The sun was setting, the waves were crashing, and I didn’t have a tripod to capture the moment. On top of that, all I had with me was a black and white camera. Who shoots coastal sunsets in black and white? The answer: I do.
Read MoreShelter
And the light. Oh, my, the light. There was a tall clump of trees off to the left and their shadow fell around the area except for a swath of sunlight that illuminated the tree and the rocks directly in front.
Read MoreMonochrome Awards Honorable Mentions
While contests like these don’t really mean much, I still thought it would be fun to enter them just to see what happened. I doubt I will enter any pay-to-play contests in 2022. Photography is such a subjective art that winning in one of these contests shouldn’t blow your ego up anymore than not winning should tear it down. Just go out and shoot and have fun.
Read MoreLeica M10 Monochrom Review
Leica camera owners are a curious bunch. On initial glance, you’d think all Leica enthusiasts also owned Ferraris, Rolex watches, and yachts docked in Monaco. Since I am one of those Leica fanatics, I can tell you that is far from the truth. I like a good name brand as well as the next guy. I generally can’t afford luxury items anyway, but I do appreciate the status of quality brands. And I do firmly believe that you get what you pay for.
Since most people in the world walk around with cameras in their pockets on a daily basis, the need for a “real” camera appeals to a small, dedicated few. Consider this, 90% of people have only taken photos on a camera phone. As a professional photographer, that astounds me. That means that only 10% of the world’s picture-taking population has ever touched a “real” camera. That statistic saddens me, but at the same time, I’m all for the democratization of photography. The more people taking pictures with whatever device, the better for all.
Isn’t this supposed to be a camera review? Yes, I’m getting to that, but let me caution you. I am not a techie when it comes to cameras. If you want to know all about each and every menu item, camera setting, or pixel peeping low light comparison, you’re going to need to look elsewhere. This is not that kind of review. Mine will be more of a holistic approach. Namely, have you thought about buying a Leica M10 Monochrom, and if so, is it really worth the almost $9K price tag? That is the question I will deign to answer.
This was not my first Leica. No, that honor belongs to the Leica M6, which I still own and use on occasion. However, film and film developing are expensive (if you don’t process the film yourself), so I tend to keep my film shooting on a once-in-a-while basis. I followed up by acquiring a Leica M10 later that same year. See, this is a stern word of warning. Once you start down the Leica path, there’s no going back. Your heart and creative drive will thank you, but your wallet will not.
Anyways, earlier this year, around February 2021, I finally just bit the bullet and ordered a Leica M10 Monochrom from the Leica store in San Francisco. This was the first brand new Leica that I’d ever purchased. I’m not ashamed to admit that I had tears in my eyes as I opened the package. I don’t know what it is about the Leica bug, but I have it big time. Opening a Leica camera is akin to buying a new iPhone or computer from Apple. Each company puts in a lot of effort into their packaging and it just adds to the mystique of their products.
My M6 came with a Voigtlander 35mm f/1.4 lens that I had been very happy with. However, soon after I purchased the Leica M10, I broke down and got a used Summicron 35mm f/2. Don’t believe the reviewers and YouTubers who tell you that Voigtlander glass is almost as good as true Leica glass. It isn’t. The images that came out of my M10 after switching to the Summicron were incredible. Leica glass is worth every penny and I can honestly say that if you’re going to own a Leica camera, you need to have Leica glass on it as well.
So I took out my new Monochrom, slapped the Summicron onto it, and promptly walked downstairs and took some photos of one of our dogs. The camera is smooth and quiet, especially compared to the much louder M10. In my haste to take that first photo, I forgot to put on one of the color filters I had purchased for my Summicron (I like to use color filters when shooting BW film on my M6). I have a yellow, orange, and red filter and I chose to go with the yellow. To this day, that filter is on my lens most of the time.
In the early spring, I took out the camera on a cloudy day and put the red filter on so that I could get some nice contrast against the white clouds. It was a surreal experience walking around the floor of Lake Folsom during a drought (as detailed in a previous post). Being made of brass, the camera feels heavy in the hand but not by an unreasonable amount. The weight makes it feel solid and is something I don’t really notice anymore. Also, I have a thumb grip that I put on the camera as it can be a bit hard to grasp without one. I find that I don’t need the hand grip attachment as I feel the thumb grip is all that is needed.
