Minnesota

, ,

A Dream Comes True

, ,

Things are coming together again after a long hiatus from making photographs.  Covid cases are on the decline in the U.S., I’m going to Paris next month, and I have a new camera!


Yes, my dream did come true after lots of thought and reflection.  This month I traded my old Leica Q for the Q2 Monochrom.  I haven’t had much time to get to know this new camera, but first impressions are that it is living up to all the hype.  So far, the dynamic range is the big stand out - simply amazing.  It’s hard to believe black and white images look this good in-camera.  I’m pumped about the prospect of spending even less time with post processing.

I have only a few weeks to explore the other nuances of this camera before I’m in Paris for 10-days with a friend where photography is #1 on our To-Do List.

More to come.

, , , ,

Checking In

, , , ,

It’s been so long since I last posted anything, I sort of forgot how to do it.  Let’s just say I was all thumbs trying to publish this update. Sadly, I haven’t picked up my camera either for more than 19 months. I'm hoping when I start to make photos again everything will fall into place as it relates to matters of timing, and technique.  There’s also the implied assumption that I’ll feel comfortable standing close to people again.


This post is my way of saying thanks for checking in, and that I'm still around and still COVID-free.  Like so many, I was hopeful we had turned a corner on the pandemic earlier this summer both in the US and Europe.  I even booked a trip to France for September that is no longer happening because of the rise in COVID cases both here and there.  This is the second time I've had to cancel a trip to France since the pandemic surfaced, and it isn’t getting any easier.  


Yes, I'm vaccinated, but given the higher risks of mingling among all the others who aren’t, I’m not interested in writing about what it feels like to have a breakout case or how my life has changed as a long hauler.  So for now, my travel plans are back on hold.


The cover photo was taken while I was testing out a Leica Q a few years ago.  As I mentioned in my last post, a few months later, I sold all of my camera equipment, and bought a new Q.


I’m still thinking about upgrading to the Q2M, it’s just that I've had a few distractions in my life since my last post.  Now that things have settled down, and travel is back on hold, I have some more time to tease out my buying impulse.

, , ,

Nicollet Mall

, , ,

When there’s nothing happening on the streets of Minneapolis, I often resort to Nicollet Mall. I can usually find an interesting subject or some interesting light. Today, I pushed my shutter just ten times because the activity level was so low, and I was under-dressed for the weather. I think I spent more time sipping a Guinness inside a local Irish pub than I did walking on the streets.

I like the image above only for the pop of color that punches through the drab scene. The gloves, the scarf and the hat confirm that winter has arrived.

The image above misses the mark, but perhaps you can make sense of what I was thinking about when I took the shot. As I saw these women heading towards me, I was hopeful they would synchronize their stride to mirror the metal bars off to the left - maybe next time.

This guy is ready for winter, and there’s something Viking-esque about his build, his plaid shirt, the hat, and all of that hair.

And finally, I like how the elements of this image started to fall into place as an authority figure shouted to this group of students who were almost a city block in front of their party. There is a clearly defined foreground, middle ground and background of students positioned about the sidewalk. My only regret is that they they weren’t all in focus.

.

, , , ,

Cold Snap

, , , ,

What a difference a week makes. All I could think about today was staying warm when I met up with a friend to shoot some pictures in downtown Minneapolis. No wonder no one was out and about. It’s too cold for this time of year as the images below suggest.

As the city bus rolled to a stop in the image below, a woman, who looked like she was competing in a track and field long jump event, exited the bus. I actually got a shot, but I was too far away, and a street lamp pole was also blocking the subject. I was within range when the last passenger exited the bus. If it wasn't for the guy who is looking back at the woman, I would have deleted this shot.

It’s time to toughen up to the cold because another long winter has already begun. May it pass quickly.

, , , ,

Seasonal Change

, , , ,

It took me a few weeks to get excited about shooting in my city again after coming back from Europe earlier this month. This feeling is familiar to me, and I deal with it every time I get a chance to shoot in a new location.

We’re well into fall in terms of the leaves changing color, and many of them are on the ground swirling in the cold winds that will only get colder in the coming days. Here’s one stretch of my walk where the trees seemed to be holding on to their leaves.

While I was walking in downtown Minneapolis today, I enjoyed every moment of the bright sunshine and the days which are now numbered where I can operate without gloves. It’s likely we won’t have another day like this for the next six months. Here are a few more images I captured on my walk.