Bernhard Frei Shows Us How It's Done

[_Alex_]

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I've been jonesing for a Monochrom for a long time--since well before the M10M. However, after downloading some monochrome RAW files and seeing a lot of monochrom work posted in a variety of forums, I have always been able to talk myself out of it. They all just look so gray and lacking contrast. Alan Sheller does some good work with his, but he pushes the light/dark work to the point of graphic design.  I have his book and love his work. Beautiful, but not what I am after. A few days ago I ran across an announcement for Berhard Frei's Ordinary People show. He shot it on an M11 and an M11M with APO lenses. His images look amazing. I'm sure the raw files look as banal as everyone else's, but it's nice to know what you can pull out of them. I have not been able to find an interview about his process, but his site has a very nice presentation of the projects. 

Edit: The show images in Constant are printed very large -- MacFilos article here: https://www.macfilos.com/2023/11/01/how-the-bernhard-frei-exhibition-shows-what-you-could-achieve-with-a-leica-m11/

Ordinary People: https://bernhardfrei.de/ordinary_people.html

Ordinary People Extended: https://bernhardfrei.de/ordinary_people_extended.html

If this has been posted before, consider it a bonus post. 

Cheers, 

-Alex. 

Edited March 31, 2024 by _Alex_
added MacFilos link

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[davidmknoble]

Thanks @_Alex_, nice read.

I will say, I've used every Monochrom.  They have all had very flexible files with lots of information, but start out rather grey.  In a way, it's how the digital file holds so much.  Each one has really just added additional megapixels and dynamic range.  They're all outstanding!

[_Alex_]

On 3/31/2024 at 6:08 PM, davidmknoble said:

Thanks @_Alex_, nice read.

I will say, I've used every Monochrom.  They have all had very flexible files with lots of information, but start out rather grey.  In a way, it's how the digital file holds so much.  Each one has really just added additional megapixels and dynamic range.  They're all outstanding!

Thanks, David. I just received the most recent issue of Viewfinder. Congrats on being the new president of LSI!  

[PeterGA]

On 4/1/2024 at 10:03 AM, _Alex_ said:

I've been jonesing for a Monochrom for a long time--since well before the M10M. However, after downloading some monochrome RAW files and seeing a lot of monochrom work posted in a variety of forums, I have always been able to talk myself out of it. They all just look so gray and lacking contrast. Alan Sheller does some good work with his, but he pushes the light/dark work to the point of graphic design.  I have his book and love his work. Beautiful, but not what I am after. A few days ago I ran across an announcement for Berhard Frei's Ordinary People show. He shot it on an M11 and an M11M with APO lenses. His images look amazing. I'm sure the raw files look as banal as everyone else's, but it's nice to know what you can pull out of them. I have not been able to find an interview about his process, but his site has a very nice presentation of the projects. 

Edit: The show images in Constant are printed very large -- MacFilos article here: https://www.macfilos.com/2023/11/01/how-the-bernhard-frei-exhibition-shows-what-you-could-achieve-with-a-leica-m11/

Ordinary People: https://bernhardfrei.de/ordinary_people.html

Ordinary People Extended: https://bernhardfrei.de/ordinary_people_extended.html

If this has been posted before, consider it a bonus post. 

Cheers, 

-Alex. 

Thanks for the links- but I am surprised that you seem to think that there is something different about this photography and its B&W treatment. Would you like to expand on what or why this is 'different' to any well-executed editorial type work?

Edited April 5, 2024 by PeterGA

[_Alex_]

1 hour ago, PeterGA said:

Thanks for the links- but I am surprised that you seem to think that there is something different about this photography and its B&W treatment. Would you like to expand on what or why this is 'different' to any well-executed editorial type work?

Nothing other than it is made with an M11 and a M11 Monochrom with APO lenses, and has a full tonal range. Like I mentioned, most of the Leica monochrom image threads on a variety of forums are just grey.  I also think Frei's project is cool.  You are free to form your own opinions. 

[GFW2-SCUSA]

Alex, If you want to see some excellent street/journalism B&W from color look at Peter Turnely's site. He shoots now with an M11-P. Amazing conversions. 

 

[_Alex_]

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3 hours ago, GFW2-SCUSA said:

Alex, If you want to see some excellent street/journalism B&W from color look at Peter Turnely's site. He shoots now with an M11-P. Amazing conversions. 

 

Yes! I have been following him for a long while. I saw that he recently posted about taking delivery of his new M11-P. He'd been using the M10-P, I think. My favorite part of that post is how badly battered his 35 'lux hood is. Quite a charming look. 

[sometimesmaybe]

On 4/1/2024 at 10:03 AM, _Alex_ said:

However, after downloading some monochrome RAW files and seeing a lot of monochrom work posted in a variety of forums, I have always been able to talk myself out of it. They all just look so gray and lacking contrast.

i think of monochrom DNGs as 'log' files i.e. flat / linear by default which means there is a lot of scope to play with the edits.

this is great if you like to play with your files in post, but terrible if you want a 'baked in' look immediately. 

i shot the below set of images last weekend. in terms of edits (in the order of importance for me):

1. adjust exposure (i try and do this in camera)
2. set black point to taste (this will change the linear log look)
3. adjust S curve to taste
4. spot dodge and burn

it took me 1 hour to edit these images - definitely not a fast process

 

[Derbyshire Man]

On 4/14/2024 at 11:45 PM, sometimesmaybe said:

i think of monochrom DNGs as 'log' files i.e. flat / linear by default which means there is a lot of scope to play with the edits.

this is great if you like to play with your files in post, but terrible if you want a 'baked in' look immediately. 

i shot the below set of images last weekend. in terms of edits (in the order of importance for me):

1. adjust exposure (i try and do this in camera)
2. set black point to taste (this will change the linear log look)
3. adjust S curve to taste
4. spot dodge and burn

it took me 1 hour to edit these images - definitely not a fast process

 

Producing good monochrome images has always been a labour of love. Whether in the self developing of negatives, printing a contact sheet, test prints to check exposure, test prints for contrast, dodge and burn until happy. Each print could take a whole evening to work out the optimal for something worthy of hanging on a wall. The current process is much faster but these are typically not print ready either. 15 stops of dynamic range is going to provide a flat image. It's the printer's (ie developer's job) to put the limitations back into the image. Akin to painting, you may have many tubes of paint and many techniques at your disposal but you need to set the purpose and restrictions of the image. The files from Q2M, M11-P, M11M, M10M and all the rest are the limitless tubes of paint.