New Blog: The Photo Fundamentalist

[batmobile]

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Fine People,

 

I've just started a new blog, The Photo Fundamentalist (The Photo Fundamentalist – The Image and Beyond), which might be of interest to you. I'll be combining documentary/reportage pieces, technique, reviews, discussion.... and all sorts. The aim is to keep it grounded and always pointing in the direction of field application: making fantastic images.

 

I'm a huge fan of traditional rangefinders and shot three major projects in Afghanistan and India with Leica MPs and M6s, so Leica M's are part of my DNA. I currently own and shoot a Monochrom and have just started writing that up.

 

Its early days and the blog currently constitutes 'moonlighting', but I will be working hard to keep adding content (2-4 pieces a week for now and a more when I'm out of Afghanistan) so perhaps take a peek.

 

Feedback is very welcome, but please keep insults and physical threats to a minimum if you like it, make sure you let me know (and others if possible) know, because it all helps with motivation.

 

PS I also have a show in Switzerland on the 15th, if any of you happen to be near La Chaux-de-Fonds (Nuit de la photo 2014 - La Chaux-de-Fonds, Suisse). I'm the filling in the Simon Norfolk-Zalmai sandwich and flattered by such company!

 

Cheers,

 

Tom

[batmobile]

Thanks for taking a look. Feedback, on the site or via mail etc, is always welcome!

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[honcho]

I don't usually bother with Leica enthusiast's blogs. They are invariably padded out with reworked predictable prose cribbed from elsewhere and littered with stultifying 'test shots' taken with expensive lenses at full aperture because the author hasn't the creative wit or technical ability to try something original. I expect to see just another platform to show off an ability to spend vast amounts of disposable cash and am rarely disappointed.

 

Ok that's, the cynical side out of the way. Your blog is different so I stuck with it.

 

Cons:

At the moment you've rushed to get some content on it (which is understandable) and the diversity of material is currently a bit thin.

 

Having read through your blog, I'm now sick of Battersea Power Station. (Subjective opinion).

 

I don't like the toning of the images. (Subjective opinion).

 

The images are too small. (Subjective opinion).

 

You are sitting next to the devil on my shoulder who tells me I should buy a Monochrom when I don't need one.

 

 

 

Pros:

Your travel portfolios are sublime. Bravo!

 

Despite the unwelcome toning (just reinforcing my subjective opinion), the file processing is very good indeed. All too often I see images, especially Monochrom images, that have been bludgeoned and crushed criminally in SFXP2 or Topaz. You clearly know what you are doing before and after acquisition and it's a breath of fresh air.

 

Even at this nascent stage, your writing and observations are very readable and held my attention throughout. No mean feat.

 

Tom, I enjoyed your blog very much and will return. I look forward to watching it develop into something big, and it very likely will do. Good luck with it, I suspect your creative writing and imaging abilities will bring you a lot of useful recognition.

[MarkP]

I never get past the first page of a photo Blogger (or any blogger for that matter) - today was an exception! I enjoyed your very well written and readable Monochrom review.

 

As a primarily B&W photographer I agree with everything you say about the Monochrom and it's extraordinary files (and I also have an M9 and M240), and for me, in the end, it's all about that arcane medium called 'The Print'. Obviously this is not to denigrate the M240 or M9 which are also capable of very beautiful B&W conversions.

 

I too have never found the single channel Monochrom files a disadvantage, or missed the three colour channels, and I rarely use colour filtration (well, very occasionally an orange filter). Photoshop allows extraordinary versatility in adjusting global and local luminance (far more control that with SFX which I only use for a quick fix).

 

I will be back to your site as it evolves.

 

 

ps: I agree that the images are way too small.

Edited February 14, 2014 by MarkP

[batmobile]

Thanks for the feedback, its much appreciated. At this stage I am absorbing a great many ideas and will let them percolate for a while before deciding what changes to make (and there will be quite a few over time). This has been the pre-launch if you like and I needed to know what people think, so thank you for taking the time to let me know!

 

There will be a much greater diversity of material in time and the Photo-Live section will expand considerably. One of the most important factors for me has to be the satisfaction I will derive from writing it, maintaining it and interacting with those who read it. I'm therefore glad that based on first impressions, the core feel of the blog has been well received.

Edited February 21, 2014 by batmobile