In the ensuing months, I have taken my M10 Monochrom with me on many of our travels. It’s been to Disneyland, the California Coast, too many street fairs to count, the San Diego Zoo and many other local photo shoots and walks. After spending so much time with the camera I can honestly say that I do not regret buying it. What it has done is caused me to think about selling my M10 as it rarely leaves the house with me. The only time I take out the M10 is when I need color photos, such as during the Lupine Super Bloom we had last spring.
What about the photos themselves? What can I say? The range and depth of gray tones simply cannot be emulated with a color digital camera. The only other way to come close to matching the M10 Monochrom would be with a black and white film, such as Fujifilm Acros II. Even then, the limitation of post-processing with a film image is lacking next to the limitless potential of a high quality image shot with the Monochrom.
The biggest downside, and it is well known amongst Monochrom owners of any model, is that you have to take special care to preserve your highlights. This usually ends up not being too big a deal because the shadow details captured with this camera are remarkable. When I set the exposure for a high contrast scene so that the highlights are preserved, the resulting initial image looks as if the shadows have been completely lost. But upon bringing up the shadows in post-processing, it’s astonishing to see the detail retained by this camera.
I know this has been a 10,000 foot view kind of review, but I think the most important thing to know if you’re considering on buying this camera is that you should just pull the trigger and do it. Especially if you already have Leica glass. If this would be your first Leica purchase, then you might want to seriously consider the Leica Q2 Monochrom as well. You’ll get an excellent lens—although it is fixed—but the image quality is on par with the M10 Monochrom. Purchasing this camera was a big decision, but after using it for months I can safely say it was the correct decision.
Let me know if you have any specific questions about the camera and I would be happy to answer them!
Photograph Received Honorable Mention in ND Awards
Featured in Inaugural Issue of Lots Magazine
A brand new magazine for creatives called Lots has just issued its inaugural issue. I’m excited to be featured in their Street Photography section.
Read MoreUsing Lightroom to Post Process Your Leica Monochrom Landscape Photos
As the owner of a Leica Monochrom, you will know that there is no color information available with the .dng files from the camera. Since the color filter array has been removed from the sensor, there will be no way to manipulate the different “colors” of grayscale like when you convert a color photo by setting the Treatment to Black and White in Lightroom.
Read MoreBeginner Photographer Series: Lenses
In all likelihood, your camera came with a “kit” lens. It’s called that because when bought together, the detachable lens and the camera body are called a “kit.” Kit lenses are usually medium zoom lenses with focal lengths between 18-55mm. This gives you a nice variety of focal lengths to use for your photography, from a wide-angle for landscapes to zoom in close for portraits.
Read MoreBeginner Photographer Series: Getting Started
While it is a good idea to spend time learning the ins and outs of your camera, you don’t need to take the time right now if all you want to do is go out and shoot. And let’s be honest, that’s likely anyone reading this right now. Who doesn’t like to use new toys as soon as they get them? There are some easy settings for your camera that you can use to get going right away.
Read MoreQuarantine in Roseville
How the Pandemic is Affecting My Hometown
I’ve spent most of my time during shelter-in-place secluded at home. I’ve been doing what a lot of photographers have been doing and taking pictures around the house and backyard. This past weekend I finally had had enough and needed to get out of the house and take some pictures of the local area. I felt it was important to preserve the impact the pandemic has had on my local town in pictures.
Roseville is best known for its Automall and the large shopping mall. I didn’t drive by the Automall but I did go to the popular local church and a couple of restaurants. Also, I took a walk through downtown Roseville to see how the local shops and restaurants were dealing with the crisis. The place was a ghost town with only a handful of people out and about on a beautiful spring day. The last places I visited were a strip mall with lots of popular restaurants and one of our movie theaters.
