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F E B R UA RY | M A R C H
D 7,50 € NL B L 8,70 € I 8,80 € SEK 96,00
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ENGLISH EDITION
D 19088 F
Helen Levitt Jakob Schnetz Fabio Bucciarelli
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L E I C A F O T O G R A F I E I N T E R N AT I O N A L
AnaHell & Werner Amann
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ok to o b o t f the d pho o e n h s o i i l s occa npub u e r h t u have n yo d o t n y a n r e L ju E Pres shing KASS ional i l t L a b A n u V r p te FESTI book K an in e O t O e l B th OTO comp a ttler. n i 10 F e w K r o e nce t blish rther u u f p n a cha n i ited rma ow b t e i y G h t x i e e n by th mmy orld, portu u p w d o e k s h o thi und t ur bo o o r Take e y a s e n-on ival hav o t , s s e e e f n z o o pri phot ave a l h a r o t e v e at se hanc c e h t ber. t m e e g m l.org a y r v and i u t j s a e ookf w by b e i o v t e o r f 2018. @ 018. 2 y l i m r m Ap ur du nd 3 o a y y r r e ua Ent 0 Jan 1 n e e betw
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Over 23 000 photographers present more than 300 000 pictures in the Leica Gallery. Included in this issue: mounted police in Times Square, a flamingo in Belgium, and a lady and her dog
Matthias Harsch has been the new CEO of Leica Camera AG since September 2017. We spoke about the core of the brand, possible changes and the challenges of the market
Ph oto
9 4 | SL l e n s e s Two new short teles for the SL system: with the Apo-Summicron SL 75mm and 90mm f/2 Asph, Leica have made a significant leap forward
112 | books
Sarah Lee: from her 2017 series Tender Are the Nighthawks
9 8 | Ac c e s s o r i e s Indulgence or necessity? From leather carrying straps and colourful protectors to powerful flash units and useful thumb rests: trimmings and accessories for the Leica CL and TL2
115 | Leica Galleries
AnaHell & Werner Amann 6 | Flash & Bones
False colours, surrealistic body poses and a Greek island to play on, give rise to exciting experiments
Jakob Schnetz 2 4 | c h r o n o l o g y o f a fa i l u r e
The title does not sound very promising – but the series offers deep insight into post-Soviet states of mind
Lorenzo Tugnoli Mistakingly similar: the Apo-Summicron 75 and 90mm f/2 Asph
New publications by Christian Maillard, Naomi Harris, Jan Grarup, Patrick Willocq, and Susan Meiselas
4 0 | N a b a’A : 1 0 0 y e a r s o f e x i l e s
The Naba’a district in Beirut has become a home for refugees from all over the world. A visit
Fabio Bucciarelli 6 0 | s o u t h s u da n
The birth of a State emerging from a spirit of poverty – an unsettling longterm documentary
Sarah Lee
The programme of Leica Galleries around the world. An overview, including: Julian Lennon, Nick Ut, Ralph Gibson, Ram Shergill and Ellen von Unwerth 116 | Exhibitions André Kertész, Genoa; Ed van der Elsken, Madrid; Jacob Riis, Amsterdam; William Eggleston, New York; Another Kind of Life, London 1 1 8 | I n t e rv i e w Talking about selection criteria, the changing market, and the right feedback with Michael D. Davis of the Alexia Foundation 122 | my picture French photographer Corentin Fohlen is still proud today of this photo; it marks the beginning of his career 122 | imprint
6 6 | T e n d e r a r e t h e N i g h t h aw k s
Sleepless in London: a melancholic series of portraits taken between midnight and morning twilight
Helen Levitt 78 | S t r e e t l i f e
Her work as a Street Photographer is unmistakable: a homage to a New York legend
Cover Photo: AnaHell & Werner Amann, from the Flash & Bones series
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5 0 Y e a r s Ag o New LFI Column
2018 marks 70 years of LFI: quite a feat for a magazine that is not only exclusively dedicated to photography, but is also created for readers who are devoted to the products of one company. So while there are other publications in this genre with even more years under their belt, this seven-decade history seems pretty impressive. The concept of heritage is part of the fabric of the Leica brand – something the new Leica CEO, Matthias Harsch, emphasises in his interview (p. 88). This gave us the idea to feature a direct reference to this heritage in every forthcoming edition: the column Fifty Years Ago will appear in the f/stop section (p. 101), revisiting one article from the issue’s respective vintage counterpart. To begin with, the column will come out six times a year – seeing as 50 years ago, only six editions of LFI were published each year. Gradually, we will work our way up to the eight-issue annual cycle.
The six LFI covers published in the year 1968
Contributors
Lee started her series Tender are the Nighthawks with an M10, before continuing the project with a Leica CL. “I felt apprehensive about the smaller sensor, but I was surprised and delighted at how the Leica CL rose to the challenge. It coped brilliantly with the difficult lighting conditions in the Nighthawks series, and delivered subtleties in colour and tone. It’s also a robust and solidly engineered piece of kit, which is excellent seeing as my cameras tend to have a tough life.” 4 |
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Fab i o B u c c i a r e l l i “I feel an urgency to tell the stories of people who are rendered powerless and provide unbiased information focused on human rights,” Bucciarelli once explained. Most recently, this approach led him to South Sudan, where a four-year civil war continues with no end in sight. Unsafe roads, rebel groups, hunger and cholera: his images document the effects of war without veering into voyeurism or passing judgement. The portrait of Bucciarelli was captured by a child in South Sudan.
Lo r e n zo T u g n o l i
The Beirut-based, Italian photographer says that his three-year project on the city’s ethnically diverse district of Naba’a has changed him in a multitude of ways. Not only did he acquire some Arabic language skills, but he also became more comfortable in approaching the small district’s inhabitants. In a symbiotic process, the visual essay allowed him to hone his photojournalistic skills, while exploring the multifaceted identity of others actually brought him closer to his own.
Photos: Sarah Lee (left), Omaya Malaeb (right)
Sa rA h L e e
LEICA. DAS WESENTLICHE.
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Flash & Bones L e i c A SL
AnaHell & Werner Amann
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In their collborative project Flash & Bones, which they shot on the Greek island of Milos, photographers AnaHell and Werner Amann both flex their creative muscles. Skillful false colours meet surrealistic body poses, producing a true riot of form and colour.
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A n ah e l l & Werner Amann Spanish photographer AnaHell was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, in 1984. She studied Art in Malaga and then worked as a graphic designer and illustrator. In 2009 she became a self-taught photographer. Werner Amann, born in Kösching in 1969, completed studies in Film and Photo Design at a specialised college in Dortmund. In 2010, his book American won first prize at the Fotobookfestival Kassel.
anah e l l .co m we r ne ra ma n n.co m LFI -O nl i n e .D E / B log : Behind the Scenes Equipment: Leica SL with Summicron-M 35mm f/2, Summarit-M 50mm f/2.5 and VarioElmarit-SL 24–90mm f/2.8–4 Asph
Turquoise cacti in front of a violet sky, a cliff with red shadows facing a pink body of water, the flash portrait of a man touched by mint on a black backdrop, purple shadows in a female nude on sea-blue sand. In this picture series, organic shapes meet psychedelic lighting, human bodies suggest sculptural elements. The natural landscape serves as projection surfaces for ecstatic colour manipulation, turning it into something surreal. The Spanish photographer AnaHell and her German colleague Werner Amann have produced a photographic charade titled Flash & Bones, that transforms the visual habits of the viewer into an experience that expands both consciousness and senses. Flash & Bones was produced in ten days on the Greek island of Milos during the summer of 2017. The two photographers met in Berlin about a year and a half ago after sharing an idea for a photo shoot on social media. AnaHell works as a graphic designer and illustrator who views the camera as ‘a quicker way to draw’. One of her long-term projects is titled Secret Friends, where she paints faces on bent-over backs and photographs them straight on. The surreal use of the body is her special interest. “I always like to look for something a bit strange or find a body position that looks slightly unnatural or surreal,” AnaHell explains. “The human body can take on an identity of its own without the kind of emotional distractions that facial expressions sometimes cause. I really like limbs, skin, flesh and the way that bodies can contort, move and wrinkle; they can be so expressive and also look like something that’s not entirely human – it fascinates me,” she says, speaking about her perception. Amann describes himself as a creative who moves between documentary, portrait and staged photography. “Werner has more of a documentary approach,” AnaHell explains. “Even when his photos are staged his images appear natural and have a certain kind of movement. Since we both shoot so differently I think the result becomes interesting because it’s a combina-
tion of two very personal ways of seeing. The common ground that we have is colour and this approach makes the images look surreal and otherworldly.” Both photographers agreed on certain ideas and possibilities with regard to physicality, colouring, vegetation and knowledge of places. “You need a certain kind of setting for our kind of work. For me it’s often the idea of following a classic artist’s studio production approach but expanding it into a large geographic location. The island was the perfect setting for us to work in,” Amann says, describing the concept. “This Greek landscape could be photographed as though it was a purely elemental world. While at the same time it was an important point for the story not to get stuck in something archaic, but rather to further develop the theme: it’s all about abstraction, saturated colours and physical bodies.” For Amann, the collaboration with AnaHell is new. “It was the first time I hadn’t dealt in urban spaces.” Amann had little work to do on the computer with Photoshop and Lightroom to achieve the desired colour effects. The rich diversity of natural light on the island was often enough. Both photographers worked at different times of day and night, so as to be able to capture as broad a spectrum as possible. In addition, Amann worked with sheets of coloured foil and used a blue flash from time to time, before turning up the magenta in post-production. Light has always played a central role in his work. “I often apply it very deliberately and very visibly, in a defining and playful manner.” In conversation with the photographer he adds some thoughts on light that have a rather philosophical dimension: “Everything is light. Light can also be physical.” In the pictures it plays a role that is at first practically imperceptible, later virtually inevitable, and finally the enchanting main feature. Carla Susanne Erdmann
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Jakob Schnetz Ch r o n o l o g y o f a Fa i l u r e
Jakob Schnetz spent six months in Tomsk in western Siberia. The series he produced there can be seen as an exploration of presenting images outside traditional patterns. The photographer offers extraordinary insight into the post-Soviet state of mind.
