Index of Pictures

  Alhambra, Granada. june 1999. Rolleiflex SL35 + TeleTessar 200mm, Ilford Delta 100. I spotted these two characters waving at me from the top of this tower in the distance. Yeah, I'm pretty sure it was me -- I was the only one down there! It was only after I made this tele shot that I managed to get a closer look. I have no idea who they are. Do you know them??? Alhambra, Granada. june 1999. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 35mm (?), Ilford Delta 100. Alhambra, Granada. june 1999. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 35mm (?), Ilford Delta 100. Alhambra, Granada. june 1999. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 35mm (?), Ilford Delta 100. Gardens 'n' stuff... Alhambra, Granada. june 1999. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 35mm (?), Ilford Delta 100. These pics would have definitely benefited from the use of a green or yellow filter in order to lighten the foliage, which renders rather drab here. Too bad I didn't have one at the time.  

  Alhambra, Granada. june 1999. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 25mm (?), Ilford Delta 100. Another loada tourists strolls in... Alhambra, Granada. june 1999. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 25mm, Ilford Delta 100. Obviously I had difficulty composing this shot, even with the 25mm lens. My vantage point was kinda awkward. These gardens look horrible without filter! I also overdid the contrast in the print somewhat; the clogged shadows are particularly depressing. Looks nothing like the scene as I perceived it. Alhambra, Granada. june 1999. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 25mm, Ilford Delta 100. I tried this landscape composition of the previous scene, but it's still awkward. Alhambra, Granada. june 1999. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 25mm (?), Ilford Delta 100. Normally I despise having people in my pics (kinda like in RealLife[tm]), but in this case the slouchy posture of the guy conveys the tranquility of the gardens somewhat. Alhambra, Granada. june 1999. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 35mm, Ilford Delta 100. I have no idea what the hell went wrong here, but this shot was out of focus, which is particularly strange because I had plenty depth of field. Normally I only apply minor corrections to my scanned images, but here I used unsharp masking to get stuff somewhat back into focus. Still shows that I screwed up, tho.  

  Alhambra, Granada. june 1999. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 35mm (?), Ilford Delta 100. This was a tough eggs-ercise in contrast. I wanted to preserve some detail in the shadows underneath the arches *and* in the highlights on the pavement outside. I wasn't yet familiar with split contrast printing, and this straight unicontrast print doesn't accomodate the full tonal range of the negative. Split contrast would have worked wonders here. Alhambra, Granada. june 1999. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 25mm (?), Ilford Delta 100. The Distagon 25mm is a sharp lens and renders this portal calligraphy nicely (no, I *don't* know what it says). This was taken in the shade, though, and contrast was low. Consequently, the hard contrast filter used for printing accentuates the film grain, dust, and other blemishes on the negative. Alhambra, Granada. june 1999. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 25mm, Ilford Delta 100. One of my all time faves, this image marked a turning point for me: it introduced me to split contrast printing! I spent *ages* setting this up. I wanted to capture these arches as they encroach on you, and the 25mm lens' distortion heightens this effect. I must've waited 15 minutes or more for that second or two when there were no idiots wandering into view before I could make my eggs-posure. The negative has extreme contrast, but I wanted to preserve detail in the ceiling under the arches *and* texture on the courtyard walls. I made several lousy prints with clogged shadows or highlights and simply couldn't get the look I wanted. Split contrast printing was the answer, and this print was the result of my first foray into this technique. I experimented a *lot* with this motif until I got the right hard/soft contrast ratio. This scan doesn't really convey the tonal range of the print very well, though. Needless to say, split contrast printing has become my standard technique now. Reichstag, Berlin, december 2001. Contax T, Kodak Gold. The venerable old building that's stood the test of time: burned, bombed, shelled, it now sports a restored facade and completely refurbished interior, and serves its intended purpose again. It now houses the pathetic excuse of a totally inept (mostly left wing) parliament trying in vain to save this country from its inevitable downward spiral. Victory column, Berlin, 1/1/2002. Contax T, Kodak Gold. Erected to commemorate the defeat of the French (much to their chagrin), the victory column now serves as venue for mass hysteria such as the Love Parade, and, as in this case, New Years Eve celebrations. Lots of antisocial behaviour going on down here while the angel glistens in the spotlights above. The  

