[Leica] SESO: At the Races with My IIIa

[JohnEdwinMason at gmail.com (J Mason)]

Brotheren and Sisteren, I mentioned that last week's announcement of
the new Zeiss rangefinder sent me into fits of nostalgia.

My father owned a Contax IIIa and, not surprisingly, it was the first
serious camera I ever used.  I now own two:  my father's old camera (a
beautiful specimen in pristine condition, which I use only gently and
infrequently) and a battered example that I bought simply because I
can bring myself to use my father's old camera only gently and
infrequently.

My user IIIa and I spent the weekend at the races.  I had a notion
that the camera's 50/1.5 Sonnar would produce some lovely portraits. 
Wasn't sure that my metering skills would be up to challenge of tricky
night light, but they seem to have been:

http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=2755396
http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=2755402

I also wasn't sure that the camera's squinty viewfinder was what I
wanted for reportage shooting.  It's certainly not my M2, but I got
the shots:

http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=2755415
http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=2755422

On the other hand, I was reasonably confident that large numbers of
young men astride large, fast, dangerous bikes and cars would attract
a proportionate number of attractive young women.

http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=2755414

Full SESO (Series Every So Often) is here:

http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=435670

Details:  Zeiss Ikon Contax IIIa, 50/1.5 Sonnar, Kodak T400CN, cheap
lab scans, PS.

--John
-- 
J Mason
Charlottesville, Virginia
>>Democracy of Speed, a Photo Documentary Project:
http://www.people.virginia.edu/~ds8s/john-m/john-m.html