New to forum, returning to M

[cardiobikeracer]

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Hello everyone;

 

I'm new to the forum and after half a decade away from the Leica, I've finally returned to the M system.

 

I saved up for my first Leica (a used M3) as a teenager, back in '81. It took me another year to then save up for a 50mm Summicron. I graduated from college years later with a degree in photography, and have been working as a pro photographer and photo producer for the past 26 years.

 

From '81 to 2009, I always had at least one Leica M camera. Loved the rangefinder shooting method. It was my primary camera system when I worked for a couple years as a photojournalist in the early '90's. But once I gravitated towards advertising photography, and with the advent of using high-end digital systems starting in '94, I began using my M cameras less and less. I didn't up going to the digital M camera bodies, and I gave up on the Leica M altogether in 2009, simply because I wasn't using it for paid work, and had stopped doing personal work.

 

Perhaps it was due to working as a pro photographer for a long time, and getting jaded, that I had stopped shooting personal & fun photos? Whatever the reason, it took five years until I got the bug again to shoot personally, mostly street photography.

 

So this past summer, I bought a Leica M3 again, possibly my favorite M. Over the decades, I've gravitated from the 50mm, then the 35mm, and now I'm comfortably shooting with a 28mm on the street. So I bought that focal length, along with a finder, for the M3.

 

I'm pleased to see such an active and helpful forum on the Leica, and am looking forward to re-learning and getting re-inspired in photography again, after so many years of doing it as work.

[MarkP]

Welcome to the Forum and back to Leica. M3+28mm - back to basics with a great focal length for street work (actually lots of things).

 

I bet you wil have a 50mm lens within 6 months though!

 

Please start posting some photos.

[gbealnz]

Welcome as well. I'm with my western neighbour Mark I reckon in a very short time you'll have a 50.

Gary

[cardiobikeracer]

I suspect you are both correct in that I will have a 50mm again very soon

 

Since I returned to the Leica with the 28mm, that focal length is fantastic for dense, crowds at events or city streets. But when there's less people on the street, or if I'm looking for more selective focus, the 50mm is much more appropriate.

 

I have a digital system that I use for work, and the 28mm/50mm combination is indeed the most common pairing I use.

 

Because I haven't shot film in half a decade, I tried three films to reacquaint myself with B&W: Tri-X, HP5 and the C-41 processed XP2. I was rather surprised that I ended up liking the characteristics of XP2 the most, which was a film I had ignored in previous decades.

 

I would be happy to post some of my recent B&W street photos that I've made with the M3 and 28mm. Being new to this forum, I'd like to respectfully ask where I should post. In this thread, because I'm a new member, or should I place it in the Street Photography thread?

 

BTW, my current day job is the fashion photo producer of Canada's largest fashion brand. I run all of the eCommerce photography.

 

http://www.joefresh.com

 

When I have time, I also shoot architecture and real estate photography, plus blogging about gear that I use.

 

https://eyebeamimages.wordpress.com