  Granada, june 1999. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 35mm (?), Ilford Delta 100. Granada appears to be full of @$&#ed up old houses like this one overlooking the marketplace. Obviously I was confused in deciding whether I should align the shot with the house or the pavement. I chose the latter, even though my brain told me to choose the former. Granada, june 1999. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 35mm (?), Ilford Delta 100. Marketplace 'n' stuff. Those chicks look pretty cool... Cathedral, Granada, june 1999. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 25mm (?), Ilford Delta 100. Really bad light here. What's that dork stretching his arms out for? Or is it a dorkette? Must be a tourist yelling, Cathedral, Granada, june 1999. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 25mm (?), Ilford Delta 100. Back door or sumptin'... Cathedral, Granada, june 1999. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 35mm, Ilford Delta 100. I wanted to capture the full measure of this architecture. Alas, the building's scale proved too much for my lens. The 25mm Distagon would've come in handy here.  

  Cathedral, Granada, june 1999. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 35mm, Ilford Delta 100. The organ caught my eye (as organs tend to do), since it wasn't just hidden away somewhere in the back but in plain view, and was heavily ornamented too. Too bad I never heard it play. I had a *very* hard time getting this shot; the lighting was low, my film was slow (I didn't plan for this), and it was only my fast lens (f/1.4), steady stance, and abated breath that made me get away with a 1/8 sec eggs-posure! This also happens to be one of my first split contrast prints. Cathedral, Granada, june 1999. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 35mm, Ilford Delta 100. There's that organ again. I really dig that conquistador dude in the bottom left. Cathedral, Granada, june 1999. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 35mm, Ilford Delta 100. Still grappling with the building's scale here. I left out the floor, which is kinda irritating. Infact, I forgot what it looked like. Cathedral, Granada, june 1999. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 35mm, Ilford Delta 100. Ok, so *that's* what the floor looked like! There was actually a mass going on as I took these shots. No more blasphemous than attending in shorts like those two guys, mind you. Granada, june 1999. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 35mm, Ilford Delta 100. Yeah, mon. We finally made it to da hood! Feels just like home! I just *had* to snap these @$&#ed up old houses.  

  Cologne, september 2000. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 35mm, Ilford HP5. Anja struts her stuff at the Leaf booth at the Photokina fair. Leaf was demonstrating its professional digital back for medium format cameras and hired Anja as model. I was dumb enough not to take my flash, and wound up taking these shots only with the key lights. The Leaf folks of course snapped away with a whole battery of flashes. These negatives were actually muddy and somewhat underexposed (1/15 sec at f/2.8) , and required some finesse (split contrast, of course!) to get a decent print. I was still surprised to actually get away with these results given the adverse conditions. Potsdamer Platz, Berlin, december 2001. Contax T, Kodak Gold 200 (?). This is the new subway station at Potsdamer Platz. The lightpipes sticking out of the concrete extend towards the platforms below, designed to conduct daylight in order to reduce lighting costs. At night, they're artificially illuminated. Kinda forfeits their purpose, doesn't it? Schauinsland, black forest, september 1999, Rolleiflex SL35 + Planar 50mm, Ilford FP4. This was taken on the cableway up to the Schauinsland mountains, with Freiburg visible in the mist to the left of the cable. It was an overcast day and no filter would have really helped here. The foliage rendered way too dark, and I turned to split contrast printing once again. The resulting print is rich in tone, yet literally conveys the drabness of the scene as I remember it. Schauinsland, black forest, september 1999, Rolleiflex SL35 + Planar 50mm, Ilford FP4. Still on the cableway, and man, we're like, totally HIGH 'n' stuff! Paris, august 1995. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 35mm, Kodak Gold 100. The great gallic phallic symbol is rendered almost *rusty* in this shot taken in the late afternoon sun.  

  Trocadero Plaza, Paris, august 1995. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 35mm, Kodak Gold 100. The Trocadero is *the* place to hang out. Note the djembe session going in the centre. Trocadero Plaza, Paris, august 1995. Rolleiflex SL35 + TeleTessar 200mm, Kodak Gold 100. Tele shot of the djembe session. This Algerian (?) character was really getting into it! Note the yellow sticker on his shirt bearing the slogan Trocadero Plaza, Paris, august 1995. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 35mm, Kodak Gold 100. Every now and again white stuff comes out... Louvre, Paris, august 1995. Rolleiflex SL35 + Planar 50mm, Kodak Gold 100. Louvre, Paris, august 1995. Rolleiflex SL35 + Planar 50mm, Kodak Gold 100. Do I know those guys in the lower left corner?  

