[Leica] [IMGs] [PESO]: A story, a question and some acrobats.

[Peter Dzwig]

Douglas,

thank you. There was no safety net!

Peter

On 19/04/2022 23:09, Douglas Barry wrote:
> Good enough, Peter, to give us - well me anyway - a sense of fear and 
> awe! I think you did an excellent job given the restrictions of your 
> situation. The one of him hanging upside down by his bent feet - with 
> not even a glimpse of a safety net - gives me the jitters, just looking 
> at it!
> 
> Douglas
> 
> 
> 
> On 19/04/2022 22:13, Peter Dzwig wrote:
>>
>> All,
>>
>> A few days ago I was at Goodwood watching a band on a stage in front 
>> of me. I suddenly realised that the framework next to me (which I had 
>> largely ignored) was being readied for some kind of spectacle.
>> It turned out to be a pair of acrobats on a high wire.
>>
>> Being a good LUGer I had only my Fuji XE-2 (I don't use the IIIf much 
>> and the M3 is being repaired), with standard lens.
>>
>> The nearest performer turned out to be a free-spinning acrobat 
>> suspended from a wire about 10m up. Her colleague was a tightrope 
>> walker, with his platform about 20 - 30m from me. Together they put on 
>> an amazing show.
>>
>> It was entirely in the open air on a dark spring night with the only 
>> lighting from spots and the nearby stage and at times lots of smoke
>> from nearby fires.
>>
>> Here's a question: What would you have done? Would you (a) just watch 
>> the show; (b) shoot and see what happens?
>>
>> Again, being a good LUGer I chose (b), span the ISO to 1600, set it to 
>> Auto and shot. All were in colour, but I have converted to B&W and 
>> done a bit of work on.
>>
>> These are the results (quality isn't that good, but...):
>>
>> <http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/PeterDzwig/PESO2011/Acrobats_Goodwood_1_edited1.jpg.html> 
>>
>>
>> It opened with her spinning up, she span faster and faster making the 
>> wire vibrate which made him shake a little but he stayed on!
>>
>> <http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/PeterDzwig/PESO2011/Acrobat_Goodwood_2_edited-1.jpg.html> 
>>
>>
>>
>> The tightrope walker sets off:
>>
>> <http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/PeterDzwig/PESO2011/Tightrope_Walker_2_edited-1.jpg.html> 
>>
>>
>> Then advances:
>>
>> <http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/PeterDzwig/PESO2011/DSCF2251_Tightrope_walker.jpg.html> 
>>
>>
>> <http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/PeterDzwig/PESO2011/Tightrope_Walker_Goodwood_2_edited-1.jpg.html> 
>>
>>
>> Stops and then hangs upside down from the wire!
>>
>> <http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/PeterDzwig/PESO2011/Rightrope_walker_upside_down_edited-1.jpg.html> 
>>
>>
>> Climbs back on the wire, lays flat along it and starts to rotate!
>>
>> <http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/PeterDzwig/PESO2011/Tightrope_Walker_edited-2.jpg.html> 
>>
>>
>> (the strobe-like effect is presumably caused by the combination of the 
>> spots, the smoke and the camera sensor) and then he stands on his head!
>>
>> <http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/PeterDzwig/PESO2011/Acrobats_Goodwood_2_edited-1.jpg.html> 
>>
>>
>> Anyway, it was a fun exercise. I hope you like some of them at least.
>>
>> As always CC&Cs welcome.
>>
>> Peter
> 
> 
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-- 

Dr. Peter Dzwig