jgmb Posted August 21, 2009 Share #1 Posted August 21, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) For years I have been a fan of this master Leica photographer and have just seen his outstanding photographs of the Omo people. Beautiful! His work has always demonstrated for me the superiority of Leica lenses for color photography. Does anyone in this forum know which Leica system he shoots with? M or R glass? If M, has he switched to digital yet with the M8 or is he still shooting film? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted August 21, 2009 Posted August 21, 2009 Hi jgmb, Take a look here Hans Silvestor. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jacelech Posted August 21, 2009 Share #2 Posted August 21, 2009 I have his book "Lavender" published by Abrams in 1995/1996. In the front, it states that the photographs were made with Leica M6 and R6 cameras using Kodachrome 64 and 200 films. At the time I purchased the book, I had been drawn to the sharpness and overall quality of the images and the printing of the book. I was impressed and liked what I saw. I saw his photo with an M in hand on the inside rear jacket flap. I was glad to see the work had been done with Leica glass. I knew little else of his work. Until your inquiry, I hadn't looked to realize he had also used R glass and camera. Fifteen years later, don't know whether his more recent African work was similar, since Kodachrome has become a vanishing species and there have been digital advances. Maybe someone has this 2007 set on the Omo Valley and can let us know. Cheers, Jacek Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgmb Posted August 21, 2009 Author Share #3 Posted August 21, 2009 Thanks for that info Jacek. How interesting that he shoots with both M and R systems. Leica glass + Kodachrome = pure magic. He probably used up his last Kodachrome stock on the Omo. Since that film is now gone I wonder whether he has made the switch to digital. I'd love to see what he could do with an S2 in his hands! In the same way you were drawn to the image quality of his book "Lavender", I was most influenced by a much earlier book Silvester published in 1978, "The Route of the Inca". I had just graduated from college and was about to buy my first SLR system. After evaluating Olympus and Nikon, I had initially decided on Contax... until I saw that book! Like you I was blown away by the printed quality and especially the rich color rendition, saturation, contrast and sharpness of his photos. After that revelation, nothing less than Leica glass would do for me, and I bought an R3 system... happily shooting with it and Kodachrome for many years. Now, like many others, I am looking for a digital solution for my R glass. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacelech Posted August 21, 2009 Share #4 Posted August 21, 2009 Thanks for the tip about the Incas. I'll look for it. Isn't it interesting how these photo books inspire and affect us in various ways? They're sent out like messages in bottles, the author never quite knowing what distant shores they will land on. I could tell many such stories about my own unexpected discoveries as well. Thanks for sharing yours. I've been learning to live with the M8 and like you, have a set of R glass still hoping for a good solution other than Canon. If not, I will still happily use film (...it lasts.) Kind regards, Jacek Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leicar7 Posted August 21, 2009 Share #5 Posted August 21, 2009 His books on cats, dogs, lavendar, kaleideoscope, and others from the 90s and earlier he credited to M and R Leicas. However, the credits in his book on India are to Canon FF digital. I suspect anything more recent is also on Canon gear. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgmb Posted August 25, 2009 Author Share #6 Posted August 25, 2009 However, the credits in his book on India are to Canon FF digital. I suspect anything more recent is also on Canon gear. This is the first I heard of him now shooting with Canon FF digital. If true, I wonder if he is using Leica glass on his Canon bodies? Hard to imagine he would abandon his R glass after so many years. I didn't know he shot a book in India... unless you meant the book about the Omo? That was shot in Africa. I haven't seen the book yet, so wasn't able to read what he used there. Jacek, I like your analogy about message bottles.. poetic! Seems we were both influenced by him. Regards, Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leicar7 Posted August 25, 2009 Share #7 Posted August 25, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) I saw his book on "Camarque Horses," which he credited to Canon gear and Velvia 50 film. Lens credits were to Canon, not Leica. I'm quite sure he would have no use for stop-down metering. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyp Posted August 25, 2009 Share #8 Posted August 25, 2009 He did the big book on "Water" right ? If it's the one I'm thinking, it is a great work. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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