I always remember a famous photographer (unfortunately I can’t remember who it was) saying –
‘Don’t buy more gear, buy more books by other photographers’.
I only have to look at my shelves and I clearly took this this advice to heart as I have quite a collection of photobooks, mainly by black and white photographers, and I very much enjoy leafing through them from cover to cover, looking and learning from the images on the pages.
Whether consciously or subconsciously it is my view that all photographers and artists are influenced by the work of others. To be in bubble and to develop your own personal style without ever have been affected by their art or imagery is nigh on an impossibility. If you are a creator then it is only natural that should be interested in the work of other creators. Whether you admire their work or not, the very act of looking at the photographs of well known photographers helps define the direction of your own style, and furthers your understanding and enjoyment of this art form.
In the early days of my photography I was akin to a sponge, soaking up ideas, techniques and learning for myself what I did and didn’t like about other photographer’s work. I have written before about the very distinctive imagery of Michael Kenna, who I have always admired although I haven’t looked through my books of his photographs for quite a long time.
Which brings me to this set of photographs all captured at Castle Hill Gardens on a recent stay in Devon. My wife and I stumbled by chance on this wonderful home and superb parkland gardens. From the moment I got out of the car, and I saw the grounds, in particular the statuary, it instantly reminded me of some photographs by Michael Kenna which I had seen in the past. I knew immediately the approach I would take to the composition and how I would process the images I wanted to make.
The square format, the shallow depth of field, the split tone sepia like tint and the addition of a little film like grain would all feature. We walked around the gardens and I regularly dived off in a different direction to seek out some compositions. Before processing the files I made a deliberate choice not to reach for the Kenna books, so that the results would be my own even though I fully admit to being heavily influenced by the memory of Michael Kenna’s interpretation of similar subjects.
Photographer or not Castle Hill Gardens are well worth a visit. We were there in September, loved the walk around the gardens and we were told that Spring is a particularly special time of year to visit. The Palladian style Castle Hill house has been the home of the Fortescue family since 1684 and the current custodians are the 17th generation to live on the estate. The estate extends to 5,100 acres, including the 50 acres of gardens surrounded by Grade 1 Listed Parkland.
I hope you enjoyed this collection of photographs even if they do bear a passing resemblance to the work of Michael Kenna – to be honest I would be very flattered if you thought this was the case.
You might also be interested to read this entry about an interview with Michael Kenna which I posted back in 2018.
There is something to be said for getting out a map and without spending too much time choosing a location which you haven’t visited before. To enjoy the change, explore new paths never knowing what you might come across.
I did this recently and I intend to repeat the experience on many future occasions. Irrespective of the weather and length of walk there are always images to be made.
I have included a small selection of photographs taken recently on a Sunday morning stroll to the South East of East Chaldon village in Dorset, also known as Chaldon Herring. With more time this walk could easily be extended to include a section of the South West Coast path to visit either Durdle Door or Ringstead Bay.
A couple of years ago I published a post titled ‘Switching from Leica to Fujifilm….well not exactly’. In summary I explained how I had decided to move away from a Leica camera body in favour of Fujifilm, albeit that I retained three Leica M lenses, so that I could continue to use them with a lens adapter on Fujifilm X series cameras. I won’t repeat the content of that post here, but do click on the link above if you would like to understand the background before reading the rest of this entry.
Fujifilm XT3 with 10-24mm wide angle zoom lens
Back to the current day. Why have I reverted back to Leica? What prompted me to do so and what equipment do I now use? I hope my answers to these questions will be of interest to you and may even assist you when you are choosing your own photographic gear.
When I invested in a Fujifilm XT3, I had anticipated that I would be able to enjoy the best of all worlds. I bought some zoom lenses to cover a wide range of focal lengths (10 – 24mm f4, 16 – 80mm f4 and 55 – 200mm f3.5 to f4.8). The Fuji has an APSC cropped sensor, so this gave me the equivalent range of 15mm to 300mm based on a 35mm full frame sensor. It would cover every eventually or so I thought. I still had my Leica M glass of course (35mm f1.4, 50mm f1.4 and 90mm f2.4) which on the XT3 gave me three fast prime lenses with focal lengths of approximately 52mm, 75mm and 135mm (in 35mm terms). What more could I want? Well for starters a very large camera bag and a strong back if I was to carry all of this gear around at the same time, however this was only the beginning of my deliberations.
