Last Sunday, together with good friends, The Significant Other and I visited the exhibition of contemporary German painter Christopher Lempfuhl in the Museum Würth in Künzelsau-Gaisbach. Frequent readers of this blog know that I love shooting street photography in an exhibition. Taking my recently acquired used Leica M for a spin, I gave myself the challenge to shoot a small reportage with only a 35mm prime lens. One exhibition, one lens.
Shooting with just one lens is a great exercise for any photographer. It helps to concentrate on figuring out where to position yourself and your camera in relation to the subject and what you want to include in (and leave out of) the frame, whether to move closer to or farther away from the subject to accomplish that (“zooming with your feet”), how to frame the shot, what to select as primary point of focus, and so on. All of this helps you to figure out what the strengths and weaknesses of a particular lens and its focal length are — what it does best, whether it has any particular characteristics which can be used intentionally for visual effect and what subjects or situations it is most useful for.
Shooting in this exhibition in an art museum that doubles as corporate headquarters of the Würth group (a worldwide operating company that focuses primarily in the wholesale of fastening and assembly technology products) did just that for me. This collection of photographs shows the versatility of a 35mm lens, with which you can shoot architecture (outside also landscapes), portraits, closeups, but which is also wide enough to show the context of the environment you are shooting in. It is great lens for documentaries (used by many of photography’s greatest). And should you ever consider bringing only one camera and a single prime lens on vacation, this should be it.
Christopher Lempfuhl is a representative of a contemporary realism. He ventures out into the open air to capture the same light moods we photographers love and try to capture on our film or sensors. He is an all-weather painter who says “I love color masses” and applies the oil colors thickly. He works only with his hands, completely without brush or spatula. The results are light-flooded land- and cityscapes created through relief-like, thick application of paint that are three dimensional, and from a distance, almost photorealistic.
Apart from thoroughly enjoying the exhibition I also loved totally simplistic photography with the Leica M and the 35mm Summicron lens.
Wish you a great Thursday!
Marcus
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NYC Experience – Day at the Museum
Beautiful ❤️
Thanks, my friend, another occasion where I thought a lot about our trip to Schwäbisch Hall. Hugs, Marcus
I thought about it too my friend an du actually wrote about it today in a post thanking you. Much love to you.
Awwww…thanks for your wonderful post that I just read. I cherished every word of it and it means the world! Stay safe yourself! Hugs Marcus
Very cool!
Thanks, Daniela, so much appreciated! Marcus
That truly is a versatile lens. I love how you’ve shared so many different styles of captures with just the one lens. Great collection, Marcus!! 🙂
Thanks, Amy, appreciate your feedback! Have a great week! Marcus
Keeping it simple is always a great approach when photographing. And you images from the exhibition are all well done. I love the many different angles and approaches your photos show.
Thanks, Otto, I really appreciate your thoughts and feedback! Hab eine gute Woche! Marcus
that’s a nice little lens you got yourself here, Marcus 🙂
Thanks, Myriam, indeed it is 🙂 Have a great week! Marcus
It’s good to force yourself to use one prime lens all day…and it looks like you had a good time with it. I’m curious about how you would characterize the difference in shooting experience between the Leica M and your Olympus.
Right now it feels somehow liberating. One camera, one lens. Nothing to think about, which camera and lenses to take. Just grabbing the cam and heading out! I totally love the manual shooting experience. It forces you to thing photography every time before pressing the shutter. The image quality of the Leica glass and this 8 year old Leica body is mind-blowing. So much dynamic range, the incredible sharpness of the lens at f/8, the shallow depth of field at f/2 with the beautiful beautiful beautiful bokeh. I love to play with it, playing with the light. You get it, I’m totally in love with my new (used) toy. But I also know what I have on my Olympus cams and lenses. There are many things the Leica can’t do. But I see a possibility for a friendly coexistence 🙂 Marcus
A friendly coexistence sounds perfect.
……opps, I meant to say….that I have NEVER done that….
I bet, that it must be a total different experience shooting with just a prime lens, I have done that yet. Thanks for sharing amazing images, Marcus
It definitely forces you to think about your usual box, gets the creative juices flowing. Giving myself constraints for my shooting definitely improves my photography! Thanks for commenting, Cornelia! Marcus
That is a real interesting point you are making, Marcus, I appreciate your valuable respond. Have a great weekend.
I’m taking an on-line iPhone Photography class and I’m finding it very helpful. I love the different perspectives and where you focused your shots. I’m learning how to do this with the iPhone.
Thanks, Carol. Your course sounds intriguing! Marcus
Lovely pics!
Thanks, Tuva, so much appreciated! Marcus
Your compositions are always fun and creative, Marcus.
Thanks, Bruce, I appreciate your kind words! Marcus