  Louvre, Paris, august 1995. Rolleiflex SL35 + Planar 50mm, Kodak Gold 100. Paris, august 1995. Rolleiflex SL35 + Planar 50mm, Kodak Gold 100. YEAH! Nudes and ferris wheels! Quite a statement, huh? Nah, I dunno what that means, either. I must admit I didn't contemplate the potential connotations of this motif when I took it. That nude just happened to wander into my finder. No, really! Paris, august 1995. Rolleiflex SL35 + Planar 50mm, Kodak Gold 100. Wheeee! Riding the ferris wheel! Paris, august 1995. Rolleiflex SL35 + Planar 50mm, Kodak Gold 100. Yep, still riding that ferris wheel. It was a rainy day, but we didn't give a $*#&. Paris, august 1995. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 35mm, Kodak Gold 100. The Seine at night taken from a bridge. Those lights in the sky are not UFOs, but rather reflections on the skylight filter. Like most people, I keep it on the lens for protection, even in situations such as this when a skylight filter makes absolutely no sense! I've learned my lesson and always remove any filters prior to making a night eggs-posure.  

  Paris, august 1995. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 35mm, Kodak Gold 100. These chicks have been hangin' round here since the 1937 world expo. Trocadero Plaza, Paris, august 1995. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 35mm, Kodak Gold 100. My all-time fave night eggs-posure. I *never* expected to got these astonishing results. The fountains look like heaps of glowing fluff! I've always been fascinated by night photography because it brings an ethereal, otherworldly look to scenes which might look mundane by day. Trocadero Plaza, Paris, august 1995. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 35mm, Kodak Gold 100. Another night shot of the Trocadero fountains. Here I had to lug the tripod over a fence or some kinda barrier and operate the camera from behind it. I couldn't even see the viewer properly, and the image was lopsided, which I corrected during scanning. Sabatier surfer, Munich, 1998 (?). Rolleiflex SL35 + Planar 50mm, Ilford HP5. Nope, this wasn't shot in Hawaii -- the surfers riding the waves in the stream winding through Munich's english gardens attract crowds during summer. Officially verboten like everything in Germany, except here it's actually for good reason: the stone walls lining the stream are a very slightly serious potential health hazard. This was my first, and thus far, only attempt at Sabatier effect printing. I find the motif suits it well. Unfortunately I wasn't very successful, and never quite got the effect I was looking for. Mountain range, Germany/Austria, 1999(?). Rolleiflex SL35 + Planar 50mm, Ilford HP5. This was taken on an outing across the border from Bavaria into Austria. I really love the texture on those cliffs and the low clouds (heightened by the use of an orange filter). Too bad the detail in this image is marred somewhat by the HP5's grain.  

  London, june 2001. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 35mm, Ilford Delta 100. Oh boy, yet another phallic symbol. At least this one needs no further introduction. The chick in the foreground was too engrossed in her cell phone to realise she ended up in the pic. :^) London, june 2001. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 35mm, Ilford Delta 100. I'm sure the residents of Abbey Road have condemned the Beatles album that brought so much misery to their quiet neighbourhood. This is the official street sign, or what's left of it after hordes of fans have defaced it. The city of Westminster has to replace it regularly for the sake of legibility, or when fans pinch it for their personal Beatles shrine. Disgusting. Of course, I scribbled on it too... :^) London, june 2001. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 35mm, Ilford Delta 100. Having endured a few London, june 2001. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 35mm, Ilford Delta 100. There I was, emerging from the tube station near Trafalgar Square, when I was greeted by this huge arse looming above me! The Poms have a long tradition of witty (and cheeky, if you pardon the pun) advertising, and this is no exception. I appreciate an ad that speaks out, and after reading the catch phrase I ecstatically acknowledged, London, june 2001. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 35mm, Ilford Delta 100. The hustle and bustle of Picadilly Circus on a Saturday night. This caught me off guard, as I didn't take a tripod along. I improvised by setting the camera up on a utilities box on the street corner. Since it was right in front of a wall, I couldn't see the damn viewfinder (my kingdom for a waistlever finder!), so I sort of pointed the camera where I thought the action would be, and snapped away. This was one of the better (and longer) exposures. Note the doubledecker bus emerging like a blurred wall from the side street at centre left.  

  London, june 2001. Rolleiflex SL35 + Distagon 35mm, Ildord HP5. Taken from the London Eye at 1/8 sec, these exposures were pretty tough, despite using an ASA 400 film. I did some (digital) unsharp masking here to mitigate the blurring, but it's far from perfect. Ok, I could've pushed the film (the HP5 is particulaly well suited), but that would've been... well, pushing it. :^)  

created with igal