Knowing I couldn’t practically or physically take everything on a photo outing I had to make certain decisions at home. Zoom lenses, or just the primes, or a combination and if so which ones? The answer would always come back to what I was hoping to see and potentially photograph. Sometimes I would have a good idea which made the selection process easier, but on other occasions the choice was less straightforward.
When I did choose the prime lenses I soon discovered the drawbacks. Firstly I didn’t own a wide angle M lens. I had traded in a Zeiss 18mm M lens in favour of the Fuji 10 – 24. Even if I had kept it the 18mm would only be the equivalent of a 27mm field of view with the crop sensor. Secondly none of the Fuji zoom lenses were that fast for low light conditions nor would they give me a shallow depth of field. Don’t get me wrong they are excellent lenses but like any zoom lens they have their limitations as to how they can used. Thirdly the shallow depth of field on a crop sensor does not behave in the the same way as it would on a full frame sensor. I had also grown accustomed to taking advantage of the depth of field scale on the M lenses. I have always enjoyed manual focusing, they give me a sense of complete control and if I wanted to resort to setting the aperture and lens to cover a certain focal range I could do so very easily and I would rely upon the result. This was no longer true when paired with the XT3 crop sensor. Some of the magic had gone from using the superlative M lenses.
50mm lens showing the depth of field scale.
By now you can probably begin to sense my growing frustration. The final nail in the coffin came when I began considering the true nature of my photography. What are my favoured genres and subjects. More importantly what images am I trying to make? Were these aspects of my photography hindered by my camera equipment and if so what changes were desirable?
The more I thought about this the natural conclusion soon became clear. The answer was of course a resounding yes, I was being held back. I was no longer able to make the images I really wanted. Take for example my church photography. To evoke the feelings I am after in a photograph I often use the lens wide open at say f1.4 to give me a shallow depth of field or soft background. The effect can be quite subtle as in the picture below, but it’s there and an important element of the image as far as I am concerned. Shooting wide open not only gives me the ‘look’ I want but it also allows me the freedom to work hand held without having to ramp up the ISO. I don’t have to rely on a tripod, which can be cumbersome and awkward in the confines of a small church.
North Stoke Church, West Sussex
My other love is the great outdoors whether that be a landscape, old farm buildings or a dramatic scene but I am not one to favour the type of picture captured by an extreme wide angle lens, nor a long telephoto lens for that matter.
The picture below was a spontaneous capture of an atmospheric scene which soon passed as the wind got up and the reflections in the water disappeared.
Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides
In summary then, if your camera equipment is hampering your style and you are no longer truly enjoying using the equipment you have, then it may be time to ask yourself a number of questions – What should I do about it? What can I change to improve both process and outcome? Above all what images do I want to make? Affordability will of course be a consideration and I recognise I am fortunate when it comes to setting a budget.
Leica SL2-S with 50mm F1.4 Summilux lens (I put black tape over the Leica badge – it’s more discreet)
As I said earlier I have now reverted back to Leica as my main camera of choice but which model? Towards the end of last year I purchased a Leica SL2-S along with another Leica M Lens – the Super Elmar 21mm f3.4. I had previously owned the original SL Type 601, but the SL2-S is an altogether better camera not least because it now has in body image stabilisation. It is faster in use and whilst the sensor is still only 24mp (a sweet spot as far as am concerned), noise control at high ISOs is excellent. In some ways I regret parting with the first SL, but I have learnt from the experience. When compared to the Fuji XT3 I prefer the way the SL2-S handles. It fits my hands perfectly. The customisation of the function buttons gives me easy access to make quick changes when necessary and the menu in my opinion is less complicated to use than on the Fuji. Oh and I mustn’t forget to mention the superb EVF which makes manual focusing an absolute breeze. Combined with the Leica M glass the resultant DNG image files are excellent and are very good to post process. All in all it is a joy to use.
From left to right 21mm, 35mm, 50mm and 90mm.
In conclusion my ‘go to’ equipment is now the Leica SL2-S camera body paired with the 21mm, 35mm, 50mm and 90mm primes. I guess I am a purist at heart and trying to mix a Fuji camera body with Leica glass was never going to work, well not for me anyway. I truly love prime lenses and the artistic choices they give me, not to mention the joy I experience every time I use them. They suit my style of photography, they are like old friends. When I tried to change the relationship I had with them they reacted accordingly!
