) MacReady's shack".
Small, narrow, sitting on the wood scaffolding...
L1000675 by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

I really need to go outside while there's still sun light.

[S21FOLGORE]

IN CAMERA WIDE SCREEN look, with Leica SL2-S +35mm f2 summicron,  "OLD CAR" street photos"



0783 by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

The XPan look like wide screen effect was done in camera. (Leica SL2-S)
Go to Photo menu, page 3 bottom. (Photo Aspect Ratio).
Change it to 3:1, you will get the pictures like the one in the opening of this video.

XPan aspect ratio is 65:24 (approximately 2.7:1), which is wider than CinemaScope/Anamorphic aspect ratio which is 2.39:1.

Looks pretty cool with 35mm lens!

0785 by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

0786 by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

0789 by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

[S21FOLGORE]

"I only have 30 minutes" constrained Run&Gun challenge, Leica SL2-S Street Hybrid Shooting part 1



Voigtlander 75mm f/1.5 Nokton VM
75mm by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr


Leica Summicron-C 40mm f/2 before the edit
40mm before LUT by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr


Leica Summicron-C edited
40mm after LUT by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr


JFK and Elvis edited
JFK & Elvis by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr


JFK and Elvis SOOC
LFK & Elvis SOOC by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

[from the video description]

Limitation elevates the art. Constraints force creativities.
No overthinking. No second guessing.

Take SL2-S out in my lunch break. I only have 30 minutes, to walk, find something interesting, shoot photos and videos, then walk back and RETURN TO WORK.

This will force you to act quickly and early, NOT perfectly.
(If you wait for perfection / certainty, they will NEVER come.)

[S21FOLGORE]

Leica M9 tells short story
"Braiden's 1994 NA Miata"

Totally unplanned. Just happened yesterday, at the parking lot of Sprouts Farmers Market in San Rafael.
I found a red NA Miata, so I decided to take a couple of pictures.
As I was kneeling down and shooting, the owner showed up.



Photos, taken with Summicron-C 40mm f/2

Braiden's 94 NA_1-SOOC by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

Braiden's 94 NA_1-edit by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

Braiden's 94 NA_2-SOOC by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

Braiden's 94 NA_2-edit by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

Braiden's 94 NA_3-SOOC by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

Braiden's 94 NA_3-edit by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

Braiden's 94 NA_4-SOOC by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

Braiden's 94 NA_4-edit by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

[S21FOLGORE]

Short story with Leica M9 eps.2  "The coolest wrist strap for Leica M, how to make"




The "coolest" Leica M strap is (was) actually the one that was on Sean Flynn's M2, which was improvised sling made out of a piece of paracord and hand granade safety pin.
So, this is probably the second coolest Leica M camera strap.
Doesn't matter. I like this "Mad Max bracelet style" wrist strap.
They are so practical. Cost almost nothing. Easy to make.

Even though this is not really a tutorial video, if you watch without skipping, you will be able to make one.





Strap_1 by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

Strap_2 by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

YT-thumb by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

Some "test shot" with M9

Checking "how dark is too dark" for this camera, in our 1880's house kitchen.
Night shot test kitchen by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

Seal team 2 ?
Seal Team 2 rear by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

Seal Team 2 by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

I found a really, really tiny "park", near my work.
Park 1 by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

[S21FOLGORE]

Leica M9 Run&Gun No.4 BMW R75/5 "Toaster tank"



How does the 17-year old digital camera performs with 54-year old lens, on the street?
In full manual mode, no auto focus, no IBIS.
14-shot in about 4 minutes, on the street of San Anselmo, CA.
Leica M9 2009
With Leica Summicron-C 40mm f/2 1972



"Self portrait on toaster tank"
SOOC
L1010903 copy by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

Color graded
L1010903-ColorGraded copy by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

Black & White
L1010903-B&W copy by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

Film noir
L1010903-B&W high contrast copy by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

The rest of the images are SOOC
L1010906 copy by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

L1010907 copy by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

L1010908 copy by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

L1010909 copy by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

L1010911 copy by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

L1010912 copy by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

L1010913 copy by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

[S21FOLGORE]

So,...about the toaster tank BMW R75/5 photos...
I actually started feeling like I like SOOC images better, in this particular scenario, so I stopped color grading after #4 or #5 shot.

That brings some questions.

#1.
Here are two images, one color graded, one sooc.

Engine bay_1 by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

Engine bay_sooc by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

That's an engine bay of '96 Mustang Cobra, and this particular case, I felt sooc image looked just a little bit too flat.
But, looking at these images now, side by side, maybe I've gone too far...?

#2
Because I thought I'd almost always edit RAW files in the post, I set this camera "Adobe RGB". Would it be better (for sooc JPEG images) if I set it "sRGB"? Or, it would make no big difference?

These photos were from this day.
I shot this video and photos before the "toaster tank Beemer" video.

Leica M9 Run&Gun No.3  "Hooligan" Lu's Mustang Cobra SVT 1996



It wasn't a planned photo / video shoot. I just happened to have M9 with me that day.
(Dji action5, I almost always have it with me.)

Here are some of the photos from that day.

Kodachrome_1 by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

Noir_1 by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr



Kodachrome_2 by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

Noir_2 by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

[S21FOLGORE]

You DON'T have to be in NYC or LA, to enjoy "street photography" Leica M9 Run&Gun No.5
[/i]


So, it is actually "Small town street" photo and "Hiking trail" photos.
Yeah, this is where I live.
All the photos and videos were shot last Monday. (May 18th.)

I went for a short walk with a roommate and her dog, carrying only Leica M9 in hand, and dji Osmo Action5 pro hanging from the neck.

The first thing I shot was this guy, smoking pot, loud music playing from the phone,... I shot (filmed) without looking through viewfinder.
I "think" I need to aim a little bit higher when I do this.

02-smoking pot by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

This shot was done in the same way.
No viewfinder, zone focusing.

4-Erin&Junny by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

Again, the camera is pointing slightly low.
Next time, I'll try to point the lens slightly higher up.

2-House-1 by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr
Nothing really special. I thought the design of this house was cool.
Next...

Shot on the trail...
Lightly edited (mostly just adjusting the brightness.)
6-Junny by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

SOOC
6-Junny-sooc by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

Some people around here have backhoe in the yard...
8-Backhoe by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

7-trees-sooc by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

7-sign-sooc by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

1966 Chevy C-10, this truck hasn't moved since I moved into this area...

11-'66 Chevy C-10jpg by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

Very cool Land Cruiser FJ40...with Ecuador plate
12.2-FJ-40 by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr

...and it's got 6-point roll cage (NOT roll bar) and fire extinguisher mounted...
15-FJ-40-rear by S21Folgore_2, on Flickr