It’s such an eerie feeling to see a normally bustling society shrink back inside its walls. Life is scary and unpredictable at the moment, but it has also been simplified. I think the one silver lining that will emerge at the end of all of this will be the appreciation for the quieter aspects of life: spending time with family; enjoying a meal at a restaurant with friends; watching a ball game on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Perhaps a lot of us will realize that all the stress and constant motion in our previous lives were unnecessary?
Thanks for stopping by and I hope you and yours stay safe and healthy during these precarious times.
David
Fall Trip to Hawaii
Fun Family Get Away to the Garden Isle
Our October trip to Kauai, Hawaii was a bit of a mixed emotion type of trip. On our way to the airport, my wife received the news that her father had passed away. This wasn’t a surprise as we saw him twelve hours earlier in hospice and prayed that he would pass quickly. So it was with some relief that we received the news but understandably also very sad.
My oldest daughter’s boyfriend, who is half-Hawaiian, had never been to his ancestral homeland so we were excited to share his first time in the islands. We have been to Kauai many times so we know the island quite well. This was our first time staying in Princeville, though, and we enjoyed our time there. It did mean a lot of time in the car travelling down to the east and south coasts of the island but we liked the lush beauty of the north side of the island.
My wife had some difficult moments on the trip but I think it was therapeutic to be there at such a hard time in her life.
David
Labor Day Trip to Santa Cruz
A Fun Family Trip to the Mountains and Beach
We took a trip to Santa Cruz over the Labor Day weekend. We usually go to Aptos when we come to the area but my youngest wanted to stay in the mountains for a change. We found a nice Airbnb in Boulder Creek, a small community in the Santa Cruz mountains. It was a nice change of pace to staying at the beach. I can’t say I like it more, but it is nice to change things up now and then.
We did a day trip down to Gayle’s Bakery (a must) and then to Monterey Bay Aquarium and finally, Carmel. The next day we went into downtown Santa Cruz to walk around and I was able to take some street photography while my wife and daughter shopped. It was a nice and relaxing weekend and I can’t wait to go back as Aptos and the surrounding areas are one of my favorite places to relax.
David
San Diego Vacation
A Week in San Diego for our 25th Anniversary
We had been mulling over several options to get away for our 25th Anniversary week and we finally decided as a family to head down to San Diego. We were there in Mission Beach with my wife’s extended family in 2017 and had a great time, so we thought perhaps we could recapture some of that magic.
The place we stayed at was very nice and had a wonder rooftop hangout with bar, fire pit, and bbq. You could see the ocean and Mission Bay from there so it was nice to go up in the mornings and drink coffee and listen to the ocean.
The sunsets are hard to beat while walking on the beach. I took several one night when it looked like the clouds would be right for a good sunset. Man, that drive is a long one from Sacramento but it was worth it to spend quality time with the family.
David
San Francisco Pride Weekend
Celebrating Gay Pride in San Francisco
This past weekend my wife and I took our 17 year-old daughter down to San Francisco for the weekend to experience Pride weekend. She is a lesbian and has a hard time meeting others where we live so we wanted her to know what it felt like to be around lots of others like herself.
We arrived in the City on Friday night and headed out for dinner in North Beach. Then on Saturday we spent the afternoon at the festival that was being held at the San Francisco Civic Center. There were bands and booths and lots of people having fun. There were also quite a few fully naked men walking around which I had warned my daughter about. We’re not really a prude family so we enjoyed the sense of freedom for everyone to be themselves.
Sunday morning was the parade. We got a great spot on Market Street sitting atop a couple of newspaper boxes. The parade was long and we left before the end of it but we saw a good 2 1/2 hours of it. Our daughter had a wonderful time but I think she’ll enjoy herself more next year when she’s 18 and perhaps goes with a girlfriend.
David
Matt Stuart Workshop
Excellent Workshop During StreetFotoSF Festival Week
StreetFoto San Francisco has a week-long festival every year. It’s filled with free photowalks, gallery events and various workshops you can pay to take part in. I looked at the Matt Stuart workshop early on but decided against it as I was still fresh off of Alan Schaller’s workshop just a month prior (at the time). Two days before the workshop was due to start, there was a cancellation and an email was sent out saying there was an opening. I took that as an omen and replied. Luckily, I was the first and I got into the workshop.