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In 2016/17, Jakob Schnetz spent six months in the city of Tomsk in western Siberia, 3500 kilometres east of Moscow. The young photographer from Hanover found a sense of familiarity in the city, and found himself challenged by how to present a new take on a setting that seemed already familiar
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The photographer tried out different strategies – diary-like collecting, researching smaller stories or concentrating on one theme. He soon considered that the theme of ‘youth’ was no longer viable
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If one looks for a common element in Schnetz’s series, it could be described by words such as sadness or melancholy – underlined by the somewhat desaturated-looking colour scheme in the pictures
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Jakob Schnetz came to appreciate the small bus shared taxis known as marshrutka. They also only appear in his Chronicle of a Failure series as individual elements next to others. The Russian word marshrutka comes from the German word Marschroute (route) that became absorbed into the language
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J a ko b S c h n e t z Born in Freiburg im Breisgau in 1991, the photographer studied photo journalism at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts in Hanover. His work has already appeared in many publications such as Geo, taz, deVolkskrant, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Wired Online and Zeit Online. In 2015, he received the Gabriel Grüner Grant; in the same and in the following year he won the Deutsche Jugend-Fotopreis, and in 2016 he also won the LensCulture Emerging Talent Award.
ja ko bsc h n e tz .d e LFI -O nl i n e .D E / B log : one picture – one story Equipment: Leica M240 with Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 Asph
The story you see here is not a story. It might give that impression, but it follows no journalistic guidelines, nor does it have a theme more concrete than simply ‘Russia’. It is instead an exploration of presenting images outside traditional patterns – an excerpt taken from the process of my work in Tomsk, western Siberia. I spent half a year moving between accepted photographic and journalistic approaches searching for superlatives or relevant representative themes, while at the same time seeking to avoid the classic leitmotifs associated with reporting on Eastern European countries. During the first weeks, I sensed a strange visual familiarity with my new surroundings – it seemed like I knew everything: the houses, clothing, cars, even vegetation I recognised from ‘ostalgic’ photographs by western photographers. The pressure to adjust to an accepted imagery set in – challenging me to show a new perspective of a seemingly familiar environment. The acknowledgement that collecting images is difficult and that the depth one hopes for cannot be achieved in a short time frame – measured against accepted patterns and market criteria – led me to research various smaller stories. I began by working on a series about my generation in Russia, because I am anyway photographing in an age-related situation. However, I quickly realised this subject causes discomfort – thinking about my own socialisation and about images of youths in my ‘own country’, which in many cases seems to be a schematic, visual listing of stereotypical psychological concepts about young people: if the generalised theme of a photographic work is doomed to fail in my homeland, then the risk is far greater in another country. Dismissing youth as a main theme I began focussing on a diary-style collecting method: instead of reporting on a concrete matter, I opted for a subjective approach as an alternative to ‘explanatory imagery’ that promotes associations. The danger of diffusion remains, but it is an effort to dissolve obvious patterns of meaning.
I was perpetually accompanied by the sense of failing to meet my own expectations, and overcome accepted imagery and perception. Using the methods of subjective collecting, I was repeatedly confronted with the limits of my own productivity and the pressure I imposed upon myself. As a distraction, I began a series about the marshrutka: small bus shared taxis that I really came to appreciate. Time and again I found themes and motifs that matched what I had always imagined about Russia. It is difficult to resist taking these pictures – but it feels right to search out images that work independent from any geographic or cultural location, so as to focus on commonalities rather than differences. To put it very simply: should I photograph the old men in camouflage clothing ice fishing on the Tom river, or the hipster café where millennials in baseball caps and sneakers leisurely sip their cappuccinos? Even today, the biggest contradiction for me remains the fact that perhaps it was aspects like austerity, archaism, improvisation and remnants of the USSR that inspired my fascination for Russia, leading me there and nourishing my great openness towards the country. Yet at the same time, I feel this image of a life that is frequently archaic and apparently exotic only corresponds or does justice in part to the reality I experienced in Siberia. I do not want to claim to be able to judge people from a distance, or to establish hierarchical images so as to produce an ‘othering’, or a ‘foreigning’. Chronology of a Failure is an attempt to illustrate my approach to the problem. Images photographed by me, often only linked by the location and the circumstances under which they were taken: a strongly built work that attempts to deal with the socialisation-related, selective perception of stories and motifs, and the resulting construction of a supposed reality. Jakob Schnetz
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Lorenzo Tugnoli
Naba’A
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Naba’a . 1 0 0 y e a r s o f e x i l e s . For nearly a century, a small neighbourhood in the Lebanese capital of Beirut has offered refugees a new home. Lorenzo Tugnoli immersed himself deeply in this microcosm of diverse religions and nationalities, using photography to discover the very soul of Naba’a.
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In the Grotto of Naba’a (previous pages) Christians pray to their saint. In the Beirut neighbourhood of Naba’a Christians and Shiites, Sunnis and Alawites live side by side. lFI
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A young man in an area that was formerly controlled by Christian Lebanese militia
Ruchus is supposed to have been a nefarious Christian militia fighter during the Lebanese civil war. Posters of martyrs who fought with Hezbollah and died in the war in Syria hang in a small cafĂŠ
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A picture of Saddam Hussein, former President of Iraq, hangs on the wall of a barbershop. A young street vendor in front of his wares – badges of the Lebanese army can be seen behind him
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The butcher’s shop in Naba’a’s central square belongs to Fahd Awed, the head of a Christian militia in Naba’a (above left). Victoria Antablian’s family (above) came here as Armenian refugees in the 1920s lFI
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Small businesses and street vendors make up the face of Naba’a – a true haven on the edge of Beirut, which, while mostly populated by Shiites, is considered a multicultural microcosm
Lorenzo Tugnoli The Italian photographer (born 1979), who lives in Beirut, spent three years photographing in Naba’a. His work is characterised by stark contrasts, deep blacks and precise lines. He has been published in international magazines such as Le Monde, Newsweek, Time Magazine, Der Spiegel and works regularly for The Washington Post. Lorenzo Tugnoli is represented by Contrasto.
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We disembark at a small square where a street vendor sells cheap suitcases. We make our way in silence through piles of rubbish, puddles and mud. In winter, Beirut is subject to heavy rains, which turn the city into a morass, making it tough for pedestrians. We are overtaken by children riding on mopeds or old bicycles. At the market, loud-voiced men call out their wares: vegetables and fruit, gadgets and electronics, barber shops, booths selling shawarma. Here young Lebanese, Syrian refugees, Kurds and Iraqis sit on broken, plastic chairs, whiling away their uneventful days. This is Naba’a, a small district of Beirut, close to the al-Ahliah School and the Farhat Mosque, made up of just three blocks of houses built tightly around a small square. This former port area on the western periphery of the Lebanese capital is one of its poorest and most problematic. It is part of Bourj Hammoud, the large Christian administration that in the 1920s offered refuge to Armenians fleeing Turkish genocide. Here on the square is Fahd’s butcher shop, where for 30 years, a statue of the Virgin Mary has looked over the hooks and knives. The Maronite butcher is a devout Christian, smiling at a serving boy pouring coffee at a booth just a few steps away. The boy stacks plastic cups behind the only existing wall, which displays a large photo of Hassan Nasrallah, General Secretary of the Lebanese Hezbollah, who attended school here. In Naba’a, pictures of Hezbollah martyrs who fought in Syria next to Bashar al-Assad’s troops hang near enormous images of Christ’s Sacred Heart, while Ethiopian, Kenyan and South Asian workers return to their homes after a long day – homes still bearing the traces of Lebanese civil war grenades. A tangle of electric cables crosses an open space, where a Christian cross, pictures of Musa al-Sadr and the symbols of the Amal Shiite party hang side by side.
Even though the majority of those living in Naba’a today are Shiites and under the political control of Hezbollah, the district is a mixed and complex microcosm, fed by repeated waves of refugees over the past hundred years of Middle Eastern history. Because of the low cost of living, men and women have fled here since the early 20th century. The first to arrive were the Armenians fleeing from Turkish persecution in the mid-twenties, followed by Shiite Muslims from South Lebanon escaping the Israeli invasion, then in the 1990s it was those displaced by the long Lebanese civil war, next came families from Baghdad fleeing from the storming American troops in 2003; and finally, today, survivors of the ongoing war devastating Syria and parts of Iraq. Weary witnesses of the history and current, tragic status of this part of the Levant. Armenian families such as the Antablians, who fled the genocide nearly one hundred years ago, live within this diverse mosaic of cultures, side by side with Christian Syrians, who left their wartorn home of Damascus in 2011. Sunni families from Aleppo, whose homes were bombed by the government, are here just like the families of Hezbollah martyrs, who died at the side of Bashar al-Assad’s troops. On the streets, faces of saints alternate with old and new dictators, adjacent to texts written in Arabic or Armenian and advertisements in English or Tigrinya. The untiring and knowledgeable Hayat leads us through the labyrinth of alleyways within this small universe. She is one of the anchors of the Naba’a community where she was born almost 46 years ago. “My whole life has taken place in this small neighbourhood,” she says. “I’m sure there is no place on earth with such a diversity of stories, faiths and ancestries. The most important thing is that we all get along in peace. When I hear the church bells and then the muezzin call to prayer, I know I’m in a place of concurrence.” Hayat is a social worker of the Shiite faith, who is honoured for her commitment: so much so that a street and a garden have been
named after her. Two of her children have married members of different religions, and this is another reason why her family is seen as an example of peaceful cohabitation. She takes us to the Antablians family: Abir (38), a Christian Orthodox Syrian, born in the Syrian city of Hama; her husband Jean, belonging to the ChristianArmenian faith, born in Naba’a; and their two children, Grazia (13) and Serge (12), who speak fluent Arabic, Armenian and English. A few hundred metres from Hayat’s street is a place fervently worshipped by Christians living here: on the second floor of an abandoned building we enter into the so-called Grotto of Naba’a. Residents say that for the past 23 years holy oil has been pouring out of a statue of Mar Charbel (Saint Charbel Makhlouf ) standing in the corner of the small room. In the gloom, it is hard to make out the profiles of the two women praying without interruption, rosary beads threading through their fingers. Their eyes wander back and forth between the heavens and the image of the saint. Votive offerings hang from its hands, placed there by people who have received a grace. An endless litany of pain and hope intermingles with the shouts of youngsters playing catch amid the skeletal ruins of buildings. A prayerful song, where the suffering and hope of refugees mixes with the faces of this place, where numerous memories of deprivation flow into a present of concurrence. Lorenzo’s eyes tirelessly explore the lines of shadow and light, the semi-darkness of this polyphony of stories that compose this complex and visible melody of today. Maria Camilla Brunetti
lore n zotu gn oli.com LFI-On lin e .DE/B log: slide show with further photographs Equipment: Leica M240 with Summicron-M 35mm f/2 Asph and 50mm f/2
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Fabio Bucciarelli s o u t h s u da n
Bucciarelli travels regularly to South Sudan for his longterm project, documenting the emergence of the young country. As warm as the colours in the pictures appear to be, what they reveal is all the more dramatic: the devastating consequences of ethnic conflicts on the people.
