Learning to really understand my M3

[Bart Hamming]

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Hi M3 fans,

 

I own a M3, build in the same year I was: 1960. As I still work on understanding my self day by day, I would like to understand better than I do now how to work with this M3. What I know of photography I found out by doing and reading, all by my self. I never took any lessons. Now I am asking around if anybody can help me improve a bit the things I do with my M3, but it's very hard to find a old fashioned street photographer of journalist, who is willing to do so.

 

Motivation: I belief when I keep on working with the M3 I will be better in charge later on when I start to work with a M9 (which I might purchase in the year I will become the age of 50). Besides: it's fun taken photo's with this magnificent camera.

 

Who can teach me? Who knows somebody who can teach me? Or is there something to do at the Leica Academy?

 

Regards,

 

Bart

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[Pangur Ban]

The M3 is a wonderful camera but it is strangely difficult to get the best out of it - it does take time and I'm not sure it can be taught that easily on a course.

 

What has helped with my use of my M3 is:

a) take plenty of photos and be decisive about the ones you like and understand why

try and take more of these

c) experiment - different subjects, exposures, lenses, films etc.

 

You may also like to look at other photos - not necessarily taken with the M3 - to see which you might like to replicate as a starting point, whether it be lighting, compostion, subject or imagery.

 

If you still would like someone to show you then either look in your local area for a photography group, or someone offering lessons such as at a local college. Talk to them about what you are interested in and they may be able to assist.

[Bart Hamming]

Dear Pangur Ban,

 

I almost did already everything you suggested. The only thing I did not is Tip a): understand why I do like the photos I choose to like. Very evident Tip but easily overseen. I did.

 

This is also helpful when I look at photos which are inspiring me such as those of my hero Cartier-Bresson. I did not really ask myself how it comes that I do like those images. From now on I will search the characteristics that united the images that I like and find out why.

 

Besides I did ask some schools (Rotterdam, Breda, e.g.) but it seems that there are no photographers anymore who are interested in maintenance of basic skills (which you need if you want to be able to work with a M3). The people I spoke are interested in getting images and how to process and print them - and they are good in that.

 

But I still believe in the usefulness of maintenance of basic skills as foundation to better understand what a camera does and what photography is. I do believe that when I keep on working with a M3, this will improve my work with a M9 (which I like to gain next year).

 

Thanks for your reply and useful Tip!

 

Regards,

 

Bart

[wizard]

But I still believe in the usefulness of maintenance of basic skills as foundation to better understand what a camera does and what photography is.

 

Rightfully so, Bart. I would like to help you in mastering your M3, but that is a bit hard over the internet and you do not appear to live close to where I am (Southern Germany). We originate from the same year (1960, what a great year ), though my own M3 is five years younger than yours.

 

Actually, the M3 is no more difficult than any other manual camera. You need to learn the basic relationship between aperture value, time value and the ISO speed of the film you are using, as every single photo is done by setting the correct aperture (on your lens), the correct time (on your camera) and, of course, focus. Everything else is your personal way of seeing things through your viewfinder. Everyone will photograph any given scene different from someone else, it is a very personal thing (although there are rules you may try to learn in order to improve your shots, but not all great photographs have been taken observing these rules).

 

The best thing is to get some practise. Try to shot your M3 as often as possible and you will see your results are improving. Stay with one film if possible, since if you keep using different types of film, you are introducing a futher variable into the process.

 

Cheers,

 

Andy

[UliWer]

I almost did already everything you suggested. The only thing I did not is Tip a): understand why I do like the photos I choose to like. Very evident Tip but easily overseen. I did.

...

 

Therefore it may be easier to learn using a M3 by practizing with a M9 (or another digital camera) than the other way round.

 

Digital photography gives you the opportunity of direct control of the results by looking on the screen: how is the framing of the subject, where is the focus, how is the depth of focus? The histogramm is a very good help to control exposure.

 

In postprocessing you have many reminders of the lens you used and at which stop, if you look into the Exif-data.

 

Of course, developping a film and analogue printing is something completely different than digital postprocessing, so you will have to learn both ways separately if you want to use both.