Not only has my passion returned for the equipment I possess, but I no longer have to use a large camera bag. The beauty of the M lenses is their compact size. Yes they are quite heavy (as is the camera itself) but I can easily carry the camera and a lens (normally the nifty fifty) with one or more of the other three lenses and a few accessories in a shoulder bag. On longer walks I will still use a camera back pack, but I now have more room for refreshments, extra clothing etc. It works well and most definitely suits my needs. I don’t have tricky decisions to make concerning which lenses to take out with me.
I accept that with this setup I don’t have access to an extreme wide angle or the reach of a long telephoto but as I have already explained my eye doesn’t see the world in that way. Changing lenses happens more frequently but that is no bad thing, it slows me down and makes me think more about compositional choices. Fortunately these four lenses all share the same filter thread – 46mm – which also makes my life easier when using filters etc.
The chances of me being able to make images that please me have improved and even if I don’t capture anything worthwhile then I will have enjoyed the process anyway.
In a nutshell isn’t that what being a photographer is all about?
A misty rural scene – typical of the images I like to make in the countryside
As I type these words, I peer through the window and the rain continues to fall. It was a very wet and mild winter and the summer is proving to be neither hot nor particularly dry. Long walks have been in short supply but a morning stroll along a new pathway is always satisfying. I parked the car at the top of the rise just south of Hill Dairy on the road to West Chaldon in Dorset. I headed west along the farm track, across the road which leads to Holworth before returning along the same route. I much prefer a circular walk, but on this occasion time was limited.
Although quite overcast the clouds provided visual interest and when the sun did break through it would cast light on the fields to the north and the south. The views of the rolling countryside were very pleasing indeed and this is an area worthy of further exploration in the future. in total the walk took about an hour at a gentle pace and only covered 2.3 miles with an ascent and descent of 167ft, so hardly strenuous. Just right for a breath of fresh air and some fine views on a Sunday morning.
Route map of the walk
I hoped that I might be able to take a few photographs but didn’t want to carry a bag full of gear, so the Fuji X100v had to be the camera of choice. I have had the camera for a little over 4 years now and it really is an ideal companion when out walking. Although it has now been superseded by the X100vi with its larger 40.2mp sensor, I have no plans to upgrade. 26.1mp is more than adequate for my needs.
As you can see from the image below I have added a few accessories over time which in my view all serve a useful purpose and much improve the handling and functionality of the camera.
Fuji X100v with a number of accessories
In no particular order –
A lens hood made by Squarehood which still allows the use of a UV filter. Without one the camera is no longer weather sealed. As well as cutting out any stray light the hood prevents grubby fingermarks getting on the filter and I no longer use a lens cover, which I am only likely to lose anyway.
A front hand grip by JJC which incorporates an arca swiss compatible base plate for mounting on a tripod. Plus a thumb grip which I find essential to firmly grip the camera. Although the most expensive option I chose one made by Lensmate in America. Unlike any of the others for sale it has a folding mechanism to give greater access to buttons and dials.
The combination of these accessories greatly improves the comfort and handling although I accept they do add to its bulk. A small price to pay in my view opinion.
Lastly a soft release button again by JJC. – I had never used one before but it does make the control of the shutter release button that much easier.
None of these items guarantee good photographs of course but they do make this excellent little camera even more pleasurable to use.
Here are a selection of images captured on this walk.
There are occasions when a spontaneous outing with minimal photographic equipment can prove to be a rewarding experience. This may also be true if you visit a location with no specific intention of what it is you are going to photograph. You begin with no expectations, so hopes of capturing that pre-visualised image cannot be dashed. You accept the weather and light for what it is. The search for subjects to photograph may be slow but with a little patience compositions may start to reveal themselves. One image can lead to another and then another. Before you know it a theme develops and a small body of work comes together.
This happened to me some weeks ago. I had a couple of hours to spare but the light was flat and I didn’t want to travel very far. I went to an area of forestry and heathland not far from home. I was not that familiar with the landscape and didn’t expect a particularly productive time but I would enjoy the exercise even if the camera didn’t get much use.
alan frost photography 