MASTIN LABS

Summer Journal 2021

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One photo a day through out the summer. One camera, one lens, all in black and white. Those were the premises I sat for myself. I have been inspired in the past by photographers that do a 365, meaning one photo a day for an entire year. I couldn’t commit to such a large project right now, but thought I would do something similar over the summer. Both to spark my creativity and to make memories for me and my family. I focused on different things. Sometimes a light, a shadow or something else that caught my attention that day. It could also just be something random och something we or I would do on that particular day. I really enjoyed this process and I felt it gave more than it took. I like having a camera around and to try and catch the moment. I have done this one time before on Tri-X film but this time I wanted to try digital.

I like the instant gratification with digital and also the workflow, using Mastin Labs preset for Kodak Tri-X. I think it comes fairly close but lacks the extra bit of grain you get with film. The camera I chose to use was the Fujifilm X-PRO2. Both for the image quality it gives and for it’s form factor (close to my Leica M7). The lens was the Mitakon 35mm 0.95. I love that lens for several reasons. First it’s a true manual focus lens. Meaning that it resembles the focusing I have on my Leica lenses. It’s also heavy and made of metal. Just a feeling that I’ve come to like over the years. I tend to shoot a lot wide open. Both for that 3D effect I often get on medium format cameras. But also to bring out the character of the lens. I’m not after perfection and extreme sharpness in a lens. More the look it gives. And lastly it’s a 50mm equivalent in 35mm terms, and that is my favourite focal length. I use it primarily on all my cameras systems.

Many of these images are maybe only relevant to me but maybe someone will get inspired by what I’ve done here. I will probably make a photo book out of these projects for my kids to keep. Thanks for looking :)

 

My summer journal 2021

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Inspired by those of you that manage to do an entire 365, meaning one photo a day for a year, I’m now doing a similar project over the summer. I have done this once before. That time it was one camera, one lens, one film (Leica M7, 50 summicron, Tri-X). This time it’s a mix of both film and digital but still in black & white. It’s something poetic about that with suits my style for this project. What do I photograph? It could be just a certain light, a detail in my surroundings or something else that summons up the day I had.

The gear I’m using this summer is still the Leica M7, 50mm summicron V4, Tri-X metered for the shadows and pushed one stop in development. Scanned by Carmencita Film Lab on the Fuji Frontier 3000. On the digital side I’m using the Fujifilm X-pro2. A camera I just got and that really helps me in getting the imagery I want. It’s almost as simple to use as the M7. I turn off the LCD screen and focus manually. Initially I used the X-pro1. A lighter camera, which I like, but with inferior evf. So that made me upgrade. But still the pro1 is a great camera in many ways. The lens is the phenomenal Mitakon speedmaster 35mm 0.95. About a 50 1.4 in 35mm terms and has a really nice micro contrast and 3D separation. Bokeh? Melting :)

For post processing I use Mastin Labs Kodak Everyday Original and the Tri-X preset. Just two clicks, one for the preset and one for “All soft”. Then maybe adjust the exposure a bit. That’s it. Another favourite among presets are Rebecca Lily presets. I use her SET V for b&w.

Working like this gets me the consistency I’m after with my photography. I can work seamless between film and digital and enjoy both worlds. I will do the entire post after the summer when all is developed. But I will update images to this post as we go along.