The M8 and the non-traditional engagement portrait

[festgriff]

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The "all washed up" is also my favorite. If I was twenty years younger I might try it - but nowadays I don't think I would get back out until I had ben shrunk.

 

I really like the colour tone, especially in the "washing machines", it is almost old 70's movie theatre.

 

Lee

[Riccis]

Arif - Thank you and it is my pleasure to answer any questions you guys may have about my work of how I use my Leicas. The 4th shot was also shot inside of a theater instead of the street and it is also one of my favorites... I will definitely let you know if I ever make it to Japan (so far I've shot weddings as far as China).

 

Pascal - Thanks for your comments

 

Jamie - I always appreciate kind words from my peers, thanks! It was very nice meeting you and definitely look forward to meeting many more times in the future.

 

Innerimager - :D

 

Lee - If you don't mind, I think I will title that image "All Washed Up" whenever I enter it into print competitions. I suck at coming up with titles for my work, thanks!

You are right, I am also a big fan of retro color and that is exactly what I'm going for.

 

Here is another image... This is a real guy from the street. His sign cracked me up and as we walked towards him I told my clients to just go and hang next to him... I just snapped a frame at the moment where he looked at them... Afterwards I thanked him and gave him some money... This is an example of semi set up work where I see some elements that I want on my image and some of the people/component that make it up are aware of the camera (and what I want to do) and others are not. If I had warned the guy what I wanted to do, the image would have been completely different and not what I had in mind...

 

M8, 28 @f/2, ISO 640... I believe at 1/1500s

 

Cheers,

 

Riccis

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[wparsonsgisnet]

Riccis, Great shots!

 

1. I agree the DAMN pictures OUGHT to stay where we want them. Moving them to the photo forum just makes them unseeable!

 

2. I note the colors -- as you specified them -- are intentional. However, do you use a white balance card in your process, first?

 

3. The mystery of your pix is terrific. wonderful creativity -- I'm gonna steal some of these ideas for myself.

 

Regards,

[Riccis]

Riccis, Great shots!

 

1. I agree the DAMN pictures OUGHT to stay where we want them. Moving them to the photo forum just makes them unseeable!

 

Thanks for your comments, Bill...

 

2. I note the colors -- as you specified them -- are intentional. However, do you use a white balance card in your process, first?

 

I don't use a white balance card... actually, I don't even own one... I shoot everything on AWB but before this was fixed in the last firmware I used to dial the presets since the erratic behavior drove me crazy.

 

3. The mystery of your pix is terrific. wonderful creativity -- I'm gonna steal some of these ideas for myself.

 

Regards,

 

Please feel free to use any ideas. I am very happy and humbled to be able to inspire you to go out and shoot instead of debating technical stuff for days (I'm not implying this is what you do, just that there has been a lot of that in the forum lately).

 

BTW, I will be in Boston for a shoot in the fall. Maybe we can meet and have a drink or something...

 

Best,

 

Riccis

[earleygallery]

Riccis,

 

It's great to see some totally original ideas an a very unique style. The last shot is particularly good, not something I'd ever have thought of doing!!

 

I will visit your website when I have more time.

[innerimager]

And Riccis- really wonderfully creative use of your camera. Excellent work! best...Peter

[ckchen72]

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Thanks Riccis,

 

I find I learn alot from everybody here and am grateful for the advice. I have assisted in a couple of weddings and am still very curiious how you deal with the lighting issues in the churches and reception. I shoot wide open at f2 and still the majority of my shots are blurry, it always seems soo dark in the reception. Do you have an assistant with an accesory lighting source? What iso are you shooting at in there?

 

Thanks again!

Calvin

[Riccis]

Earley - Thanks... Please visit my site and blog anytime.

 

Peter - I appreciate your kind comments. Thank you!

 

Calvin - Because of my style and the way I like to cover weddings, I don't use assistants or second shooters. I have done weddings as small as 4 people (including the bride and groom) and as large as 600 people and never had an issue documenting the story of the day (this is only possible since I don't do posed stuff other than maybe a 10 minute portrait session for those clients that request it).

 

I think that f2 is too slow to use in a church without flash or in a poorly lit reception. I shoot between f/1 and f/1.4 in both churches and receptions and crank up the ISO up to 1250 if that's what it takes to get the shot. I personally find the church coverage easier since most ceremonies take about an hour with very little things happening which allow me to compose and shoot at very low shutter speeds if necessary.

My trick during the ceremony is also to crank the ISO if necessary and also to "steal" the light from the video guy. I am very quick shooting and can easily anticipate the video guy's next step and move around him to get the best use of his video light (believe it or not sometimes I've had to go to ISO 160 in a poorly lit reception since the video light puts out some much light).

 

The other trick that I've mentioned before and that I must credit my friend Seal for get me hooked on it is to shoot with a flash straight on at ISO 2500, this creates a very nice look (somewhat blown up) similar to some of Warhol's B&W work or a pushed Tri-X...

 

Of course, a lot of my clients also make my job very easy since they hire professional lighting companies that set up the reception in a way that it does not look like a dark cavern... Those high end weddings are always a cake.