Cholera is just one of the consequences of the bloody civil war. In Mingkaman, relatives accompany a sick Dinka woman to a medical facility
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On the banks of the Nile, South Sudanese hope to get hold of at least a small fish from the arriving boat. The country normally lives off animal husbandry. To try and escape from hunger and cholera for a brief moment, people look for safety in the church and in religious belief. Bucciarelli travelled to South Sudan with the help of the Italian NGO Comitato Collaborazione Medica, to document the devastating situation there. Without the aid organisation, the logistics and security would be impossible
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Pastors of the Seventh-day Adventist Church baptise believers in the waters of the White Nile. Religion plays a big role in South Sudan
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There was hope in South Sudan following the end of the long war against the North. This school was built in 2005, originally for young soldiers. Now a young student is writing his first exam there, while stock breeders play dominoes under a tree. Daily life in South Sudan, however, is overshadowed by an ethnic civil war that has been going on for four years, and which, according to the UN, is already responsible for creating 1.3 million refugees
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South Sudan is the youngest country in the world – with ancient traditions. Animal husbandry is at the heart of the culture and economy. Looking rather like a painting, Bucciarelli took this photo at a cattle camp
Fab i o B u c c i a r e l l i During his travels, the Italian photographer reports on forgotten countries and threatened people. In 2012 he received the Robert Capa Gold Medal for his war reportage on Syria, in 2013 and 2015 he was a LOBA finalist. He works as a freelancer for Time, The Guardian, and Stern, among others. The images for The Devastating Human Cost of Famine and Cholera in South Sudan were taken in 2017.
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LFI: Libya, Iraq or Syria: you travel to countries that we consider war zones. How would you characterise South Sudan? Fabio Bucciarelli: South Sudan is definitely the poorest place I have ever seen. Because of decades of hostilities, the social fabric has collapsed completely. An economy of scarcity reigns and there is hunger. In South Sudan there are over a million undernourished children below the age of five – that’s more than anywhere else in the world in such a large geographic area. How is living there? The people there fight to survive. The situation they find themselves in is inhuman. The majority of the population has no access to basic medical care, clean water, food, any infrastructure or any educational services. Instead, you see war injuries and outbreaks of cholera. What led you to the country? I first travelled to South Sudan in 2012, one year after the independence referendum. At the time, after experiencing a state of war against the North lasting from 1983 to 2005, the country was moving towards a revival and a process of democratisation. I wanted to get a picture of that. But already a year later, in 2013, you could see the enduring wounds resulting from the preceding decades of conflict. The search for a national identity had become a victim of the political fight between President Kiir and his former deputy. Government against rebel groups: when I returned in February 2014, I found a bloody ethnic civil war rather than a democracy. South Sudan is now entering its fifth year of war – and the outcome is thousands of dead and terrible human rights abuses. What exactly do you hope to show with your pictures? The values, culture and society of a country that is trying to build a new
State, but that is being slowed down by an ethnic conflict. I want to show the identity of South Sudan.
good enough, you aren’t close enough.” With that he wasn’t talking about physical distance, but rather emotional
Some of your images present rituals. What roles do religion and tradition play in identity? Traditions play a central role in the people’s lives, especially for those who live in rural areas of South Sudan. There, the culture from antiquity and religion make up an important part of their identity. Without the understanding of the traditions that have been handed down, and people’s vision of a society, it would be difficult to initiate a peace process in the direction of a democratic state.
Did Robert Capa inspire your own work? Every day I’m inspired by any number of photographers, from classic to contemporary. I’m lucky to have many talented friends in the same profession, whom I work with. We often discuss photojournalism. However, painting has inspired me even more than photography. My parents took me with them to museums even when I was still young, to the Uffizi, the Prado, and the Vatican Museum. Whether Leonardo, Raphael, Titian, van Gogh or Monet – I’m still fascinated today by how these painters used light and composition to express reality.
Do you think that as a photographer you can help the people there? Yes. By being responsible and working according to clear ethics. This means observing the people you encounter. It also means understanding their culture. I try to produce emotional images, which can hopefully help the viewer to experience something: something about the world that we all live in. To be a photo journalist is an obligation: it’s not about awards, about membership in a big agency, or about success; rather it’s about humanity and honesty. Reporters decide to travel and to reveal the dark side of people and of their existence. Through photography, they report on what is happening in the world. I believe that, as storytellers, we have to stay in contact with our public, so that we can cross over borders together. You show intimate, fateful moments. How did you manage to gain people’s trust? People are the subject of most of my pictures. If you want to convey emotions through your pictures, you have to get close enough to them so that you can capture their feelings. I have spent a lot of time with South Sudanese, speaking with them and gaining insight into their lives. I take photographs once I’ve got close enough and I’ve understood them. Robert Capa already said: “If your pictures aren’t
You used a Leica Q for your pictures. Can you express your reasons? I was needing a small, efficient, and reliable camera. The surroundings in South Sudan were very dangerous and there was no real chance to move around and work freely. We have already spoken about your responsibility as a photographer. Is there anything those who see your pictures can do for countries like South Sudan? First of all, we have to be informed about what is happening in South Sudan, make ourselves a picture of the country’s political and economical situation. That’s essential so as to know how the people live and what their culture is like. It’s only then that we know what kind of help they need. Information is the basis for further developments. Interview: Katja Hübner
fabiobu cc iare lli.com LFI-On lin e .DE/B log: Slideshow with further pictures from the Series Equipment: Leica Q, Summilux 28mm f/1.7 Asph
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Sarah Lee Tender are Th e N i g h t haw k s
In search of nighttime melancholy: for her new series, the British photographer observed tired nighthawks on their way home. The potential for sublime atmospheric colours and lighting that Sarah Lee discovered during her nightly bus rides in London seems to be endless.
A last cigarette before the night bus arrives – impressions of a tired city in the middle of the night
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Sarah Lee’s photographs reveal fleeting, nightly encounters with strangers. Time and again the photographer manages to convey moments of calm in her pictures, while also remaining unnoticed by those portrayed
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The photographer even uses the toughest lighting situations for her sensitive portraits. Mirrored lights and reflections are included very deliberately, using gentle colours to draw the protagonist out of the night darkness
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With a dark background and illuminated by artificial light, the faces of those portrayed lose their anonymity. Quite by chance and for a brief moment they are the representatives of a unique, often melancholic mood
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The photographer is mostly out and about in London on Friday and Saturday nights, to add further portraits to her series. A bus window is often the frame for intimate, close-up images
S a r ah L e e studied English literature before deciding to become a photographer. She works regularly for The Guardian, The Observer and further international magazines. Her Behind the Curtain series will be exhibited at the Leica Gallery Los Angeles beginning 24 February. She is planning her first book titled West of West (first glimpse of the series in LFI 7/2016). Sarah Lee lives and works in London.
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Even if you don’t hear any music, these pictures give the impression of being accompanied by a soundtrack: the bluesy warm strains of a saxophone or the gentle rhythm of a jazz standard fading into the night, underscoring the images. It is without a doubt the style of music that would suit these pictures of tired nighthawks making their way home. Time and again over recent years, Sarah Lee has worked on her gentle and intimate series, Tender are the Nighthawks. The photographer is a precise observer, whose knowledge of the locations in her hometown serves her well, especially Camden and North London. This is where she herself lives and where she spends many a night travelling around with her Leica. These nighttime images of the British metropolis do not show a turbulent place full of pleasure-seeking masses. On the contrary, Lee deliberately concentrates on the individuals who are on their way home, possibly returning from an amusing evening at a club or coming from a night shift at work. “The series is shot only in the dead of night, between the hours of 2 and 4am. I’m interested in the quiet, tired, occasionally melancholy portraits of a city that is done for the night.” The photographer frequently made use of a night bus or a bus stop as the perfect backdrop for her images. By working with this theme, Lee is part of a long tradition in photography history: whether the legendary series of pictures that Walker Evans covertly took of fellow passengers on the New York subway in the thirties, Misha Pedan’s series taken in the Moscow metro in the eighties, or Michael Wolf’s more recent series, Tokyo Compression, showing the overflowing commuter trains in the Japanese capital, big city public transport systems have continuously offered inspiration and diversity for the world’s photographers. For Sarah Lee it was Tom Wood in particular who was another inspiration. “His book, Bus Odyssey, was one of the
very first photography books I ever bought, long before I imagined becoming a professional photographer. I also love Nick Turpin’s work, Bob Mazzar’s work on the London Underground. But I don’t feel I’m working in specific tribute. The public transport system is always going to attract humanist documentary photographers because it’s full of people – people from all walks of life,” Lee explained, speaking about her work in an interview on the Leica blog. Above all, the photographer appreciates the democratic interaction that defines the joint use of public transport, where, at night in particular, it does not matter where you were born or in what level of society you belong. Everyone is joined together by a common denominator: the desire to get home to bed as quickly as possible. “As a photographer, I always feel drawn to the kinds of things that unite us and remind us of our common humanity, instead of what separates us. From the photographic and visual perspective, I am also fascinated by the dramatic quality of lit-up bus windows and bus stops on dark streets. In the ideal case, I am trying to capture the quasi-cinematic quality of these fleeting moments in the city where people’s lives overlap.” The series is certainly defined by the especially atmospheric colour and lighting. Time and again the photographer manages to place individuals, and on rare occasions also couples, in intimate moments and in flattering lighting. The neon lights or street lighting mirrored on reflective surfaces are deliberately kept unfocussed, so as to concentrate the viewer’s eye on the chance portrayal. It is self-evident that the perfect camera equipment plays an essential role in this kind of setting. The photographer began her series with a Leica M10, but for her more recent motifs she had the chance to use the new Leica CL. “I was slightly nervous using the CL because I’m already very immersed in this project and all the images thus far have been shot on the M10, but I needn’t have worried about using a new, smaller, camera.
It was everything that I could have hoped for and more; excellent in low light, beautifully solid and robust in its construction. It never felt like a compromise, which is a huge compliment given it was working alongside the mighty M10.” Lee experienced as an advantage the fact that the new CL is significantly lighter and, consequently, allows for greater mobility. “As a photographer, who never leaves home without my Leica slung across my shoulders, it was lovely for a change to have something lighter than an M. But what I really loved was that, for a camera that fits discreetly in the hand, it has the feel of a professional camera in the quality of its engineering.” The series is defined by a sense of spontaneity, discretion and empathy: what stands out above all is the close proximity to those portrayed in many of the pictures, even though most of the people did not notice the photographer as she took the shots. “I think that the pictures are best when the subjects do not know that they are being observed,” is how the photographer sees it. “On the whole there was no interaction; but a couple of people did notice me (mostly after I’d taken the picture), so then I talked with them and explained what I intended to do. To explain a close-up portrait without permission at three in the morning demands a certain measure of persuasiveness!” The outcome clearly reveals the degree of sensitivity with which the photographer took the pictures. The project is not yet complete, so it might be a good idea for nighthawks to check more closely who is travelling with them next time they head home. Ulrich Rüter
sarah mle e .com LFI-On lin e .com/B log: Slideshow with further pictures from the Series Equipment: Leica M10 with Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 Asph und Leica CL with Elmarit-TL 18mm f/2.8 Asph
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LeicA Classic
Helen Levitt S TREET LIFE
Rarely has a photographer observed her contemporaries as perceptively as Helen Levitt. A new photo book honours her early work, and illustrates her mastery of capturing immaculately composed images.