I travelled down to San Francisco on Thursday morning for a photowalk in the Mission with Harvey Castro leading the way. It was a fun day walking around seeing the colorful murals and fantastic street life of the area. I was bummed that I had only brought my Leica Monochrom camera as I wanted to capture the colors of the area. Oh well. It was still a great photo walk.
The next day, I showed up for the Haight photowalk that took place a few hours before the workshop was to begin. The Haight was also an interesting area to photograph but not quite as much as the Mission. I met a couple of other photographers who were attending the workshop and we broke off from the main group as the start of the workshop approached. We walked over to the Castro and grabbed a few shots before finally heading to the Harvey Milk Photo Center.
It was an intense weekend that was covered in great detail by one of my fellow attendees, John Lowell, so I will not recreate that here. What I will say, is that I was in a weird place when I arrived at the start of the weekend and I left with even more confusion and some clarity at the same time. We spent all day shooting Saturday and then spent all day Sunday critiquing each other’s work in the most brutally honest way I’ve ever experienced. I knew that I had wanted to stop shooting like Alan Schaller and move toward my own style. Going through the rigorous experience with Matt and my fellow students made my path a bit more clearer.
I also realized that I’m just not a Leica guy. At least, not Leica digital. I have so much more fun shooting with my Fuji X-Pro2 than with the Monochrom. Anyways, I feel a bit liberated after such an intense weekend and I’m looking forward to shooting for myself finally.
David
2019 Amgen Tour of California
Annual Spectator of the Best Cycling Race in the US
Every year I look forward to going out and watching the cyclists compete in the Amgen Tour of California. It is the biggest professional bike race in the United States and usually has some of the sport’s best talent. I chose the second stage to go and watch as it provided some good hills to watch the riders as they ascend. Stage 2 started in Rancho Cordova and ended in South Lake Tahoe. I chose a spot just north of Placerville that gave me good sight lines down the road. As a fellow cyclist, it always blows me away how fast the pros ride up such steep climbs.
David
Weekend in Napa with Lomography Color 800 Film
Lomography 800 Film: An Interesting Color Palette
On a beautiful weekend at the end of March, my wife and oldest daughter went down to Napa for the weekend. The weather had been rainy and cold for most of the month but the sun and warmth came out for that weekend. Before our trip, I had recently received Lomography’s 800 speed color film in the mail and I was anxious to try it out. I thought the way the film treated colors was pretty cool and I thought Napa would be the perfect place to try it out. I left all my digital equipment at home and just brought along my Leica M6 with the Voigtlander 35mm f/1.4 lens. The 800 speed was a little too much in the bright daylight, but it definitely came in handy indoors. I really like how it handles the warmer tones, especially reds and oranges. I have more rolls in the fridge and after the results you see here, I will definitely be using this film again.
David
Workshop with Alan Schaller in San Francisco
I absorbed more about black and white photography that one weekend that in the past 20 years of shooting. If you get the chance to attend one of Alan’s workshops, don’t pass up the chance. You won’t regret it.
Read MoreWinter in the Foothills
Rare Snowfall in the Sierra Foothills
My parents live in the Sierra foothills in the middle of California Gold Country. We saw that a colder than normal storm was going to be passing through up there and it was going to bring snow with it. Having not seen it actually snowing yet this year, we headed up to my parent’s house for the weekend and hoped to see some snow falling. When we woke up Sunday morning, we are not disappointed. My Dad said in the 19 years they had been living there, that was the most snowfall they had ever seen.
David
New Zealand Cruise
Cruise from Sydney to around New Zealand
My wife strained her thumb at work and had to go on disability for several weeks. We took the opportunity to celebrate our 25th Anniversary a little early in the year and booked a cruise around New Zealand. The ship left Sydney and sailed around the southern tip of New Zealand and then up the East Coast, stopping at various ports along the way. After twelve days we headed back to Sydney and then home. It was a great trip and something we will always remember.
David