[Leica] Jesse Hellman's exhibit at the Peabody

["Dan Honemann" <ddh@home.com>]

If any LUGgers local to the Baltimore area missed Jesse Helman's opening at
the Peabody last night, I highly encourage you to see these beautiful prints
while they are there.  For out of town LUGgers, the exhibit is worth a trip
to Charm City.

These are some of the finest b&w prints I have ever seen.  They've restored
my faith that producing rich prints ala HCB and the old masters is still
possible.  Jesse shot nearly all of them with a 50 summicron and TMZ souped
in Xtol.  But his secret weapon appears to be the notorious Rabiner
split-grade printing.  I for one am now sold, and eagerly await Mark's book
on the subject (you ARE writing a book on it, aren't you Mark?  Pretty
please?!).

Apart from their technical merits, the photographs are brilliantly composed
and capture candid moments with performing artists with a sensitivity and
intimacy that exposes Jesse's passion for the genre.  Fine, fine work, not
to be missed.

Cheers,
Dan