The street is a stage: people taking a rest, or children at play amidst the bustle of city life (New York City, around 1940)
Windows, doorways, pavements: time and again, Helen Levitt was able to distill everyday moments into timeless narratives of urban life. The photographer was particularly empathic towards children, who managed to turn the streets into a playground with only the simplest resources
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It is rare that the moment of exposure is so clearly reflected in the subjects’ expressions. Time and again, Levitt managed to get close to those she portrayed, whilst staying entirely invisible. The unobtrusive Leica was, without doubt, a considerable advantage
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The exact timing and choice of frame take one single moment out of a lifetime, elevating it to a metaphor of human existence in all its imperfection and unpredictability. Helen Levitt never ceased to see the familiar environment of her home city with fresh eyes
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Photos: Helen Levitt © Film Documents LLC
Countless photographers have explored the streets of New York – yet few of them have created a body of work as cohesive and unmistakeable as that of Helen Levitt. Today she counts among the most significant representatives of street photography. Born in Brooklyn, she spent almost her entire life in New York – dedicating specific creative phases to capturing different parts of the city with her Leica. Her aim was never to glorify or affirm the clichés commonly associated with the ‘Big Apple’. Instead, her depictions of everyday life in the shared space of the street are always direct, clear and entirely free of sentimentality. Her desire to remain unbiased in her observations was as characteristic of her approach as her refusal to be classed as a sociodocumentary photographer. Helen Levitt first discovered her passion for photography when she was a young woman. From 1931, she was employed by a portrait photographer – though her own visual language was profoundly inspired by Henri CartierBresson. “When I saw his images, I knew that this was the right way. I liked what he was doing, so I wanted to do the same: go out into the streets, where the people are,” the photographer explained many decades later in an interview with the German magazine Spiegel. In 1936, she bought her first camera, a used Leica III, and began to take pictures in the streets of New York. She felt most drawn to densely populated districts such as Black Harlem, Spanish Harlem and the Lower East Side, with scenes of children at play quickly becoming a major focus of her work. At first glance, many of her images suggest a spontaneous snapshot. Closer inspection, however, reveals the degree of attention that went into selecting her subjects, as well as the keen observation that gave rise to the meticulously designed compositions. At the same time,
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there is not a hint of orchestration, as Levitt was determined that her images contain no evidence of the photographer’s presence. For this reason, she often worked with an angle finder – enabling her to shoot at close proximity without drawing her subject’s attention. She also very rarely took serial shots; the contact sheets still preserved today illustrate just how efficient she was in her quest to collect situations and moments. A new photo book now presents around 150 black and white photographs from the 1930s and 40s. While the volume does feature some of her best-known work, most of the photographs are published for the first time. Levitt’s long-time assistant, Marvin Hoshino, categorised the images using an unusual yet striking presentation: the chapters are arranged into depictions of single people, couples, groups of three or pedestrian crowds. A common denominator throughout the selection is the recurring theme of children at play. Levitt’s photography has been described as poetic, profound, intuitive and spontaneous – often in a bid to distinguish it from the social documentary genre. Yet her images inevitably serve as a fascinating historical insight into how urban life has changed throughout the decades. Her pictures capture poverty and ethical diversity without romanticising or placing them in a socio-critical context. They are candid documents of a long-gone world, where a large part of life took place in communal, public spaces, and children were left to explore the streets unsupervised. The contrast to today’s gentrified versions of these districts could hardly be more profound. Yet even more poignant is the comparison with the rigidly contained environments in which most modern childhoods now take place. The streets we see in Levitt’s photographs are playgrounds and theatre stages, brought to life by the everyday choreography of its inhabitants. With her extraordinary ability to observe these qualities, Levitt captured a sense of timelessness that now emanates from every image. Ulrich Rüter
Helen Levitt born in Brooklyn on 31 August 1913, dropped out of highschool in 1930, working for a portrait photographer and attending courses offered by the Photo League. In 1936, she bought her first Leica, discovered street photography and assisted artists such as Walker Evans. She worked as a film cutter, filmed experimental films and documentaries, such as In the Street (1948). From the late fifties onwards, Levitt once again focused entirely on photography, embracing colour film. Only in the 1980s did she return to working predominantly in black and white. In the nineties her work received increased international attention, including numerous honours and awards. Helen Levitt passed away in her sleep on 29 March 2009, aged 95.
Helen Levitt: One, Two, THree, More
204 pages, 147 b/w illustrations, English, 20.6 × 21.1 cm, Powerhouse Books, Brooklyn, New York 2017 LFI-On lin e .com/B log: Interview with book designer Marvin Hoshino
f/ s top
– L e i c a CEO Mat t H i as H a r s c h – S L l e n s e s – CL & TL 2 a c c e ss o r i e s –
Two n e w l e n s e s : L e i c a e x pa n d t h e S L c a m e ra sys t e m w i t h t h e A p o -S u m m i c r o n -S L 75 a n d 9 0 m m A s p h
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“ t h e f o c u s i s o n t h e i m ag e .” I n t e rv i e w
It has been six months since Matthias Harsch was appointed CEO of Leica Camera AG – the perfect time for a first interview. Here he discusses the company’s brand essence as well as some of the key areas of focus for the future.
As of September 2017, Matthias Harsch has been at the helm of Leica Camera AG – having joined the company earlier that year as a board member responsible for Sales, Retail and Marketing & Corporate Communications. He has previously held the position of CEO at the renowned entertainment electronics manufacturer Loewe AG (effecting the company’s successful turnaround) and managing director at the Bizerba Group. Before joining Leica, Matthias Harsch was a partner at Candidus Management Consulting. 88 |
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LFI: In your view, what does Leica stand for? How would you describe the current essence and core message of the brand? Matthias Harsch: A company achieves the status of a tradition-steeped brand for a reason. It means that within its field, it has clearly been delivering the right solutions at the right time over prolonged periods. This is what determines the essence and core message of the brand. The appeal then lies in simultaneously maintaining and developing this core. In other words, to ensure the brand’s con-
tinuous adaptation to a changing world, whilst taking the greatest care not to distort or abandon its essence – and to never take it into an arbitrary direction based on imprudent impulses. To me, the brand essence of Leica lies in consistently offering the right – the essential – solution in response to the challenges within photography at a given point in time. Our task, our mission, if you will, therefore consists of always giving the photographer the exact tool which, with the application of creativity and expertise, allows
him to achieve not only the very best possible results, but also to imbue these results with a significance that goes beyond the here and now, but extends 10, 20, perhaps even 100 years into the future. This really is crucial, considering that a good photograph captures a moment that can never be reproduced in the same →
CEO Matthias Harsch, pictured in the entrance lobby of Leica’s headquarter building. In the background: glass art created by Alfons Alt, titled Kreiswerk
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Photos: © Michael Agel
way. It represents an irreplaceable time capsule that must be preserved in a qualitatively sustainable manner. So when a photographer places this kind of trust in a Leica camera, we owe it to him to deliver. A camera, a Leica, is not an end in itself. What ultimately matters is the image. I have always been fascinated by strong brands that have shaped contemporary history through technological innovations and iconic designs. Adapt-
“ Leica have a lways fore s e e n what wil l b e r el evant within photograp hy, and will continu e to do so. A ‘me too’ aproach i s never su ffi cient for a leadi ng B rand.”
ing companies with a strong DNA to the challenges of the future by appropriately changing their original orientation is something I have always found exciting, not least in my previous role as CEO of Loewe AG. With this in mind, what do you feel Leica must unequivocally retain, and which areas may perhaps benefit from a shift of emphasis? The intrinsic nature of Leica requires no alterations; but every brand must continuously review, challenge and
adjust its areas of focus. A company should never just be treading water, and thereby run the risk of being ‘kodaked’. Indeed, a strong brand does not ask the customer what he would like. As Henry Ford put it, “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said: faster horses.” Apple, too, had the fortitude to anticipate customer needs, which is reflected in the company’s success, both then and now. In the same vein, Leica have always foreseen what will be relevant within photography, and will continue to do so. A ‘me too’ approach is never sufficient for a leading brand. Do you perceive a change within photography, and if yes, how do you see Leica’s role within that context? I wouldn’t say that photography itself is changing. Of course, digitisation and technological advancements have changed the way in which photographs are produced and distributed. The number of pictures shot every day exceeds anything that’s ever gone before, and they are distributed to far greater numbers of people. Equally, the types of media that disseminate these images are subject to exceedingly rapid changes. Today’s greatest trend can quickly be old news. But the essential nature of good photography never changes. The challenge is to avoid getting caught up in pursuing everything technology is capable of achieving, and to instead carefully discern what is actually going to be relevant. Are light sensitivity and a perfectly sharp rendition at open →
Did you know ? Whether colour filters, a second battery or a camera bag – at the LFI Shop you can find a large selection of original Leica accessories.
O rd er n ow:
lfi-online.com/shop
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aperture mandatory or optional? Are there any other elements Leica should prioritise? Is it all about specific features, or the way in which they are combined in relation to each other? Does it maybe come down to the synthesis of the individual components – in other words, the system’s overall manageability in practical application? Don’t get me wrong: as we all know, Leica are synonymous with an implicit dedication to perfection – this is deeply anchored in the genetic makeup of the company, and represents an inherent part of its brand essence. There’s a reason why Leica cameras are priced the way they are; the pricing inevitably reflects this in-
“ Yo u co u ld say t hat t h e pri nt ed image represents a s e n s e o f e m oti o n a l c lo sur e wh i c h t h e fleeti n g, d i v e rt i n g d i g i ta l me d i u m cannot deliver in th e same way. ”
SINCE 1971 “America’s Premier Leica Specialist”
800.289.5342 | TAMARKIN.COM CH ICAGO, USA
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nate drive to utilise every last ounce of what is technologically feasible. So when Leica introduce a feature such as the Dual Synchro Drive (see page 94) to their lens development, you can assume that this feature is relevant. But the point I’m also making is that very few people will buy a product purely because of that one particular feature. What matters far more to our customers is the context in which such technology will be useful, and what effect it will have on the overall system. So our task is to integrate these kinds of features into a system in such a way as to always enable the ‘best’ image results. What response might you give to someone who says
that in the era of the smartphone, cameras are no longer necessary? As I’ve said earlier, I’m of the opinion that photography in its essence does not change. Much of what is captured with smartphones is not so much a photograph as a visual piece of information to be transferred for specific purposes, such as on social media. Although, having said that, the recent technological advancements in smartphone technology have meant that smartphones are also increasingly used for ‘proper’ photography. The image quality has certainly reached remarkable levels, and Leica have very good reason to be active in this field, for example through their collaboration
with Huawei. Which brings me back to my initial point. Despite the rapid evolution of smartphone technology, it is Leica’s extensive expertise that enables the production of a perfect smartphone photograph. Leica, in turn, had to adapt their expertise to this specific context. For purely physical reasons, certain images can still only be achieved with system cameras. This technology, too, is developing at a great pace – take mirrorless cameras, for example. Overall, the interest in system cameras is actually on the rise, with a worldwide growth in this particular sector of the market. What highlights can we expect from Leica in 2018?