 

Hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions.

 

Cheers,

 

Riccis

[ckchen72]

Thanks again for the advice. When using 1250 what type of post processing/noise reduction are you doing? And I assume you're using mostly the summilux vs the noctilux? Thanks again!

 

Calvin

[Riccis]

Calvin:

 

I am not a big fan of noise reduction... If the light levels are too low I definitely use the Noctilux more than the Summilux... I'll post some low light images later.

 

Cheers,

 

Riccis

[Nitnaros]

Hi Riccis,

Yes, if you can post some additional low light images, it would be great.

 

I am not so much concerned about noise per se and noise is a great "moody" feature for black-and-white images. For color shots, according to my taste, M8 noise at 1250 or 2500 is more objectionable. And there is a certain relationship between paying for high-quality and high-resolution lenses and a sensor killing then resolution via noise. I want a 1-2 f-stop better noise performance on a Leica digital range finder.

 

But seeing your usage of high ISO is very interesting, since images come from a "real-time" situation and how you choose your parameters (composition, ISO, shutter, f-stop).

 

So great if you can post more shots, looking forward to it!!

 

Peter

[Riccis]

Peter:

 

Here are some of my low light images. I am a big fan of B&W and process about 80% of them that way. All my low light images are also shot in Manual Mode.

 

These were all done with the Canon 50 f/0.95 while I was Noctilux-less

 

M8, Canon 50 f/0.95, ISO 640, 1/30s @ f/0.95

 

M8, Canon 50 f/0.95, ISO 320, 1/60s @ f/0.95

 

M8, Canon 50 f/0.95, ISO 640, 1/30s @ f/0.95... this one was a tough one to get since he was on the move, one shot only...

 

Since I can only post a few images per post, there is more coming up...

 

Riccis

[Riccis]

M8, Canon 50 f/0.95, ISO 640, 1/20s @ f/0.95

 

M8, Canon 50 f/0.95, ISO 320, 1/30s @ f/0.95

 

M8, 50 f/1.4 ASPH, ISO 1250, 1/30s @ f/1.4

 

M8, 35 f/1.4 ASPH, ISO 320, 1/11s @ f/1.4

 

Riccis

[Riccis]

These are from a rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding last year at Las Ventanas al Paraiso (Luxury Beach Resorts | Las Ventanas al Paraiso | Los Cabos Vacations & Spa Resorts) in Cabo.

 

These images are pretty static and this is why I used such low ISOs since I wanted to capture the beautiful colors you see, which BTW they were not doctored in PS, it was that beautiful!

 

M8, 35 f/1.4 ASPH, ISO 160, 1/6s @ f/1.4

 

M8, 35 f/1.4 ASPH, ISO 320, 1/30s @ f/1.4

 

M8, 35 f/1.4 ASPH, ISO 320, 1/30s @ f/1.4

 

M8, 35 f/1.4 ASPH, ISO 320, 1/30s @ f/1.4

 

Cheers,

 

Riccis

[Riccis]

A couple more from this weekend's engagement session...

 

M8, 28 f/2 ASPH, ISO 640, 1/45s @ f/2... Shot from the ground up, used the only light on the theater to backlight them allowing to maintain the dark negative space in the rest of the frame.

 

M8, Noctilux, ISO 640, 1/45s @ f/1... Another one in the very dark basement under the theater stage, custom post-processing, dark shadows and wild skin tones done on purpose, in the print you can see a lot more detail in her face. I'm sure this is not everybody's cup of coffee.

 

Cheers,

 

Riccis

[ckchen72]

Thanks so much Riccis for sharing. How did the Canon 50 feel on the leica. I assume you needed some type of adaptor for this, and did you need an external viewfinder for this as well. I'd be interested because right now the noctilux is out of my price range!

 

Calvin

[egibaud]

YOU ARE THE BEST !!!!!!!!!!

 

Guys, when I grow up please let me take pictures has good as Ricci's

 

I just love the ideas, originality and execution. I have just sold my internet business and I am trying to venture into photography.... I think I never go to sleep before watching at leat 10 pics by Ricci.

 

Thanks for bringing me so much.

 

Eric

[Riccis]

Calvin - The Canon 50 f/0.95 is a beast on the M8, what a piece of glass! You need a popsicle to unlock the lens from the body since there is no room for your fingers. I bought it already converted for the M mount for about $1k (no need for an external viewfinder since it brings the 50mm framelines), I then sent it in along with one M8 to be adjusted for that camera, that was another $180. The lens is great, but as soon as I got my hands on a Noctilux, I sold it to another wedding photographer friend of mine...

 

Eric - I really appreciate your very kind comments. I am glad you enjoy my work, but I am also very humbled to be able to give back and inspire my peers.

 

I am 32 and have only been doing professional photography for the past 4 years. My first recommendation is to figure out your style and never stop developing it but also have lots of fun along the way... I look forward to seeing more of your work. Please don't hesitate to post additional questions.

 

Cheers,

 

Riccis