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No coffee for a week? That's just criminal...
Note ready ice cream scoop just to one side.
"Be Prepared."
Recuperating from life's little setbacks if boring. Very boring. I was in the O.R. on Thursday afternoon but I was out on South Congress Avenue today with a Leica SL2-S and a 50mm APO SL and I was feeling as though nothing had ever happened. No pain. No side effects, and a distinct memory of my surgeon saying, "You'll do well. You are in great shape."
The plan for recovery was two days without pushing it. I puttered around the house and studio, doom-scrolled the ill-conceived war in the mideast, and did laundry. I didn't lift anything heavier than 10 pounds. I didn't shave. I let people wait on me. I was compliant about not drinking stuff with caffeine or alcohol, and all that droll stuff. By Sunday I was bored to tears, had already read through the two novels I had put aside just for this whole recovery thing and was ready to get back to real life. Everything was running clear and the pain almost totally subsided. All vital stats measured and seemed to fall in the small envelope in which they are usually maintained. Homeostasis is pretty frickin' miraculous.
When I got up this morning I broke training for recovery, headed to Trianon for a large coffee and one of their addictive walnut scones. Returned emails, turned down job offers and firmly stated that I am now retired from commercial work. I paid the cellphone bill. Looked dolefully at the stock market and decided to be fully recovered. I grabbed the SL2-S, made sure it had one of the newest SCL-6 batteries, that the battery was fully charged and that the camera had a newly formatted 256GB SD card in each slot. No sense getting sloppy. One thing I wanted to do when I got back on my feet was to spend a couple of hours shooting the new (to me) SL 50mm f2 APO lens wide open all day long.
The mantra from Leica, since the introduction of the SL APO lenses, has been that the entire family of these APO prime lenses has been designed to be fully and well usable at their maximum aperture of f2. Even the MTF curves they provide are calibrated at 40 line pairs instead of the industry standard of 30 line pairs and show high sharpness even when the lenses are shot wide open. Written data is nice but I always like to see for myself. "Trust but verify."
I waved goodbye to B. who cautioned me to....be cautious --- but the high today is only 82° and I had on my sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat. I jumped into my car, listened to the delicate whine of the turbo and the throaty pulse of the twin exhausts and pointed the car to my current favorite walking street in town. Traffic was light. The car felt wonderful. How silly that four days of not driving can make one feel....rusty! On the way over I drove past my favorite gas station (is that weird to have a favorite gas station?) and noted that regular gas was priced at $3.89 per gallon. I guess that was to be expected...
I really didn't know exactly what to expect from shooting at a wide open aperture in broad daylight. I was happy to be reminded that the SL2-S has an electronic shutter that goes all the way to 1/16,000th of a second and most of my exposures fell under that. I parked a couple blocks south of the part of Congress that gets busy with people. A slow plunge into the more populated parts to come. The sun was bright and, at times, quite harsh. You got warm quick in the direct rays but the shade made everything tolerable.
I tried for a mix of medium distance shots and close ups, and more adventurous close-ups. At a certain point you can get too close and with everything falling out of focus so quickly the images shot that way have a tendency to lose context. There's a happy medium that depends partly on the distance at which one is shooting and also how much non-important detail there is in a scene. The more detail, the more you want to see what's surrounding the item you are spotlighting. I think detail shots benefit from having the main object of your visual desire standing alone and having a less detail rich close background. But that may just be my inclination.
There's a rhythm to my walks down S. Congress Ave. I start in front of Byrd's Barber shop because it's close enough to be a convenient place to park, and except on the weekends there is always a convenient space. I pay the meters on the Avenue because unlike other places in town where I become a scofflaw, and take my chances with parking meters, the Avenue is popular enough to support roving bands of city parking enforcement officers whose only duty is to write tickets. Outrageous tickets. I don't know about other cities but failing to pay the meter here means a minimum fine of $50. I was always willing to take my chances when the fines were $20 but now I consider $50 "real" money. I use an app on my phone to pay for the "privilege" of parking. Today's bill was $2.90 for 1.5 hours of hang time.
