[Leica] Re: PWIFLI: Mother Nature was in a baaaad mood

[Peter Klein <pklein@2alpha.net>]

Time to reveal the equipment.  The first picture listed (#24) was taken 
with a Leica and 50mm Summicron:

>http://www2.2alpha.com/~pklein/temp/caddycrunch24bweb.jpg

I was using Kodak High Definition 400, rated at 200 as I usually do 
outdoors with Supra 400 or T400CN.  I was not happy with the new film. It 
seemed a bit grainy, and the highlights did not take the "pulled" EI 200 
rating well.

The other three shots were with the Nikon Coolpix 990 with the lens set 
wide to normal.  The lighting was softer when I was shooting with the 
digital, which helped.

>http://www2.2alpha.com/~pklein/temp/caddycrunch29web.jpg
>http://www2.2alpha.com/~pklein/temp/caddycrunch30web.jpg
>http://www2.2alpha.com/~pklein/temp/caddycrunch32web.jpg

I did not crop the last two shots, and cropped a little on the first two. 
On #24, there was a third person standing behind the car who added nothing 
to the picture, so I cropped him out, and also took a bit off the 
bottom.  On #29, I removed a smidge off the left side so you don't see 
where the log was sawed off by the road crew, and also took a bit off the 
bottom.

I should have gotten closer on the first two, but there was a little matter 
of not standing in the middle of a major street with cars whizzing by at 40 
mph, or spooking the people in #24.

I should add that no one was seriously hurt when the limb fell.  The 
Cadillac was parked, and no one was in it.  Three drivers hit the limb just 
after it fell.  It knocked out electricity to the house.  The owners (not 
shown) told me that they had just taken the Cadillac off their car 
insurance--it was being sold.  And they may have to pay for all the damage 
to the other cars, because their homeowner's insurance doesn't cover "acts 
of God."  Ouch.  What good is insurance if it doesn't cover something like 
this?

I kept telling them how sorry I was that this had happened to them, and 
that I felt bad benefitting from their bad fortune, but that it was an 
opportunity for some really dramatic pictures.  They were very 
understanding.  Half of me felt like a ghoul, the other half was happy for 
the opportunity and a bit amused at the sight of the crunched Caddy.  I 
guess that's how news and documentary photographers feel if they haven't 
totally shut off their emotions.

- --Peter

I wrote:
>Seattle experienced a major windstorm last Thursday.  My normal route home 
>from work was closed by the police.   On Friday I found out why.  I came 
>back on Saturday with cameras.  I shot quite a few pictures from many 
>angles and viewpoints.  These are the ones that best tell the story.
>
>http://www2.2alpha.com/~pklein/temp/caddycrunch24bweb.jpg
>http://www2.2alpha.com/~pklein/temp/caddycrunch29web.jpg
>http://www2.2alpha.com/~pklein/temp/caddycrunch30web.jpg
>http://www2.2alpha.com/~pklein/temp/caddycrunch32web.jpg
>
>For additional fun:  This set is a mix of Leica and digital shots.  Can 
>you tell which is which?  The Leica shot(s) are with a 35 or 50 Summicron 
>on Kodak High Definition 400.  The digital shot(s) are with a Nikon 
>Coolpix 990.
>
>--Peter Klein
>Seattle, WA


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