As I hope you understand, I can’t reveal any specifics with regards to upcoming products; but you might want to take a look at our CL and TL2 APS-C systems and the newly released ApoSummicron lenses for the Leica SL, and consider the rationale behind them, as well as the way in which the lenses can be used across various systems. Suffice to say that we are currently setting new standards in the field of lens design, which more than meet the requirements of the future. We are talking about high-tech at its finest. The construction of Leitz Park 3 includes a Leica Museum, which will open its doors in 2019. What
role does the recognition of the company’s historical achievements play in its development today? The documentation of the brand’s heritage, to which we are lending new weight with the Experience Center and the museum in Leitz Park 3, is only seemingly retrospective. It illustrates the company’s practices over the past 100 years – and it is precisely this continuity that makes the brand what it is. That’s what we are aiming to convey with the museum. Does the same apply to the currently eighteen Leica Galleries across the globe? How important are these physical spaces in contrast to the increasingly ubiquitous virtual realm?
Our Leica galleries, exhibition events and elaborately produced print media are all designed to reflect our true appreciation for photographers and the work they create. In today’s digitised world, we feel more than ever that the photographic image – which forms the centre of both the photographer’s and Leica’s continuing endeavours – deserves to be presented within a special, perhaps even emotive context. You could say that the carefully printed image represents a sense of emotional closure which the fleeting, diverting digital medium cannot deliver in the same adequate way. Leica needs the image, and the image needs Leica. INterview: Frank P. Lohstöter
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mixed Doubles AP o - s u mm i c r o n - s l
With the Apo-Summicron-SL 75mm and 90mm f/2 Asph, Leica have almost simultaneously introduced two new fixed focal lengths for the SL system. Consciously designed with a number of close similarities, they will vastly expand the camera’s scope of applications.
It is only when a camera’s lens portfolio reaches a certain size that we begin to view it as a genuine camera system. Naturally, building a selection that covers a wide range of applications, and includes a suitable tool for every stylistic approach, is not something that can happen overnight. However, with the addition of the Apo-Summicron-SL 75mm f/2 Asph and Apo-Summicron-SL 90mm f/2 Asph to the SL’s portfolio, Leica have certainly achieved a major step forward in this process: instead of shooting portraits with the aid of zooms or adapter-based M lenses, SL photographers finally have access to two high-performance fixed focal lengths complete with autofocus. For their first SL system releases, Leica opted for 94 |
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two powerful zoom lenses, the Vario-Elmarit-SL 24– 90mm f/2.8–4 Asph and the Apo-Vario-Elmarit-SL 90–280 f/2.8–4, and the fast Summilux-SL 50mm f/1.4 Asph. These lenses illustrate what can be achieved within the 35mm format – however, all of them are large as well as heavy. You could say that the position of Leica’s compact 35mm system is occupied by the M, while the SL (though it also forms the heart of a mirrorless system) is predominantly high-performance-orientated. Yet with the new Apo-Summicron models, Leica have introduced two lenses that combine the SL principle of optimum performance with relatively compact dimensions. As we did not receive our test models in time for this article, we must wait to try them out in practice.
two sh o rt T e l e s.
Designed to be almost identical in size and weight, the two new lenses are considerably lighter and more compact than the Summilux-SL 50mm f/1.4 Asph, which – despite being one f-stop faster – is still ‘only’ a standard lens. The primary purpose of the Apo-Summicron-SL 90mm f/2 Asph requires little explanation: it is a classic portrait tele lens, allowing you to maintain some distance to the subject while still allowing for their head and shoulders to fill out the frame. In addition, the 90mm focal length does not narrow the perspective as much as a stronger tele lens, so the results still look very natural. The Apo-Summicron-SL 75mm, on the other hand, is something of a Leica speciality. Other manufactur-
ers may use it as an upper limit for zoom lenses – but never in the form of a prime lens. So Leica’s dedication to this focal length, which is especially popular in the M system, might well seem a little confounding. Until, that is, you actually experience it in practice: a 75mm lens not only enables you to capture portraits that include a little more of the subject’s body or encompass several people, but also allows you to move closer to the subject without getting quite as up-close and personal as with the 90mm model. All the while, the perspective effect is even more natural than with the 90mm lens. All of this gives the 75mm focal length its own unique appeal – even more so if the lens is fast enough to play with sharpness and blur.
T h e D ua l Syn c hro D r i v e . The decision to limit
Your eyes are not deceiving you: the 75mm and 90mm lens have an almost identical exterior, the same ergonomics and very similar weight. Developed in parallel to each other, both lenses are equipped with the Dual Synchro Drive for fast autofocus operation
The two new lenses blend with the SL into a manageable, userfriendly solution. The manual focusing ring (for those who do not want to rely on the autofocus) is the only operating element, passing commands on to the camera’s electronics
the new lenses’ maximum aperture to f/2 was mostly borne out of the wish to make them more compact and easier to handle. But as always with the SL system, their overall performance is geared towards top levels. Their development required Leica to break entirely new ground, as the company set out to push the boundaries of optical engineering as well as autofocus speed, handleability and durability. The autofocus, in particular, demanded a departure from familiar paths: while focusing methods that rely on moving large lens groups work perfectly well for cameras such as the M, they cannot be applied to the SL, because the mass that is to be shifted must be kept as small as possible. For this reason, Leica developed the Dual Synchro Drive, whereby two elements are moved (separately from each other) while the remaining elements stay in place. The moving elements are so light-weight that they can each be shifted by nothing more than a stepping motor with spindle drive – a method which is rarely used outside of compact cameras, but happens to be exceedingly fast. Given that the SL has no dedicated autofocus sensor, at least two readings and complex algorithms are required to determine the direction and length of the in-focus area. Consequently, metering and AF speed are of absolutely crucial importance for the SL’s performance – making the Dual Synchro Drive an invaluable feature. → lFI
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photo: Terje Abusdal
In order to achieve a perfectly sharp rendition – from the closest focusing distance to infinity, as well as into the corners of the image – the optical calculations had to take into account that only two of the lens elements are movable. The result is an extremely elaborate design, as a look at the crosssection of the lens easily demonstrates: the two new Apo-Summicrons comprise 11 lens elements in 9 groups (to offer a comparison: the manual-focus Apo-Summicron-M 75mm f/2 Asph has 7 elements in 5 groups). One of these 11 lens elements features aspherical surfaces; in addition, the 75mm and 90mm Summicron joined the ranks of apochromatic lenses – meaning that they
provide optical image correction across the entire visible colour spectrum. E la b orate con st ru ction . In part, this complex
optical design is also due to the company’s increased performance targets. Leica are beginning to move away from recording 40 lp/mm curves in their in-house MTF charts, instead using 60 lp/mm curves to set considerably more ambitious standards – which, in turn, can only be achieved with a far more intricate construction. Our data sheets, which still show the curves for a maximum of 40 lp/mm, indicate truly outstanding performance levels for both lenses – from the closest focusing distance to infin-
ity, and from fully open to closed aperture. As with most modern Leica lenses, trying to identify weak points is a rather fruitless task. Neither stopping down nor moving away from the subject appears to have an effect. There also seem to be no significant differences between the two lenses; at fully open aperture, the performance of the 75mm model shows slightly more of a drop, but the margins are so small that this is most likely only noticeable on the optical bench. This remarkable optical performance also results in a more pronounced depth of field. After all, the depth of field is essentially the distinction between sharp and out-of-focus areas. The
Apo-Summicrons’ exceedingly sharp rendition of in-focus areas therefore inevitably intensifies the appearance of the depth of field. A very steep contrast curve offers further indication that the lenses generate an exceptionally strong distinction between sharpness and blur. All of this certainly goes a long way towards compensating for their less-than-groundbreaking speed. Leica have actually been working on the Summicron lenses, as well as the concept and implementation of the Dual Synchro Drive, since the beginning of the SL project. The amount of time it has taken to develop this new concept into a marketable product is unsurprising,
Leica
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when considering that the design relies on unprecedented levels of precision within the grinding and centring process. For this reason, members of the production department were involved in the design process right from the start, in order to ensure that the new Apo-Summicron lenses offered top performance not only in theory, but also in practice. This is also what led to the external and internal similarities between the 75mm and 90mm lenses: the intention was that photographers who own both lenses can operate each of them intuitively and with the same habitual movements, as well as to ensure that the camera remains evenly balanced.
Su mm a ry. The two new Apo-Summicrons are considerably more compact than any of the SL’s existing lenses – though with a length of around 10 cm and a weight of 720 and 700 g respectively, they are still far from petite, especially compared to M lenses. Nevertheless, they represent a great leap forward in terms of handleability – and if their optical performance and autofocus speed prove to be as impressive as Leica’s data sheets suggest, then these two short tele lenses are sure to become an invaluable addition to the SL system. We probably need not go into detail about the lenses’ excellent durability, nor the fact that – like all components of the SL sys-
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Apo -Su mmicron -SL 75mm f/2 Asph
Apo -Su mmicron -SL 9 0 mm f/2 Asph
Field angle (diagonal/ 31.8/26.7/18 horizontal/vertical) degrees
Field angle (diagonal/ 27.3/22.9/15.4 horizontal/vertical) Grad
Lenses/groups
11/9
Lenses/groups
11/9
Aspherical lenses
1
Aspherical lenses
1
Focusing range
50 cm to ∞
Focusing range
60 cm to ∞
Filter mount
E67
Filter mount
E67
Dimensions (length x width)
102 × 73 mm
Dimensions (length x width)
102 × 73 mm
Weight
720 g
Weight
700 g
tem – they have been sealed against water and dust. It is no secret that in a few months’ time, Leica are set to release two more Summicron-SL lenses – featuring focal lengths of 35 mm and 50 mm. Both were developed together with the 75mm and 90mm models, and share some of their components.
In addition, the SL lens portfolio will also be expanded by a 16–35mm Vario in the near future. Rather than simply being a great camera with some matching lenses, the SL is clearly well on its way to evolving into an impressive, bona fide camera system. holger sparr
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add e D b e n e f i t s CL A n d TL 2 a c c e s s o r i e s
As a photographer, there are always those items you need, those you could use, and those that simply take your fancy. Here we offer an overview of the components and accessories for Leica’s APS-C cameras.
