Seeing a recent Sebastiao Salgado photograph from his "Sahel" book has got me really excited about trying to do closer up head, body and detail shots on 35mm. The problem I am facing is that one of the drawbacks with rangefinder cameras is that close focus is limited, the new 35mm lens does .7 of a meter, my newer 50mm lens is about the same.
One of Salgado's favourite lens is the Leica R 60mm macro that he uses on a Leica R6 SLR body, I might have to go that direction to do this style of photograph. I could probably rig u p something with one of my Nikon zoom lens that would work but the sharpness of a zoom and a Leica prime lens is not even close. If I go the way of Salgado it would cost me around $1000 for the new (used) camera and lens. It would also break my buy no more cameras oath, if I got the R6 with 60mm macro it would be my second film camera in the last 5 years (8x10 Deardorff to remember- tribute to my father).
I need to experiment some with the rangefinders to see if I can make the photos with those cameras if not then I will probably get the R6-60mm. I just believe to much in the power of the close portrait, I will do what it takes to get it done. In my mind I keep seeing the people of the dump with the Burmese thanaka (tree bark cream) on their faces, I feel I can make wonderful photographs if I get up very close and shoot head shots in b/w with strong grain. There is also a kind-hardworking man at the dump with one eye who I want to shoot up close and tight (maybe from below), I want to show his underlying goodness and humanity, regardless of the loss of the eye.
The picture I wrote of earlier is below:
One of Salgado's favourite lens is the Leica R 60mm macro that he uses on a Leica R6 SLR body, I might have to go that direction to do this style of photograph. I could probably rig u p something with one of my Nikon zoom lens that would work but the sharpness of a zoom and a Leica prime lens is not even close. If I go the way of Salgado it would cost me around $1000 for the new (used) camera and lens. It would also break my buy no more cameras oath, if I got the R6 with 60mm macro it would be my second film camera in the last 5 years (8x10 Deardorff to remember- tribute to my father).
I need to experiment some with the rangefinders to see if I can make the photos with those cameras if not then I will probably get the R6-60mm. I just believe to much in the power of the close portrait, I will do what it takes to get it done. In my mind I keep seeing the people of the dump with the Burmese thanaka (tree bark cream) on their faces, I feel I can make wonderful photographs if I get up very close and shoot head shots in b/w with strong grain. There is also a kind-hardworking man at the dump with one eye who I want to shoot up close and tight (maybe from below), I want to show his underlying goodness and humanity, regardless of the loss of the eye.
The picture I wrote of earlier is below:
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| Boy crying Sahel, Sebastiao Salgado |