After parking gets sorted I find some shade to stand in and configure my camera for what I think I want to be shooting on any given day. Today I set the color temperature at "daylight" instead of waffling around with AWB. Since the camera has only 24 megapixel files I felt fine shooting raw. Don't know why I worry about file storage, since I have close to 30 terabytes of storage on the desktop, but I do. Maybe because it gets progressively harder to keep track of everything.... But whatever. Today was a "raw" day of shooting. And I wanted to be sure to set the aperture to f2. Lens cap in back pocket. EVF diopter set to its null position since I was wearing my current prescription glasses. All set and ready to walk down the strip to see what might have changed and what definitely would draw my attention.
Walking by Torchy's Tacos is always a good starting point if we're in full sun. The bright red details on the restaurant are a fun contrast with the rich blue of the Texas sky. I was happy to see that, given enough distance from my subject, the depth of field of a wide open 50mm f2.0 is sufficient to render enough of my subject sharply to give a satisfactory impression of detail.
The 50 APO is very quick to focus when using a single point focusing mode. S-AF. I tend to be a "center point" photographer and don't spend a lot of time moving the focusing point around with a joystick. If the methodology is good enough for M series rangefinder shooters it's mostly good enough for me. I generally move the camera to center the AF point on my subject, half press the shutter button to lock focus and then recompose as needed. It works about 95% of the time. The rest of the time I just punch in to magnify and use manual focusing instead. If I designed a digital camera for serious photographers it would only have a center metering point. Everything else takes one's attention off the image itself and makes the capturing of photos into more of a video game. You can argue but that would be a waste of time because eventually you would come to understand that you are wrong... kidding, everyone gets a ribbon...
It seems sometimes as though nothing in the neighborhood changes. Stores will remain open and in business for years. Same with restaurants. Then there is a flurry of old, established businesses moving out and new ones moving in. Last month saw the closures of two very well loved restaurants. One right next to the other. Both spaces are now under construction and it looks to me like it's going to end up as one big restaurant. And in three or four years everyone will think of the new restaurant as an "old, established" business. It just seems to be the organic nature of a tourist magnet.
There are things that I think show off the qualities of lenses like the 50mm APO. Especially when I'm playing around with narrow depth of field and exploring the wide open imaging capabilities of a lens. Two that come to mind are cowboy hats of most varieties and very fanciful cowboy boots. Mostly details of the boots. The boots in general are, to my mind, the latest "artistic" canvases for popular art. Most are hand stitched and actually quite fun to look at. When I see an interesting pair of boots; especially intricately decorated women's boots, I can't help but want to photograph the details. It's the lens nerd in me. Well, that and having lived in Austin, Texas for the last five decades. Seen a lot of progressive, semi-authentic Texana in my time...
The place I go to take photos of boots in Austin and Fredericksburg is Allen's Boots. They've been on the Avenue for as long as I can remember and they've always been most welcoming to photographers who are fascinated by the vast inventories. The place I go to take hat photos is called Maufrais and I love the store because it is always so well merchandised. Well displayed product is just so much more fun to look at. And, again, the staff at Maufrais is both welcoming and professional. I drop by once a week or so and do a loop through the store just to see what's new and see how the light at any particular time of the day changes the look. They also have a flower stand with custom arrangements and also a coffee stand which makes very good, espresso-based coffees.
I recently got acquainted with Guerro's Taco Bar (full service Tex-Mex restaurant) which is near the center point of my usual route. I was hanging out with photographer, David Ingram, at Jo's when we decided we both felt a bit peckish and he suggested we go to Guerro's. While they mostly cater to tourists during the weekend they are a solid choice for lunch or dinner at most other times. We were there at a crossover time. Late lunch on a Sunday. But we got seated quickly and plowed through queso and a big plate of beef fajitas. I don't think I should write "beef" fajitas because true Tex-Mex aficionados know that beef is the only authentic protein ingredient. Chicken is for non-professional Tex-Mex diners. The sides were good. The guacamole was good and while I'd like to write a review about their margaritas I can't because I had ice tea.
David was in good form and our dining discussion was wide ranging and most interesting.He's currently shooting with a Canon R5 and Canon's 85mm f1.2 lens. I don't think I'll ever be able to convert him to the cult of Leica because he seems to be doing very good work with what he's got...
After Guerro's is the Hotel San José with the lovely little swimming pool and the comfortable courtyard with bar and appetizer service. A wonderful place to go for a glass of wine and a plate of finger food on a nice Spring or Fall evening. A quiet respite from the rowdy nightlife outside the walls of the hotel compound. And, if truth be told, the San José is the original source of the gentrification of S. Congress; as far back as at least two decades ago...
If I wanted to do a portrait of someone while on S. Congress I would probably take them into the courtyard at the Hotel and use the open shade that's always available at different spots during the day and use a lens like the 50mm APO as close to wide open as possible to de-distract the background. No one would care or shoo you away. It's too laid back for that.
Every camera and lens combination feels different when you pick it up and begin to use it. It's like the trepidation of a first date. If you push yourself to use a combination of lens and camera over and over again you begin to develop not only a muscle memory but also a tactile affinity for the tools. A trust as it were. One of the benefits for me of having both the SL2 cameras and the SL2-S camera is that, as far as "hand feel" goes they are all identical so switching between the cameras for different uses is very, very fluid. From the handgrip to the support of the lens by your left hand, to the pages of the user interface, there is very little to slow down your flow while shooting. And the menus match.
The combination of the APO lens and the SL2(x) body is heavier than most other consumer cameras. It just is. If you are looking to lighten the load the cameras to look at, if you want to stay in the L mount family and you are anti-weight, would be the Panasonic S5 and the S5ii. But you miss out on the simplified interface and body style of the Leica cameras. You would also want to sub in a less weighty 50mm lens. The Lumix 50mm f1.8 is light and at the same time a very good performer for a lens that can be had for one tenth (or less) the price of the SL 50mm APO. Everything is a compromise and I know for some people the weight is a serious thing. I'm not there yet but I understand it. Maybe that's why I keep the little D-Lux 8 around.
When I'm out walking through an environment like this one I tend to keep my gear inventory really, really simple. I leave my phone and my house keys in my car. I use only one lens on one camera. I carry one extra battery for the SL Leicas but if I'm using an M240 rangefinder camera I don't bother with an extra battery because, unless you depend on live view, the batteries last pretty much forever. Or at least a few days of ample shooting. The less you carry the more attention you can pay to everything around you.
The phone is the worst thing to bring along because it mostly just begs you to play with it, check-in relentlessly, instantly "research" shit, and basically suck up as much attention and brain power as the software programmers can manage to harvest. It's a sad trick to see a once great photographer slowly careening down the sidewalk endlessly scrolling on a phone held out in front of him like a divining rod, leading him by the nose down one dead end path after another. Leave the phone in the car. If that's too insecure then just leave it at home. If you absolutely must transport it with you at least turn it all the way off. Power that bear trap of attention all the way down. You'll notice more. You'll shoot more. You'll meet more and more interesting people. I pretty much guarantee it.
The stop over at Jo's Coffee is a great place to slow yourself down and pay attention to the flow of the street. Grab a coffee, pull up a bar stool to the counter that faces open to the sidewalk and just be content to look and really see what all these people are doing as they parade in little groups up and down the street. Slowing down removes you from being in the middle of the traffic and gives you, mostly, a better point of view. Slowing down makes it easier to track interesting flows in the traffic. And to see people who go by in one direction and then, a half an hour later, go by in another direction.
If you visit often enough you can become somewhat of a regular which means other regulars to the establishment get used to seeing you there with your camera. Eventually conversations are initiated and over time it gets easier and easier to ask if it's okay to take someone's portrait. If you are a congenial customer the staff looks out for you. Gives your order priority. Invents a "senior discount." Makes your visit feel more familiar and familial. It doesn't take time; it takes consistency.
Jo's is a good place to catch your breath before you head on and discover more stuff on both sides of the street. And the street is different in the morning than the afternoon. Fewer people and the light from the sun lights up the buildings and courtyards that face east. In nice weather the afternoons and early evenings have the sun lighting up the buildings on the other side of the road and there are more people heading there for happy hours, dinners and the same kinds of walking that we all end up enjoying.
I worked with the camera and lens until my old, automatic watch (50 Fathoms) told me my time at the parking meter was running out. I was about to head back down the street, mostly uphill and heading south when someone called out to me from a café table near the store that features my favorite mannequins. A young man sitting alone at a table with a coffee. I turned around and we struck up a conversation. He wanted to know if the camera I was carrying was a Leica. We spent half an hour yakking about cameras, cars, wines (he's training to be a sommelier) and...automatic watches. We exchanged Instagram info. A nice fellow and well traveled. It will be interesting to see if he opts to buy the Leica Q2 he's been researching. Another friendly face I hope to run into on a future visit.
So, finally back to the car and a quick trip back home. Into the office. Battery on the charger. SD card plugged into the aging iMac Pro. Camera resting on an old horse blanket. My cell phone somewhere in the house. Dinner plans made with B. And then some quiet time looking in Lightroom at what I shot today and then playing around with basic tweaks to the files. Taking a bit of magenta out of the clouds, pushing up the odd colors like the reds. Looking quickly at how the files hold together when blown up. Choosing some to share so I can ask friends who come here what they think about the color and tonality I've dredged up with this particular combination of lens and camera. Every lens is different. Every camera is different. You only get to know them if you shoot and shoot and shoot. And then look and look and look.
Life is back to normal. Tomorrow is the final follow up from the medical stuff. I'm pretty sure it will be a piece of cake. And, if it is, I'll go and find a really nice piece of cake with which to celebrate. And coffee. Always coffee. But now? always with a side of water....
I ran out of time to get to the Leica rumors. They're all over the web. M12 with Leica made sensor, not Sony. S4 medium format, mirrorless camera with Leica sensor, not Sony. Over 100 MP. New lenses for the S4. And, an update to the Q3; the Q4, which has more of everything we like about the Q2 and Q3.
I'll write more about this tomorrow. Thanks!
Captions on some below.
Torchy's is a fun place to go for all kinds of tacos. Even tacos with crazy combinations of
ingredients. It's closer to fast food than to fine dining but it's a great, quick budget option
right in the middle of everything.
the "Hey Dude" shop is starting to overwhelm its neighbors.
I love "Big Top" they have the widest selection of nostalgic candy brands I have
ever seen. And ice cream. And shakes. But mostly, and importantly, candy.
If you see a nice message on a tile in a shop you might want to send
a photo of it to your significant other. They might like it. I buy a lot
of greeting cards, thank you cards, birthday cards, etc. at this
particular shop so I didn't feel too guilty not buying the tiles instead.
Be a saint, if you want, and buy the tile instead. Either way...
Vespaio was here from about thirty years. A great and early sophisticated Italian
restaurant for a city graduating from chicken fried steak to fine dining. Well liked
by natives. Now gone to make room for something new. Someone needed to document it.
Details from Allen's Boots. Nice details from the wide open APO.
Blow it up and see for yourself.
Hats at Maufrais. Really nice hats. Someday I'll buy one.
Another shop closed for good. Mannequins stripped and abandoned.
Part of the courtyard at the Hotel San José.
People who might love their dogs just.... a little ...... too much.
Every native Austinites nightmare. A middle aged man in leather pants, wearing mismatched driving loafers, one cell phone shoved into a back pocket, pacing back and forth while talking loud and non-stop on a second cell phone, hair dyed blonde. Super ugly sunglasses and no situational awareness. Sorry... I just had to vent. Don't be this guy.
from the mannequin H.Q.
Back to the San José courtyard for some mineral water and respite from the clamor of the street.
Look what f2 does to those clouds. Soft, puffy and non-descript.
Years walking here and this is the first time I noticed this ceramic and metal ornamentation just off the main sidewalk. Interesting.
I'm going to say that I think the "f2 Experiment" today was successful. I like the way the images look and especially so when I blow them up and look at them splashed across the full screen. It's fun to single out a lens and use it in a very tightly boundary-ed way. You get the flavor of it more quickly than you would if you'd brought along a zoom or two or three other primes and interchanged them. Rather than fitting a lens to a scene it's sometimes more effective to fit the scene to the lens.
Remember: Abandon your cellphone. It's tricking you into becoming dumber and more distracted. Kinda evil. We can do okay without them tagging along everywhere.... really.