Last year, Leica’s APS-C portfolio underwent a major rejuvenation process. In July, the TL was given a state-of-the-art makeover and relaunched as the TL2, closely followed by the introduction of the new Leica CL in November. In terms of technology, the TL2 and CL are identical twins, though they are distinctly different with regards to handling and design (LFI 7 and 8/2018). As for the older, fixed-lens APS-C models of the X series: they have now fallen by the wayside, with the exception of the X-U underwater camera. Those who purchase a new Leica TL2 or CL and already own one of the system’s native or compatible lenses, can get started as soon as they have unpacked their new pride and joy: both cameras come with a charging unit, battery and carrying strap. Everything else Leica offer in the way of accessories will inevitably be viewed as optional by some photographers, and essential by others. T e c h ni ca l acc e sso r i e s. This is especially true
Protector for the Leica CL made of hard-wearing brown leather, with a colourcoordinated carrying strap of the leather/textile variety
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for any product that falls under the description of a technical accessory. For example, photographers who do not usually work with flash will barely notice that neither the CL nor the TL2 (unlike its predecessor) have a built-in flash unit. For those who do practice flash photography, on the other hand, this will probably be the first additional item that they buy. Leica offer three external flash units for the two cameras: the SF 26, SF 40 and SF 64. The compact SF 26, which can be tilted
upwards and doubles as an LED light for video shoots, is a good choice in terms of dimensions, but some photographers may not find it sufficiently powerful. In that case, the SF 40 is a good alternative, with a guide number of 40 for focal lengths of up to 105 mm, high-speed synchronisation, and a 9-stage output adjustment for video lighting. And lastly, there is the top model: the SF 64, one of the world’s most powerful compact flash units. With its high guide number of 64 at ISO 100, it is designed for focal lengths ranging from 24 to 200 mm. On the TL2, the photographer must decide whether to occupy the hot shoe with a flash unit or the Visoflex electronic viewfinder. In contrast to the CL, the TL2 has no integrated viewfinder. However, many photographers are not keen on the idea of holding their camera in front of them with a more or less outstretched arm, almost as with a smartphone. Hence the Visoflex – offering a resolution of 2.4 MPs, as well as autoactivation when its sensor detects the user’s eye,
The CL, Leica’s latest APS-C camera, with SF 40 flash unit (top), hand grip (centre), and display cover – a useful accessory that has been adopted from the world of smartphones, seeing as the CL’s monitor does offer some rudimentary touch functions
and integrated GPS. The Visoflex also improves the TL2’s ergonomics, as holding the camera to the eye creates greater stability. CL photographers can achieve the equivalent ergonomic enhancements with two accessories that serve no electronic or optical purpose: a thumb rest and a hand grip. The thumb rest is inserted into the hot shoe, forming a perfectly homogenous unit with the camera due to its anodised finish. The hand grip, which can be applied either alternatively or simultaneously, improves your hold on the camera, especially when shooting with larger lenses. Both accessories make onehanded photography much easier, and can help facilitate working with longer exposure times. And lastly, the Leica TL2’s touch display and the CL’s →
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monitor (which also offers some rudimentary touch functions) can each be protected by a transparent screen cover.
asts, Leica offer the T2Adapter SL/TL, which connects L-bayonet cameras with Leica’s Apo-Televid spotting scopes. Further CL and TL2 accessories in Leica’s product portfolio are UV blocking filters, polarising and neutral-density filters, along with various tripods and tripod accessories such as ball joints.
Opti cal acce ssorie s.
The most notable optical products for the TL2 and CL are bound to be the L-bayonet adapters, which enable the use of R and M lenses in addition to the seven native lenses currently available for both cameras. The MAdapter L provides the full range of M-lens functions, such as exposure metering, aperture priority and manual control via 6-bit coding. For digiscoping enthusi-
A real beauty, just like the camera itself: crafted from stone-grey nappa leather, the TL holster offers protection and fast, easy access to the camera
acc e sso r i e s. For those photographers who wish to customise the aesthetic appearance of their equipment, Leica offer a range of carrying straps and protectors in a variety of colours. For the CL, the catalogue
currently features two premium-quality leather holsters in brown or black. As well as protecting the camera, they include a compartment for a spare memory card, while a magnetic clasp allows for easy access to the battery and SD card without having to remove the camera. They are complemented by four colour-coordinated carrying straps – two full-leather versions, and two with a textile lining (brown leather with red-brown fabric, or black with grey). For the TL2, Leica offer protectors with similar characteristics, available in yellow, stone grey, black, cemento and red, along with matching carrying straps made of nappa leather. In addition, there is also a holster crafted from stone grey nappa leather. Should you prefer the look of other carrying straps – such as Leica’s Rope Straps made of mountaineering ropes – simply affix the separately available strap loops to the TL2’s body, and add whichever style you find appealing. bernd luxa
Top: Many think of it as absolutely essential: the Visoflex electronic viewfinder with 2.4 MP resolution. Left: Protectors for the TL are available in yellow, stone grey, black, cement and red
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MS Optics
Apoqualia-II-G 28 mm - f/2 Now available in Europe “Gauss” type lens - 6 elements in 4 groups Version II - Limited Edition
Correct Metering LFI — 50 years ago
Exposure Metering – which method i s b e s t ? F r o m t h e a r t i c l e C h i t- C h at o n L e i c a T e c h n i q u e by C h r i s W. B o e r e
When I read the current slogans about throughthe-lens measurement being the only correct system (“you measure only what the lens sees”), I can’t help smiling. For the lens normally sees too much, especially if it is a wide angle or normal focus lens, since in their case the entire field of view of the lens is certainly not the proper criterion for correct exposure determination.
Version II
What is of more importance than anything else is the subject brightness range. So long as the subject has a normal brightness of about three light values, exposure determination presents no problems. But what is the position with higher contrast ranges of eight light values and more? The normal integrated subject measurement of the traditional kind (as also the new through-the-lens measurement of the entire field of view) gives the arithmetic mean of the individual area brightness, whereas the correct exposure can only be given by the geometric mean. In other words: it is as though one were to mix ten parts of milk with one part of coffee or ten parts of coffee with one part of milk, whereas what is required is a grey tone between coffee and milk. Hence it follows that the only correct method with subjects of considerable brightness range is the method of selective measurement
70 g 9,8mm
Handmade in Japan for Leica cameras by Miyazaki Sadayasu
Imported in France by
www.taosphoto.fr boutique@taosphoto.fr
LFI 1 / 1 96 8 : Masters of the Leica – Cornelius Meffert,
Portraits of Artists, Taking Photographs in Museums, and more, available for 1,09 euro in the LFI App for iOS
Ann. Apoqualia II-28 mm_PRINT.indd 1
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b e s t o f LFI . Ga l l e r y
george “This picture was taken in the Australian surfing capital of Torquay. I had Ian make a surf board for my husband. Ian’s English bulldog, George, followed my every step. It was just like a scene from Star Wars: Ian with his protective mask and George adding the Darth Vader-like sounds.” Liz Loh-Taylor Leica M9 with Summicron-M 35mm f/2 Asph
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l ig h t box
Mounted Encounter “A mounted policewoman in New York’s Times Square caught my attention. Just when I was trying to find the right perspective for a picture, one of her colleagues approached. I only had a fraction of a second to shoot as he gave her a kiss on the cheek.” Eduardo Marques Leica Q, Summilux 28mm f/1.7 Asph
Th e Lady anD her Dog “This picture was taken during a military parade in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. At first I was interested in the striking print on the woman’s dress and the matching handbag. It was only later that I discovered the similarity between the dog and its owner. Do you see it too?” Dick Tang Leica M240 mit Summicron-M 35mm f/2 Asph
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flamingo “I photographed this colourful trio with the flamingo on the beach at Ostend, Belgium. The man in the pink suit made me think of a Salvador Dalí persiflage. The absurd scenery suits it as well. After taking the picture, the man on the right gave me a friendly good bye wave.” Pascale Delfosse Digilux 3, D Vario-Elmarit 14–50mm f/2.8–3.5 Asph
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Angelino the F i sh e r m a n
A Cat on Andros
“This picture is part of a series about Swiss fishermen on Lake Como: they lead a fascinating but tough life, and Angelino is the youngest. The picture was taken when he was showing me the catch for the day, and for me it marked the beginning of a friendship.”
“In October 2016, when I visited the small village of Menites on the Cyclades island of Andros, I documented Chirosfaya, a three-day, hog festival with heathen roots, that is still wide spread in Greece. There are always left-overs for stray animals to find.”
Andrea Comalini Leica M-E with Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 Asph
George Tatakis Leica Q, Summilux 28mm f/1.7 Asph
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A Dog with a S ta r “In the booming gambling town of Macau the small fishing harbour still remains, reminiscent of the past of this former Portuguese colony. The few fishermen who still remain feed wild dogs so that they protect the facility while the men go out to sea.” António Leong Leica M10 with Voigtländer 21mm f/4
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Th e Cat Scrams “My wife and I enjoy driving with the camping car to the Camargue in the south of France, taking the camera and lots of books, to ponder on the meaning of pictures and things. Our lively, young cat joined us. It was not at all easy to capture her in a picture.� Jean-Pierre Thozet Leica M240 with Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 Asph
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Susan Meiselas: JoJo, Carol, and Lisa, corner of Prince and Mott Street, Little Italy, 1976
p h oto – b o o k s – e x h i b i t i o n s – f e s t i va l s – Awa r ds –
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C H RI S TIA N M AILL A R D Photographs
S U S A N MEI S EL A S
Photos: © Susan Meiselas/Magnum Photos; © Christian Maillard; © Patrick Willocq; © Naomi Harris
ON THE F RONTLINE
“You have the power to capture, to record, to remember. You are the eyes of history.” With this brief statement, the American Leica photographer (born 1948) has been able to define the way she approaches her work. A member of the Magnum Photo agency since 1976, Meiselas has received worldwide recognition, and is considered one of the most influential photographers of our time. This volume is an intimate résumé of her career, encompassing a selection of poignant reportages along with personal commentary describing her role as a documentary photographer. Meiselas’ career began in 1976 with the publication of Carnival Strippers, a reportage about striptease dancers performing at small-town fairs in New England. She also dedicated a series to a group of girls in Little Italy, a neighbourhood in Manhattan where she was living at the time. For several decades, she focused on Latin America, documenting war and terror in Nicaragua, El Salvador, Colombia, Chile and Argentina. But her work also addresses topics as diverse as the Dani tribe in Indonesia, the Kurds in Northern Iraq, or victims of domestic violence in California. Offering fascinating insights into the life of a dedicated photographer, this book is as inspiring as it is illuminating. “To continue on is to be curious – to be compelled to confront, to examine, to expose, to engage, and not know where you will end up or how the journey will change you. The frontline is always a choice.” 256 pages, 110 colour and black and white images, 22.5 × 18.7 cm, Thames&Hudson/Aperture
Travel and photography are inextricably linked for the French photographer (born 1944). Over the decades, he has visited 75 countries, shooting tens of thousands of images in his classic, analogue blackand-white style. His first monograph now presents a selection of portraits, landscapes and street scenes, spanning from 1996 to 2016. 120 pages, 78 images, 30 × 27 cm, English/French, Hatje Cantz
Pat r i c k W i l l o c q S o n g s o f t h e Wa l é s
For this unusual series the French photographer (born 1969) was already shortlisted for the 2014 Leica Oskar Barnack Award. Now his book presents this series on the Ekonda tribe’s rituals for first-time mothers (Walés) – portraying them in front of elaborately constructed stage sets in the DR Congo. 208 pages, 178 colour images, 15.5 × 23 cm, Kehrer
Nao m i H a r r i s EUSA
In this age of globalisation, what elements of cultural identity do the USA and Europe have in common? For her latest project, the Canadian photographer (born 1973) dedicated five years to visiting places in both Europe and the U.S. that have embraced the heritage of a transatlantic culture – usually in a rather exaggerated manner. The colourful, often comical and sometimes bizarre photo series depicts North Americans celebrating Dutch tulip festivals, Willhelm Tell days as well as Oktoberfests – always complete with elaborate costumes. Harris also addresses the issue of culture appropriation for the purpose of tourism, exemplified by Europe’s romanticised homages to the world of Cowboys and Indians. The classic Winnetou novels by German author Karl May are perhaps partly responsible for the clichéd Wild West theme parks in German towns such as Eging am See – although their American counterparts tend to be equally over-stylised. 240 pages, 135 colour images, 21.2 × 23 cm, Kehrer
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Ja n G r a r u p a n d t h e n t h e r e wa s s i l e n c e
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the Kashmir conflict, the earthquake in Haiti and the plight of the Roma people in Slovakia. All of these scenes now come together into a deluge of human suffering, with the focus of the black and white images always resting on the victims. “I don’t believe I can change the world; but if I can incite just a few people to ponder on a sub-
ject, that’s already a big difference,” the multi-award winning photographer explains. After all, he knows better than most that international media coverage is not enough to end a war. On the project’s website, the publisher’s statement describes the book as “a fist, a punch to the gut. It doesn’t show wars, it shows war. It doesn’t show the poor, it shows poverty. Not the hungry, but hunger. Not conflicts of the world, but a world in conflict. And a world, where hope flourishes in even the darkest of places.” Photos: A couple amidst the ruins of Portau-Prince, Haiti 2010; a Russian wreckage near Mogadishu airport, Somalia, around 2012 496 pages, 290 images, 28 × 38 mm, BookLab, www.andthentherewassilence.com
Photos: © Jan Grarup
This book is challenging in the best possible sense. It is a visual statement spanning almost 500 pages; a carefully designed collection of varying sequences, formats and fold-out pages; a black, hardcover volume weighing more than five kilos. Not only its physical weight, but also its contents make this publication a daunting prospect. Jan Grarup (born 1968) is an unrelenting chronicler of our world, with all its conflicts, wars and catastrophes. In 17 chapters, we gain insight into the Danish photographer’s work. Over the past ten years, he has shot series in Gaza, Hebron, Ramallah, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia and the Central African Republic, travelled to Kosovo and Chechnya, Afghanistan, Darfur, Mosul, Iraq and Iran, and documented
S MAGAZINE ISSUE 9 20
L e i c a Ga l l e r i e s A r e n b e r g c as t l e
Porto
Helge Kirchberger: Sibirien
Tina Trumpp: Shades of Sensuality
AUT | 5020 Salzburg, Arenbergstr. 10 18 February — 1 April 2018
POR | 4000-427 Porto, Rua d. Sá da Bandeira, 48/52 10 March — 16 May 2018
Ba n g ko k
Nick Ut THA | 10330 Bangkok, 2nd Floor Gaysorn Village, 999 Ploenchit Road, February — April 2018 Boston
Ahmet Polat: Myth of Men USA | Boston, MA 02116, 74 Arlington St. 1 March — 29 April 2018 Frankfurt
Julian Lennon: Cycle + Mathieu Bitton: Darker Than Blue GER | 60311 Frankfurt am Main, Großer Hirschgraben 15 9 February — 31 March 2018 i s ta n b u l
Prague
World on Fire | The Burning Man Collection by Marek Musil
Ralph Gibson: Ikonen der Fotografie von 1960–2017 Bernhard Müller: photographic AUT | 5020 Salzburg, Gaisbergstr. 12 19 January — 10 March 2018 S ã o Pa u l o
At time of publication unknown BRA | 01240–000 São Paulo, Rua Maranhão, 600 Higienópolis
TUR | 34381 Şişli/İstanbul, Bomontiada – Merkez, A Birahane Sk. No:1 14 December 2017 — 3 March 2018
Nikos Economopoulos SIN | Singapore, The Fullerton Hotel, 1 Fullerton Square, #01–07 February — May 2018
Yasumichi Morita: Billion
To kYo
JPN | Kyoto, 570–120 Gionmachi Minamigawa, Higashiyama-ku 20 January — 5 April 2018
Yasumichi Morita: Porcelain Nude
Sarah Lee + Ram Shergill USA | West Hollywood, CA 90048, 8783 Beverly Boulevard 24 February — 1 April 2018 Milan
At time of publication unknown ITA | 20121 Mailand, Via Mengoni 4 NR W
Elliott Erwitt: Personal Best for Leica GER | 59302 Oelde-Stromberg, Mies-van-der-Rohe-Weg 1 20 January — 7 April 2018 nuremberg
Norbert Rosing: Mein wildes Deutschland
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Singapore
Los Angeles
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TCH | 110 00 Prague 1, Školská 28 1 February — 8 April 2018
Anni Leppala & Nazif Topcuoglu
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PHOTOGRAPHERS
JPN | Tokyo, 6-4-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku 19 January — 7 April 2018 wa r saw
K B O O K
Robby Cyron: Figura animalis POL | 00–496 Warsaw, Mysia 3 10 February — 18 March 2018
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Wetzlar
Leica Oskar Barnack Award 2017 GER | 35578 Wetzlar, Am Leitz-Park 5 2 March — end of May 2018
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vienna
Ellen von Unwerth: Wild, Wild West AUT | 1010 Vienna, Walfischgasse 1 End of January — mid April 2018
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GER | 18374 Zingst, Am Bahnhof 1 25 February — 16 May 2018
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
Enrique Badulescu Joachim Baldauf Brix & Maas Bil Brown Arved Colvin-Smith Anna Daki Rui Faria Christian Geisselmann Esther Haase Marie Hochhaus Benjamin Kaufmann James Meakin Monica Menez Hector Perez Elizaveta Porodina René & Radka Christian Rinke Tristan Rösler Takahito Sasaki SPECIAL
Zingst
Simon Puschmann: Free Projects
CUTTING-EDGE
GUEST
Ellen von Unwerth
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GER | 90403 Nuremberg, Ob. Wörthstr. 8 24 March — 23 June 2018
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E D VA N D ER EL S KEN
A n d r é K e rt é sz Pa l a z z o D u c a l e , G e n o a
“Everything we did, Kertész had done before,” Henri Cartier-Bresson once said about the ‘father of modern photography’. Brassaï described him as a ‘true master’. Now the Palazzo Ducale honours the Hungarianborn artist with an exhibition aptly titled, Un grande maestro della fotografia del Novocento. André Kertész was an explorer, uprooted and well-versed in the art of roaming, who loved the streets and the skies, a sense of stillness and serendipitous coincidences – be it in Budapest, Paris or New York. He distilled the way he perceived the world into the groundbreaking black-and-white compositions that made him famous. The exhibition, which has been curated by Denis Curti, comprises around 180 prints – divided into three sections with the aim of conveying the full spectrum of the artist’s oeuvre. There is the profile of a chimney sweep against the sky; a fork that throws its shadow onto the plate. “I never document, I always interpret,” the photographer once explained. “I interpret what I am experiencing at a specific moment in time – not what I see, but what I feel.” For Kertész, photography was the perfect means to keep a visual diary. His images highlight the poetry within the ordinary – presented in unique, revolutionary perspectives. As a pioneer of street photography, the public space was his creative terrain. Yet he never set out to compile a chronicle of reality. Instead he was interested in the quiet, intimate happiness that can be found within everyday life. 24 February — 16 June 2018 Photo: André Kertész, Eiffel Tower, Paris 1929
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The streets were his passion: whether in Amsterdam, Paris or Tokyo, the Dutch photographer sought to capture ‘his kind of people’ – often juxta posing the images with self portraits to explore their similarities and differences. The largest Spanish retrospective of his work to date offers fascinating insights into the zeitgeist of the 20th century. 25 January — 20 May 2018 Photo: Ed van der Elsken, Beethovenstraat, Amsterdam 1967
Jac o b R i i s f o a m , Am s t e r d a m
When Riis arrived in New York as a Danish immigrant in 1870, today’s trendy Lower East Side was a place of hardship and poor living conditions. The Other Half – The Activist Photography of Jacob Riis presents the images with which Riis sought to raise awareness and effect change. 16 February — 15 April 2018 Photo: Jacob Riis, Street Arabs in sleeping quarters, 1888–1889
A n ot h e r K i n d of Life Barbican, London
Flouting social convention can be a blessing and a curse, both disenfranchising and empowering. Another Kind of Life – Photography on the Margins follows individuals who conduct their lives outside the mainstream. The show comprises images by twenty leading photographers of the 20th and 21st century, including Bruce Davidson, Larry Clark, Boris Mikhailov and Daido Moriyama. Yet
the selected works not only portray subcultures and alternative lifestyles, but also explore their impact on art, politics and society as a whole. 28 Feb. — 27 May 2018; Photos: Philippe Chancel, from Rebel’s Paris, 1982; Igor Palmin, Untitled XVI, Stavropol Krai, USSR 1977, from The Enchanted Wanderer, 1977
Photos: © Ministère de la Culture – France/Médiathèque de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine, Dist. RMN – André Kertész; © Ed van der Elsken/Nederlands Fotomuseum; Philippe Chancel, courtesy of Melanie Rio Fluency, France; courtesy of the artist © Igor Palmin; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Promised Gift of Jade Lau © Eggleston Artistic Trust, courtesy David Zwirner, New York/London/Hong Kong
F u n d a c i ó n M AP F RE , M a d r i d
W i l l i a m E g g l e s to n T h e M e t r o p o l i ta n M u s e u m o f A r t, N e w Y o r k
Vulgar, pretentious, banal: this is how critics described Eggleston’s first exhibition at New York’s Museum of Modern Art in 1976. Today, he is considered one of the most legendary portraitists of American life. His project Los Alamos was only rediscovered in 2003, some forty years after it was created. It chronicles an epic road trip spanning from 1966 to 1974, which took him across America together with the writer and curator William Hopps and the actor and director Dennis Hopper. Over the course of eight years, they travelled from Memphis and the Mississippi Delta to New Orleans, Las Vegas and Southern California, finishing at the Santa Monica Pier. On their journey, they passed through Los Alamos in New Mexico where the nuclear bomb was developed, and which gave the photo essay its name. 75 colour prints from the series are now presented in New York, ranging from still lifes and landscapes to buildings, traffic signs and diner interiors. Also on display is Eggleston’s first ever colour image – showing a young employee sorting the shopping trolleys in a supermarket in Memphis. This picture already encapsulates the full effect of Eggleston’s stylistic approach and use of the dye-transfer process: it is luminous and intense, powerful and poetic. 14 February — 8 May 2018; Photo: William Eggleston, Memphis 1965
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Photos: © Aaron Vincent Elkaim, © Ami Vitale, © Sarah Blesener, © Bharat Choudhary
From left to right: Ami Vitale, from her Guinea Bissau series; Sarah Blesener: from her Young Marines in Hanover, PA series; Bharat Choudhary, from his The Silence of “Others” series; top: Aaron Vincent Elkaim, from his Where the River Runs Through series
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“ Th e p r o p o sa l i s as i m p o rta n t as t h e p i c t u r e s .” i n t e rv i e w
Michael D. Davis is in charge of the distribution of grants to students and professional photographers by the Alexia Foundation. He speaks about the Foundation’s selection criteria, the changing market and successful strategies for photographers.
LFI: The Alexia Foundation was established in 1991 by the family of Alexia Tsairis, a Syracuse University student who died in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. What is its mission? Michael D. Davis: The Foundation’s primary mission is to support the work of visual storytellers who engage with what matters; who bring unique expressions to subject matter that would otherwise go unknown. In that the Foundation also supports my position at Syracuse University through an endowment, there’s also a strong commitment to education, to fostering the next generation of storytellers following in Alexia’s footsteps at The Newhouse School. LFI: What would you say is the greatest
success of the Alexia Foundation so far? Davis: The cumulative achievement of the people who have received grants. Every effort is significant and as
a group their impact is immeasurable. So far we’ve awarded 156 grants totaling over 1 million dollars. That was made up of 22 professional grants and 134 student grants. LFI: Does the Foundation have a char-
ter of ethics? If yes, what are the main points, according to your sponsors? Davis: We reflect industry standards as laid out by other competitions such as World Press Photo, the Pictures of the Year International competition (POYi), the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) code of ethics, all of which disallow manipulation of the physical aspects of scenes depicted in images. LFI: You also teach at Syracuse Univer-
sity. How does this collaboration work? You hold the Alexia Tsairis Chair for Documentary Photography there. Davis: Alexia was a student at Syracuse, so the connection to the school goes way back. My role as the Alexia Chair is to run the competition – select the judges, arrange for venue logis-
tics, manage the submission platform, etc. And I also regularly represent the Foundation and School at speaking engagements, judging other competitions, writing and speaking to aspects of the profession that involve visual storytelling. LFI: How does the Alexia Foundation support the grantees? Beside the grants you support ‘Special projects’. Davis: Each grant is 20 000 dollars. I will also help them by giving feedback to their projects, if they want it. The Foundation is active on social media and promotes the work of grantees there. ‘Special projects’ is probably equal to personal projects. Things that go beyond daily coverage.
What is your primary advice to young photographers, how would you motivate them to keep on going? Davis: There are two types of photographers: those who are → LFI:
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The choice of judges really determines what type of work is chosen among the projects that are entered. What the Foundation stands for attracts submissions that are generally of a high standard. One unusual aspect of the Alexia Grant is that the proposal, the work that is being proposed, is considered equal to the images that are entered by applicants. Most of the time, applicants submit and propose projects that they’ve begun to work on. Judges read the proposal before they see the images.
Davis:
Left: Walter Astrada, from his Undesired: Violence Against Women in India series
LFI: The deadline for the 2018 Alexia Professional Grant was February 1, the deadline for the Student Grants is March 1. What are you hoping for? Davis: We expect about 400 applicants. The hope is to be surprised by the overall level and to have a number of the submissions rise to new heights. We’re also increasingly encouraging more varied story forms, approaches that express visually in ways that are unique to the project. Though there’s still immense power in traditional documentary approaches, an even greater range of what matters can be expressed through other approaches.
renowned and those who adopt new forms of photojournalism. The most important thing is to push yourself beyond what you accomplished yesterday, to be as savvy in the business side of the profession, to develop unique ways of telling stories.
LFI: What do you think could be the next level of photojournalism or new approaches? Davis: Utilizing different media to say more complex and yet unified things about what we engage with is what distinguishes media and storytellers. We need to teach photographers how to produce dynamic, multidimensional stories. You have to have multiple skills: run a business, sell your ideas, understand digital platforms.
Above: Stephanie Sinclair, from her The Bride Price: Child Marriage in India series
Top: Darcy Padilla, from her American Prisons series Very top: Matt Black, from his The Forgotten Black Okies series
LFI: How would you describe your
way of selecting photos?
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Photos: © Matt Black, © Darcy Padilla, © Walter Astrada, © Stephanie Sinclair
” Th e r e ’s s t i l l i m m e n s e p ow e r i n t rad i t i o n a l d o c u m e n ta ry a p p r oac h e s . ”
LFI: What are the criteria to be considered for a grant? Davis: First question is: Why should this project be done now? If people can answer this, it is a strong proposal. If it could be done in five or ten years from now, it is not revealing and surprising enough.
LFI: These are not skills you had to have 20 years ago. Davis: In former times there was a lot of technical stuff involved. So back then people were hired for their technical skills. This point-and-shoot profession where you simply see something and take a picture, is dead. Now people have to be able to go beyond that. LFI: How about collaborations?
It’s always good when photographers work with people from other disciplines. If the photographer has created partnerships with a writer, an art director or a filmmaker, that’s a bonus and should lead to a stronger result. In the end the desire is to help to make the most powerful visual impact possible.
Davis:
Leica Rope Straps Anything made for mountaineering must be durable and robust. Leica and COOPH have once again teamed up, this time to create a selection of hard-wearing camera straps made of genuine mountaineering rope. The result is a characterful accessory to carry your camera safely, comfortably and in rugged style.
LFI: Does the quality of imagery depend on the investment of the media? Should there be more assignments to support high quality photography? Davis: Visual story tellers initiate what drives their careers. Instead of the media initiating, it’s becoming more and more a purchaser of content. Ironically, branded content is exploding: Brands are initiating really fundamental stories. They have the same standards like newspapers – like Patagonia producing stories on exploring the West. Other active sportswear labels, like Under Armour, Ice Breaker and Prana, use visual stories as an integral component of their identities. Also hospitals and institutions in general, this is what I can tell at least from the US. Interview: Carla Susanne Erdmann
M i c ha e l D. Dav is Born in Tekamah, Nebraska, in 1956, Davis holds the Alexia Tsairis Chair for Documentary Photography at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. Besides his involvement with the Alexia Foundation, he is a independent picture editor and photography coach. Davis has been a picture editor and visual leader at National Geographic magazine, The White House and several of America’s leading newspapers for nearly 30 years.
j e tzt Be st e lle n :
l f i- onl ine.com/Sho p
Leica Fotografie I n t e r n at i o n a l
Corentin Fohlen my picture
The French photographer is still proud of this picture. Resulting in a World Press Award, it marks the beginning of his career.
70th year | Issue 2.2018
LFI PHOTOGR A PHIE GMBH Springeltwiete 4, 20095 Hamburg, Germany Phone: +49 / 40 / 2 26 21 12 80 Fax: +49 / 40 / 2 26 21 12 70 ISSN: 0937-3977 www.lfi-online.com, mail@lfi-online.com Editor-in-Chief Inas Fayed, Frank P. Lohstöter (V.i.S.d.P.) A rt Direction Brigitte Schaller EDITORIA L OFFICE Michael J. Hußmann, Denise Klink, Bernd Luxa, Edyta Pokrywka, Danilo Rößger, David Rojkowski picture desk Carol Körting layout Thorsten Kirchhoff Translation, Sub-Editing Robin Appleton, Hope Caton, Anna Sauper, Osanna Vaughn CONTRIBUTORS to this issue Maria Camilla Brunetti, Carla S. Erdmann, Katja Hübner, Ulrich Rüter, Holger Sparr, Katrin Ullmann M anagement Board Frank P. Lohstöter, Anja C. Ulm
Bangkok, Thailand, 16 May 2010
Media SA LES A nd M arketing Kirstin Ahrndt-Buchholz, Samira Holtorf Phone: +49 / 40 / 2 26 21 12 72 Fax: +49 / 40 / 2 26 21 12 70 E-Mail: buchholz@lfi-online.de holtorf@lfi-online.de Valid ad-rate card No. 46, 1 January 2018 REPRODUcTION: Alphabeta, Hamburg Printer: Optimal Media GmbH, Röbel/Müritz PA PER: Igepa Profimatt
The photograph was taken on 16 May, 2010, during the Red Shirts revolt in Thailand. It was the first time I had reported on such a situation and it was also my first important work: in 2011 I received the World Press Award in the Spot News category. It is one of the most powerful photos I have taken, and one of the rare pictures I continue to be proud of. This is because of its symbolic strength expressing the fight for freedom, and because it shines a light on my photographic work. Except for appearing in Der Spiegel magazine, the photo was not published anywhere in 2010. As a result of various awards and an exhibition at the International Festival of Photojournalism, Visa pour l’image, photo editors were made aware of my work. The only disappointing thing is that it did not help the Thais in their fight for justice. Born in France in 1981, Corentin Fohlen originally wanted to be a comic sketch artist. In the meantime, his award-winning photo reportages have been published in The New York Times, Stern, Le Monde and Zeit
LFI 3/2018 will appear on 6 April 2018
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Distribution LFI (USPS no 0017912) is published 8 times per annum. Subscription price per annum (including shipping) worldwide: 69 € LFI is also available as an app at the Apple iTunes store and at Google Play LFI Subscription Service P. O. Box 13 31, D-53335 Meckenheim Phone: +49 / 22 25 / 70 85-3 70 Fax: +49 / 22 25 / 70 85-3 99 E-Mail: lfi@aboteam.de All articles and illustrations contained in the magazine are subject to the laws of copyright. Any form of utilization beyond the narrow limits imposed by the laws of copyright and without the expressed permission of the publisher is forbidden and will be prosecuted. This applies particularly to reproduction, translation, microfilming or the storage and processing in electronic systems. Enquiries or material for publication are welcome. We accept no responsibility for unsolicited material. Printed in Germany
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An exploration on Trust By Jess Bonham and Anna Lomax
wetransfer.com