Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2010/11/08
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Yes, Ted, the "Old School" photographers turned out some nice work in the thirties and forties, with tools that many of us would not attempt to use today. With the advent of scanning and digital bodies, the tools available to us are truly overwhelming. I try to keep it as simple as possible, but almost all of my images need a little "adjusting and cropping" in PS Elements, my tool of choice. Here is why I like older lenses for portraits. http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/Katie+Grace+_amp_+Kristin.jpg.html Made with a 50/1.4 Takumar in M42 mount, on an Oly E-1 with a 5MB sensor. It works for me. Jim Nichols Tullahoma, TN USA ----- Original Message ----- From: <tedgrant at shaw.ca> To: "Leica Users Group" <lug at leica-users.org> Sent: Monday, November 08, 2010 1:57 PM Subject: Re: [Leica] 80 Summilux R (was 'Am I being stupid? (R content)') > Jim Nichols offered: > Subject: Re: [Leica] 80 Summilux R (was 'Am I being stupid? (R content)') > > >> Thanks for the advice, Ted. I can only speak from my experience with >> family members, and from comments from my late father-in-law, who had a >> small studio where he shot 5x7 negatives in B&W, and retouched the >> negatives with very sharp pencils. He knew how to get return business >> from his female customers, which was to make them look good. ;-)<<<< > > Hi Jim, > > Aaaaahhhh the good old days of 5X7 film portraits, negative retouching > with the lightness of a feather to skin! :-) > > One thing I never learned to do, retouching! Because, apart from the 4X5 > size of the Speed Graphic the largest film size I ever exposed, always > news events not requiring retouching. The rest of the career was 2 1/4, > predominantly 35mm. The one time I tried retouching I ended with a > transformation from a pretty looking young woman almost to a Boris Karloff > monster. Game over forget this stuff. :-) > > Today however in photography, it appears most photos, studio or street are > crispy sharp compared to the soft gentle beauties of the bygone eras. It > is interesting to visit a friends home and see portraits taken 40-50 years > ago or longer and see the "gentle softness" of those days. Created by lens > or retouching. Or both! > > On a few occasions I'd put a clear filter on a lens, rub my finger around > my face and forehead which would pick-up some normal skin oil residue and > rub it on the filter for a softening effect of sorts. I know of some folks > who'd smear Vaseline on a filter. To me it was always way to much. > > But there are some classical ladies of age today who like to have the > youthful touch in softening the character of a few wrinkles. Or shall we > say, "the beauty of aging !" :-) > > cheers, > ted > > > > > > > > > > > > > From: <tedgrant at shaw.ca> >> To: "Leica Users Group" <lug at leica-users.org> >> Sent: Monday, November 08, 2010 12:18 PM >> Subject: Re: [Leica] 80 Summilux R (was 'Am I being stupid? (R content)') >> >> >>> Jim Nicchols offered: >>>>"Mark, >>>> >>>>It sounds like you don't shoot many portraits of women, else you would >>>>also >>>>add that the portrait lens cannot be razor sharp in all details. This >>>>is >>>>why older lenses find favor with those who specialize in this >>>>market.<<<<<<, >>> >>> And Mark in rebuttal offered: >>>>>>I shot mainly women and after a while diffused none of them and had no >>>>>>"old" >>>> glass to use on them. >>>> I just image Googled Karsh (who did photography quite a few women), and >>>> Penn, and Avedon and the gals were just as sharp as the guys. Karsh's >>>> shot of >>> < George Bernard Shaw seems a bit soft maybe from what I can >>>>see.<<<<<<<< >>> >>> It didn't make any difference to Karsh... it was sharp, male or female >>> or into file 13 which eventually went to the scrap heap.As much as my >>> comments about Karsh may have some folks wonder how I can, It's simply >>> because his brother Malak and Karsh were friends of mine for a number of >>> years. Malak and myself were assigned to work on the same subject in >>> photographing the tourist beauties of Canada several times over the >>> years. He in one part of the country, I in another. With great sessions >>> upon returning comparing each others photography. >>> >>> I was a guest in both of Karsh's Ottawa studios, the old original on >>> Spark's Street and the new one in the Chateau! Assigned to shoot a >>> series on his new wife in their home in the suburbs of Ottawa shortly >>> after they were married. KARSH without question demanded of the society >>> editor he approve any and all pictures before publication. That was >>> before he knew I was the photographer for the assignment. And in his >>> position he demanded that kind of control from publications and got it. >>> >>> When I was told this by the editor, I said "forget it, just tell him >>> it's me doing the assignment and no he isn't going to approve any of my >>> pictures as, "I don't have to approve any of his!" Jokingly of course. >>> :-) Editor not knowing we were acquaintances was shocked and near died! >>> I of course was being slightly facetious with a smile. So while I was in >>> the editors office she called and spoke with KARSH. His response? >>> >>> "Why didn't you tell me Ted Grant was the photographer and we wouldn't >>> be wasting my valuable time now!" >>> >>> End of KARSH approving any photographs without even seeing them until >>> published! :-) Estralita didn't have any problem as she knew me through >>> visits and seeing some of my published photos. Wonderful, kind lady to >>> shoot with. >>> >>> But his pictures were sharp regardless the old wives tale of "ladies >>> like soft lenses" not to show their wrinkles! Which to some degree >>> indicate beautiful character! ! :-) >>> >>> cheers, >>> Dr. ted :-) >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Leica Users Group. >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >>> >>> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > >