LFI Magazine 6/2019 E

D 19088 F

6. 2 0 1 9 au g u st | S e p t e m b e r

D 8,90 € NL B L 10,10 € I 10,20 € UK 8,20 £

4 198801 308909

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 E n g l i s h E d i t i o n

06

Ilse Bing Alixandra Fazzina Caleb Stein

Jan C. Schlegel

Helmut Newton, Sie kommen (dressed), French Vogue, Paris 1981, © Helmut Newton Estate

HELMUT NEWTON SUMO MARK ARBEIT. GEORGE HOLZ. JUST LOOMIS THREE BOYS FROM PASADENA

PHOTO COLLECTION OF HELMUT AND JUNE HELMUT NEWTON FOUNDATION | MUSEUM OF PHOTOGRAPHY | 7/6/2019 - 10/11/2019 JEBENSSTRASSE 2, 10623 BERLIN | TUE, WED, FRI, SAT, SUN 11-7, THU 11-8

Lfi 6. 2019

p o rt f o l i o l i g h t b ox

F / s to p

9 6 | L f i . G a ll e r y

8 2 | L e i c a V- Lux 5

Over 25 000 photographers present more than half a million pictures in the LFI Gallery.

Among others in this issue, a bar scene reminiscent of Edward Hopper and extraterrestrials with long tentacles

To a large degree, the new V-Lux 5 resembles a singlelens reflex camera, though it is smaller and lighter. Compared to its predecessor, the V-Lux (Typ 114) it offers fine tuning par excellence. It is operated by means of a diversity of keys and dials

P h oto

88 | Leica Q2 A consistent continuation of the Q series, the new model is particularly appealing thanks to the grandiose resolution of its new 47-megapixel image sensor. Berlin photographer, Peer Kugler put the Q2 to the test

107 | Books Ram Shergill: from the Goldmine series, Almería, Spain 2017

108 | exhibitions

Jan C. Schlegel 6 | C r e at u r e s o f t h e S e v e n S e a s

Schlegel photographed his fish market ‘catch’ in his hotel room, and transferred the creatures’ fragile beauty to rare platinum prints

Caleb Stein The new Leica V-Lux 5 has been optimised in some essential areas

New publications by Guenter Zorn, Gerhard Vormwald, Fred Baldwin and Alessia Rollo

2 4 | D o w n by t h e Hu d s o n

A small town somewhere in the USA: the photographer captured carefree moments – over a number of summers

Alixandra Fazzina 3 6 | Y e m e n C o n t r a fl o w

Djibouti has become a meeting point for Africans fleeing to the Arabian Peninsula and refugees fleeing from the war in Yemen

Ilse Bing

The Beauty of Lines, Barcelona; Summertime Salon, New York; Brassaï at the Foam, Amsterdam; PhEST in Monopoli, Italy 1 0 9 | L e i c a G a ll e r i e s The programme of Leica Galleries around the world including, among others, Nobuyoshi Araki in Bangkok, Alex Webb in Wetzlar and Tim Page in Melbourne 1 1 0 | I n t e rv i e w A conversation with photographers Carlos Javier Ortiz and Danny Wilcox Frazier, as well as Ruddy Roye, founder of the @theleica10 collective 114 | my picture This picture from Gael Turine’s Aveuglement series represented a turning point in his career 114 | imprint

5 2 | qu e e n o f t h e L e i c a

She was one of the most impressive photographers of the 20th century, and produced a self-portrait that has made her immortal: Ilse Bing (1899–1998)

100 Digital Features 62 | S M agaz i n O n l i n e

Working without specifications: the Digital Features format, unique to the S magazine website, celebrates its 100th issue

Cover: Jan C. Schlegel, Palinurus Elephas from the Creatures of the Seven Seas series

lFI

| 3

LFI shop

S u m m e r Sa l e S av e u p t o f i f t y p e r c e n t

Everything for summer at the LFI Shop’s Summer Sale

Discover many items of clothing and accessories designed specially for photographers during the LFI Summer Sale, on now in the online shop.

T-shirts, shirts, hoodies, beanies, caps, hats by Cooph and from the Leica Collection with discounts of up to fifty percent. Secure your favourite T-shirts from the Leica Collection: ‘Ode to 0.95’, ‘Blendenskala’ (Aperture Scale), ‘Elmar Lens’, or ‘Bauhaus’ – all made of organic cotton, and with a stitchedon pocket on the back side for storing an SD card or lens cap.

The products by Cooph have refined details and features that photographers will appreciate: stitched-on lens-cleaner cloths, pockets for SD cards, and much more. Summer Sale items specifically for our female readers include, in particular; the ‘Frame the Moment’ T-shirt by Leica, and the ‘The Journey’ and ‘Never Stop’ T-shirts

by Cooph. All the items are available as long as stocks last and can be found at: http://bit.ly/LFI-SummerSale

C o n t r i bu t o r s

Ten years after her initial project on the movement of refugees at the Horn of Africa, British photographer Alixandra Fazzina returned to the area with the aim of documenting the current state of affairs. What she observed is disturbing: while many Africans continue to flee to the Arabian peninsula, others are being evacuated from war-torn Yemen. Now there are also Yemeni refugees looking for a safe place in the region around Djibouti City. Her Yemen Contraflow project had been born.

4 |

lFi

Ja n c . S c h l e g e l When Jan C. Schlegel decides to tackle a subject he goes all out, researching it at many different levels.

He travelled to 61 countries to complete his highly-regarded series. With the portraits taken during these journeys, he has created an invaluable, cultural/anthropological archive.

In addition, his studies of insects for his Of Monster & Dragon series, and his Creatures of the Seven Seas shown here have made him more aware of creatures that may no longer be alive in the near future.

Caleb Stein

Every day for a number of years, Caleb Stein walked down the main street of the small US town of Poughkeepsie, collecting material for his Down by the Hudson project. The initial idea was to document typical, everyday life in a small town in the United States, but Stein really felt he had found the right place when he came to a swimming hole on the outskirts of the town. It was only after four years that he found this Garden of Eden, where people came to leave everyday life behind. Better late than never.

Photos: © Eduardo Diaz, © Vadim Levin, © Andrea Orejarena

A l i xa n d ra Faz z i n a

HALF CASES FOR ALL LEICA M CAMERAS, MONOCHROM, Q, CL, S AND SL

50 € DISCOUNT ON ALL LEICA HALF CASES USING THE VOUCHER “LFI50”

ANGELOPELLE.COM

C r e at u r e s of the s e v e n s e as LeicA S

Jan C. Schlegel

6 |

lFi

T h e n u m o r i e n ta l i s

lFI

| 7

Jan C. Schlegel has been diving into the wondrous world of water creatures. Using a Leica S and creating precious platinum prints, his images capture the diversity of all the species he encountered in every facet of their bizarre beauty.

Brama brama

8 |

lFi

Hippocampus barbouri o

lFI

| 9

10 |

lFi

O c t o p u s vul g a r i s

Pl e u r o n e c t e s p l a t e s s a

Trichiurus lepturus

12 |

lFi

Belonidae

Phycis phycis

lFI

| 13

Zeus faber

lFI

| 15

“For me it’s not about scientific documentation.

I’m fascinated by the idea of showing things that can’t otherwise be seen, and that we normally don’t get to see. I want to show details, shapes and structures. The uniqueness of each life form, nature and its beauty.”

L o l i g o vul g a r i s

16 |

lFi

lFI

| 17

18 |

lFi

Carcinus maenas

S c ato p h ag u s a r g u s

lFI

| 21

Hippocampus barbouri o

22 |

lFi

Jan C. Schlegel Born in Triberg, in the Black Forest, in 1965, his passion for black and white photography emerged as a result of a workshop with Walter Schels.

Toni Schneiders, a successful photographer in his region, became his mentor. Schlegel frequently works in the portrait photography genre, focussing on globalisation and identity. His pictures have been presented internationally at galleries, exhibitions and art fairs.

ja n-sc hl e g e l .co m Ex hibiti o n : Jan C. Schlegel: Platinum and Silver Works; 10 October until 7 November 2019; Immagis Fine Art Photography, Munich; www.immagis.de LFI-Online.DE/Blog: Behind the Scenes – the of Monster & Dragon series

Equipment: Leica S006 and S007 with

Summarit-S 70 f/2.5 Asph (CS), Summicron-S 100 f/2 Asph and Apo-Macro-Summarit-S 120 f/2.5 (CS)

LFI: Your series is reminiscent of what photography was originally all about: a medium for documentation. In today’s world, these motifs become objects of art when presented within the context of an exhibition. One early example is Anna Atkins’s Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions; another is Karl Blossfeldt’s studies of plants. What is it you want to show with your Creatures of the Seven Seas series?

Jan C. Schlegel: For me it’s not about scientific documentation. I’m more concerned with the beauty and the uniqueness of each life form, with portraying all the details, shapes and structures. I want the viewer’s attention to focus on the fish without any visual distractions.

There is a further, ethical dimension to your work. You’ve just come from Austria and an exhibition at the Festival La Gacilly in Baden: a festival based on the idea that top-class photography can be used to raise awareness about the environment.

That’s how I see my work. Photography is a universal language that should create an impact on the viewer.

In the end, it’s not enough to just produce a beautiful picture.

In your Of Monster & Dragon series you worked with calotypes, while for Creatures of the Seven Seas you produced rare and expensive platinum prints. What is the reason?

For me, working in platinum offers the best possibility for a perfect presentation down to the tiniest detail. Each hand-made print is unique and no other photographic process produces such depth: the platinum procedure illuminates the grey levels and brings detail into the black.

The prints are of exceptional quality.

What is the technical effort involved in producing them?

First of all, a negative is produced from the digital picture data. Then a platinum solution, containing iron oxalate, is applied with a brush to high-

quality watercolour paper. When the paper has dried, this coated paper is exposed to the negative under a UV lamp for between one-and-a-half and three hours. The prints are 56 x 76 centimetres in size.

What role does the paper play?

The only paper that worked for these pictures was Arches platinum paper; it is the only one where I get a pure white. Because of the platinum process there can be no trace of chemical residue remaining in the paper, it must be made of pure cotton.

You photographed the series between February 2018 and April 2019.

Where did you find the creatures?

I’ve found them all around the world: in Porto (Portugal), on Zanzibar (Tanzania), in Hong Kong, in Essaouira (Morocco) and in Murmansk (Russia).

I shopped at local fish markets very early in the morning and then later photographed my ‘catch’ at the hotel.

Beforehand I made sure that the animals would be processed afterwards.

What influence did working on this series have on you?

Fish are extremely diverse – I’d never been particularly aware of this before, but it became especially clear in the series. Another side effect of the project is that I’ve banned plastic from my household, because it is destroying the unique beauty of the ocean.

I would like my art to provoke a new way of seeing. We prefer to see fish at a distance and are reluctant to handle them. However, it’s really worth taking a closer look.

Do you have any plans as to how to move forward with the project?

I’m planning a nature trilogy. My Of Monster and Dragon series dealt with the fascinating world of insects.

Now I’m working on a third series dealing with floral objects.

Interview: Carla Susanne Erdmann

lFI

| 23

LeicA M

Caleb Stein D o w n b y t h e h u ds o n

With his project Down by the Hudson, photographer Caleb Stein extracts a timeless magic from the everyday lives of the people living in a nondescript suburb in the United States. The outcome is a homage to summer, to the community and to a small town that captured the photographer’s heart.

Everyone is welcome in the cool water. At the swimming hole on the edge of Poughkeepsie, Stein transfers the essence of street photography to the water

24 |

lFi

lFI

| 25

The swimming hole is a Garden of Eden for all: locals are able to reveal their souls and forget their concerns. “In politically loaded times, the swimming hole has something of a magical draw to it,� Stein explains

26 |

lFi

28 |

lFi

A central element to Stein’s narrative is the diversity of the people who come together at this place

Stein’s portraits are always close up and honest. “Many of the people I photographed opened up to me. I’m very grateful to them for that.”

lFI

| 31

32 |

lFi

Water means life: in Poughkeepsie this is evident on many different levels. In Caleb Stein’s imagery, the community triumphs over the individual, granting freedom from all kinds of constraints

lFI

| 33

34 |

lFi

Caleb Stein Born in London and grown up in New York City, the photographer studied History of Art at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie. During that time and afterwards he was an assistant to Magnum photographer Bruce Gilden in close-by Beacon. His photographic eye focusses on social interactions within communities. In 2018, Stein’s Down by the Hudson earned him the coveted Gomma Grant in the Best Black and White Documentary category.

ca l e b -ste i n.s q ua re s pace.co m LF I -O nl i n e .D E / B log : Slide show with further images of Poughkeepsie

Equipment: Leica M10 with Elmarit-M 28 f/2.8 Asph

Have you ever heard of Poughkeepsie?

This town of 33 000 residents not far from New York City has, at first glance, little to make it noteworthy. Poughkeepsie is a typical suburb in the United States; one of many that come straight off the drawing board. But it was precisely this suburban cliché that awoke the curiosity of London-born Caleb Stein when he began studying History of Art in the town. At first, the small town idyll was a welcome contrast to the hectic metropolitan life he had known for so many years. Over time, there emerged not only a talent for photography, but also the need to explore the realities behind the clichés.

According to Stein, the only reference he had to these virtually mythic stereotypes came from illustrations by Norman Rockwell.

Consequently, the fact that his commute to and from college required him to walk through the heart of Poughkeepsie turned out to be a good thing, because day after day Stein travelled the five kilometre main street on foot, taking pictures of whatever came in front of his lens. On the whole, he did not have to wait long for something interesting to photograph. The immediacy of the location served him well, though he is primarily interested in situations defined by chance and unpredictability.

The more familiar Stein became with his surroundings, the more the project took on form. His apprenticeship at Bruce Gilden’s studio, which is located quite close to Poughkeepsie, had a direct influence on his work. As the weeks, months and years passed, he gradually synchronised his rhythm with that of the pulse of the community. “Poughkeepsie is a very dynamic place with its very own beauty, as well as shortcomings,” he explains.

Stein considers Poughkeepsie stands as a symbol for the post-industrial, economic decline that can be observed currently in many small towns in the United States: once a significant commercial centre, increasing numbers of large firms and potential employers have moved away over the years. Without a doubt, the nega-

tive situation has had an impact on the frame of mind of local residents.

His project took a thematic turn when his then girlfriend now wife, showed him a swimming hole not far from the city centre. The photographer was immediately delighted with the idyllic spot on the Hudson River.

It seemed like a place where worries could be forgotten – even if only briefly. “In politically loaded times, the swimming hole has something of a magical draw to it,” Stein says with enthusiasm. In the cool water, beyond the stress of everyday life, it does not matter if you are a man or a woman, black or white, pro-Clinton or proTrump. Each individual indulges in their own particular form of escapism, protected by the collective. Capturing individual freedom is a motif reflected in Stein’s images which are always taken at eye level, often granting a glimpse into the protagonist’s soul. Thanks to this humanistic approach, the viewer will find something special even within the apparently mundane: moments where people can be however they want to be.

Stein’s interest in photography stretches back to his secondary school days. However, it was only recently that he discovered the Leica M10, which immediately became his camera of choice. “My other equipment was really clumsy. With the compact M10, the project advanced quite quickly,” he remembers. Working with the new, easier-to-use tool, the photographer was able to enjoy the cool water even more, so that the swimming hole eventually became one of his favourite places in Poughkeepsie. Even though he has already produced a visual treasure, he continues to enjoy taking pictures there. Stein is currently planning to expand the project to other small towns. Memories of summers at the swimming hole in Poughkeepsie may eventually fade, but Stein’s pictures will live on as a testament to carefree times. Danilo Rössger

lFI

| 35

LeicA M

Alixandra Fazzina Y e m e n C o n t r af l o w

In the East African country of Djibouti, refugees aiming to reach the Arabian Peninsula cross paths with people fleeing from the war in Yemen.

Both perspectives appear equally hopeless: Fazzina reveals these counter migration movements in an ambitious long-term project.

Yemeni refugees are brought by speedboat from their camp in Obok to Djibouti (city), where they hope for a better life

36 |

lFi

lFI

| 37

Many Yemeni refugees have already been living in the slums of Djibouti (city) for a number of years. Fleeing from persecution, hunger and death in war-ravaged Yemen, they have been stranded here. A large portion of them are mothers with children whose fathers have been killed in the war. In patriarchal Yemeni society, children are often taken away from their mothers following their husband’s death

38 |

lFi

lFI

| 39

40 |

lFi

Alixandra Fazzina took a lot of time to speak with the women – as with this Yemeni woman living in Somaliland

42 |

lFi

Below: In a space reserved just for women, the Yemeni Fatma braids her neighbour Isra’s hair. They live with their families in great poverty in a camp on the edge of Hargeisa, Somaliland. Left (from the top): 18 year-old Kharia lost her whole family in the war in Yemen and now lives in a women’s home in Somaliland; an old television shows Yemeni war propaganda, which is how many refugees remain informed; the tent cloth with fighter jets on it in a refugee camp in Obock, belongs to Mohamed Al Abid from Yemen, who fled with his pregnant wife

lFI

| 43

Refugees pay 250 dollars per person for the official crossing from Yemen to Berbera

lFI

| 45

46 |

lFi

Below: Two refugee women and a local smoke shisha and chew khat leaves in smuggler lodgings in Djibouti.

Left: African refugees travelling through: these two youths wander through Obock looking for work to finance their crossing to Yemen; a woman who fled Yemen with her daughter in a refugee camp in Djibouti; refugees are driven from the bus station in Djibouti (city) to the surrounding slums

lFI

| 47

48 |

lFi

An orphaned 17 year-old from Yemen earns a living in exile selling fish he has caught himself

The Djibouti (city) coast is the conversion point for counter migration flows, like a tide bringing people to and from land

A l i x a n d r a Fa z z i n a Represented by the Noor Agency, the British photographer has dealt with the movement of refugees all around the world since the beginning of her career. In her long-term projects, such as A Million Shillings: Escape from Somalia and Flowers of Afghanistan, she reports on the humanitarian consequences of war and conflict.

She also works as a radio and television author, and regularly runs workshops.

50 |

lFi

Ten years ago, Alixandra Fazzina journeyed to the Horn of Africa documenting the flight of Somalis heading for the Arabian Peninsula. Now she has returned to the Gulf of Aden to observe the arrival of a boat full of refugees coming from the Yemeni side.

Her breath falters. A number of people wave and she recognises familiar faces. They are the same people she photographed ten years ago. Somalis are returning, escaping from the misery of a war that has raged for years in Yemen, looking for a future back in their old homeland. Fazzina felt the time was right to pick up her project and continue the work.

LFI: Please explain the situation you found at the Horn of Africa in 2018.

Fazzina: I was there to document the official evacuation of Somalis from Yemen, but remained open to whatever else might happen. What I was able to observe was an absurd situation: even now, when increasing numbers of Somalis are returning to their own country, escaping from war on the Arabian Peninsula, the stream of refugees heading by the hundreds for Yemen each day has not stopped. I observed these two counter flows of migrants, often moving along at the same time, separated from each other by a fence or a road.

What is it that so interests you about the migration movements?

I really want to explore the flow of migrants in this region and to distance myself as far as possible from the current European discussions concerning refugees. I want us to understand that migration is a worldwide phenomenon, that it has always been happening. People flee for all kinds of reasons. I want to show that migration outside Europe happens in much larger numbers. More people flee from Africa to the Arabian Peninsula every year than to the whole of Europe. It’s a constant movement.

What role do you consider photographies have in documenting the flow of refugees?

As far as pictures of refugees are concerned, I observe in myself that a certain weariness has set in when looking at them. We’re bored by them, and no longer look at them properly, but rather quickly turn the pages.

Consequently, the pictures no longer have any effect on us and lose their impact. This is why I want to break through these visual clichés and use my pictures, articles and other texts to tell new stories. I want to devise a new visual language.

Were there also moments when you decided not to take photographs?

Yes, there were very many. One night I was on the beach and it was pitch black.

All of a sudden I saw people climbing into a number of boats. In those kind of moments I absorb all the impressions I feel, so as to be able to write about them later. That might not be very typical for a photographer, but I find there are instances that simply can’t be photographed. And, after all, how many more pictures of refugees in boats do we need? In the end, I took a picture of a pair of new silk shoes that had been left behind in the sand during the chaos of departure. Those are the kind of motifs I look for. It takes experience and strength to not take the obvious pictures that serve as clichés, and that would probably make it to the front page of a newspaper.

You work as both a photographer and an author. How do you work on a day to day basis?

The truth is that most of the time I’m sitting down and writing. When I’m taking pictures in a place like Djibouti, I do it in a very specific manner, slowly and discreetly. The Leica M10 is very helpful in this regard, as it˚s discreet and I can hide it completely with my hijab.

I think it’s important to be aware of the meaning of a camera in such a place and not to carry it openly. Otherwise things can quickly become dangerous. Luckily, I don’t need a lot of equipment; just my camera and my note pads.

How do you approach the people in their highly sensitive situations?

I’m really more interested in the people than in a good photo. I always have a Yemeni translator with me, who is a linguist who can also convey the fine details to me. In today’s reporting, the protagonist’s story often disappears behind the photo. In my case it’s the other way round. I hear the story, then I take a picture. When I visit someone in their home, I don’t just stay for half an hour, but more like four or five hours.

I give myself plenty of time.

How do you move around the region and remain safe?

Over time, I’ve built up a large network, which also includes bands of smugglers. I also consider it a big advantage being a woman who can move around discreetly there. Wearing my hijab I don’t get any particular notice and I can access places that would otherwise be closed to me.

Even so, it is becoming increasingly difficult to work in the region.

A large part of your pictures show women and children who are fleeing.

Is there a particular reason for this?

At first I was surprised by how many women and children were fleeing. I thought it was because I and the translator were women, so that we had more of an eye for other women. So I asked at the UN and, in fact, 43 percent of those fleeing are female households.

This is due to the patriarchal structure in Yemeni society: if a woman loses her husband in a war, she is then required to surrender her children to the family of her husband. For this reason, many mothers choose to escape. interview: Denise Klink

LF I-On lin e .DE/B log: Alixandra Fazzina, one Photo — one Story Equipment: Leica M240 and Leica M10 with Elmarit-M 28 f/2.8 Asph, Summilux-M 35 f/1.4 Asph and Summicron-M 50 f/2

lFI

| 51

L e i c A C L ASSIC

Ilse Bing QUEEN O F THE LE I C A

She was one of the most important avant-garde artists in the field of 20th century photography. Her trademark: the Leica. Her life’s journey took the passionate photographer from Frankfurt to Paris, and then on to New York. In collaboration with the Berinson Gallery in Berlin, LFI presents Ilse Bing’s most iconic image along with a selection of lesser-known works.

A key icon of modernist photography: few Leica images are as widely recognised as this self portrait created in Ilse Bing’s apartment in Mont­ parnasse, Paris, in 1931

52 |

lFi

lFI

| 53

54 |

lFi

All images: Š Ilse Bing Estate/courtesy Galerie Berinson, Berlin

Graphic compositions define much of Ilse Bing’s work. After emigrating to New York, she continued to explore the interplay of light and shadow: Leaves on Steps, New York 1953 (left page); Houses in New York, 1936 (top), and Horse Abattoir in Paris, 1933 (below)

lFI

| 55

All images: Š Ilse Bing Estate/courtesy Galerie Berinson, Berlin

Searching for motifs with the Leica: Many of Ilse Bing’s photographs in Paris as well as New York arose from her interest in everyday life: Flea Market, Paris 1932 (top); Soup Kitchen, Paris 1931

56 |

lFi

Cityscapes, backyards, fleeting moments: the photographer frequently roamed the streets with her Leica in search of incidental scenes. A dilapidated courtyard in New York City, 1936 (top) and a street market in Paris, 1933

lFI

| 57

All images: Š Ilse Bing Estate/courtesy Galerie Berinson, Berlin

In 1936 Bing stayed for the first time in the USA. On this occasion the pictures on this page were created: Dead End, New York (top); Circus Barnum & Bailey, Madison Square Garden, New York (bottom). Right side: Hand shadow, Washington, D.C. 1953

58 |

lFi

lFI

| 59

Few Leica images are as widely recognised as the black-and-white self portrait of Ilse Bing with her camera, created in Paris in 1931. It depicts Bing as an analytical as well as experimental young photographer. Two mirrors and a strict division of the image into verticals and horizontals give rise to a compelling composition. At the same time, the portrait serves as a visual study of photography itself: the subject’s left eye appears to be as one with the Leica, even though her profile in the mirror reveals that her face is not even touching the camera. The act of photography is depicted as a symbiosis of proximity and distance, artist and camera, precision and experimentation. By the time the picture was taken, Bing was already living in Paris and had made photography the primary focus of her life.

Born 1899 in Frankfurt as the daughter of a wealthy Jewish family, Bing seemed destined for an academic career. However, when she began to document buildings for her dissertation on the German architect Friedrich Gilly, the art history student discovered her love for photography. The acquisition of her first Leica in 1929 was soon followed by publications in German magazines. In 1930, Bing relocated to Paris, where she captured life in the French metropolis, inspired by the New Objectivity movement. She also continued to publish reportages, worked as an advertising photographer, and began to showcase her work in exhibitions. “In Paris, I truly found myself and was able to flourish,” she told Herlinde Koelbl during an interview in 1989. “I knew from the first moment that I would be happy there.”

Bing photographed exclusively with the Leica. Early on in her career, the French photographer and critic Emmanuel Sougez coined the nickname ‘Queen of the Leica’. On her explorations of the streets of Paris, Bing relied on coincidence – benefiting

60 |

lFi

from her experience as a photojournalist, which enabled her to create exciting compositions in a fraction of a second. Her chosen themes, as well as her distinctive techniques, also attracted assignments from the USA. In 1936 Bing held her first exhibition in a New York gallery – though she declined the offer of a position at the newly established Life magazine. She found it more important to maintain her life in Paris, along with her relationship with the pianist and musicologist Konrad Wolff, whom she married in 1937.

When the German military invaded Paris, the couple were labelled ‘enemy aliens’ by the Nazi-instated Vichy government, and were held in internment camps in the south of France. While they managed to leave the camps after ten weeks, it was another nine months before they were able to emigrate to New York. Bing struggled to re-establish herself as a photographer, though she continued to produce portrait and fashion work as well as reportages, and went on to complement her Leica with a Rolleiflex in 1951. However, in 1959 she gave up photography altogether. “I had nothing new to say within this medium,” she later explained. “I stopped working with the camera at the height of my development as a photographer; it no longer served as an expressive tool for my experiences. Of course I could still have taken beautiful pictures, but they were no longer coming from inside.” Instead, she turned her attentions to creating collages, drawings and poetry.

In 1976 the MoMA acquired and exhibited a selection of Bing’s photographs, leading to a rediscovery and international recognition of her work.

Ilse Bing passed away peacefully at her apartment in New York at almost 99 years of age. Today she ranks among the leading representatives of a pioneering, confident generation of women artists, who helped shape the history of photography from the 1920s onwards. Her iconic Leica portrait continues to be an enduring tribute to the medium of photography, and an extraordinary artist. Ulrich Rüter

I L S E B I NG

Born in Frankfurt on 23 March 1899, Bing studied Maths and Physics, before transferring to Art History, buying her first camera, a 9 x 12 Voigtländer plate camera, for her dissertation.

She quit academia in 1929, bought a Leica and published her first reportage, relocating to Paris in 1930. In 1937, she married pianist Konrad Wolff. In 1940 she was interned in Gurs before reuniting with her husband in Marseille and emigrating to New York. In 1951 she acquires a Rolleiflex, and in 1957 experiments with colour. Bing gave up photography in 1959.

In the 1970s her work was rediscovered, resulting in international exhibitions, numerous publications and awards.

Ilse Bing passed away on 10 March 1998 in New York City.

All images featured here are courtesy of Galerie Berinson, Berlin, www.berinson.de.

B ooks: (selection) ILSE BING: THREE DECADES OF PHOTOGRAPHY (New Orleans

Museum of Art 1985); Larisa Dryansky, ILSE BING: PHOTOGRAPHY THROUGh THE LOOKING GLASS (Abrams Books, New York 2006); Hilary Schmalbach, ILSE BING: FOTOGRAFIEN 1929–1956 (SuermondtLudwig-Museum, Aachen 1996)

PASSION FOR LEICA SINCE 1949

C O L O G N E

LeicA s | SL

1oo

d i g i ta l f e at u r e s Every two weeks the S magazine presents an exclusive Digital Feature highlighting the creativity of Leica S and SL photographers. It is a space where they can demonstrate who they are and what they stand for.

62 |

lFi

64 |

lFi

In Born 10.0, Julie NageL stages an apocalyptic fight for survival Previous page: Antonio Paredes – Hunky Dory is inspired by pop art

In Face Game, Michael Donovan conjures up strong impressions on the faces of the models Page 68: Jรถrg Schieferecke was inspired by a song for his Drop Dead Beauty series

Arved Colvin-Smith surprises with a daring use of colour in his Chromaticity series

66 |

lFi

68 |

lFi

In Fishing, Johann Clausen presents unusual perspectives for fishing bait

Tom Hoops’s Chinpira series deals with the Yakuza theme

70 |

lFi

Edisonga achieves an emotionally dense atmosphere in her Fields series

lFI

| 73

Joseph Chen – a science-fiction scenario: the Gods & Monsters fashion series

Verena Heller-Ghanbar allows her Fairytale Dreams to come true

74 |

lFi

In That certain boy, Jacob + Carrol portray Daan van der Deen in a Commedia dell’arte style Page 78: Ram Shergill takes his Goldmine series to classic film locations in southern Spain

Janina Fleckhaus photographed her Lightship series in London

76 |

lFi

lFI

| 77

lFI

| 79

With a Digital Feature for the S magazine, Leica S and SL photographers are given a clean slate and a chance to work freely with complete creative control over the work. The feature is then produced in close collaboration with the Art Directors and Photo Editors of the S magazine. This concept appeals to newcomer photographers as much as established professionals.

There is only one condition: initially, the S magazine is granted exclusive rights to the production.

The hundredth issue of this format, unique in the Leica world, has now appeared – a format established to provide S and SL photographers with an online platform, where they can present current work that is beyond the limitations of a printed publication. As our selection shows, results are colourful and multifaceted. The commonality is a new and fresh variation on themes of fashion photography – a genre that is virtually synonymous with S photography.

Inspiration for the muted, candycoloured series by Paris-based Antonio Paredes came from David Bowie’s Hunky Dory album, and the seventies pop art of Andy Warhol. For Born 10.0, photographer Julie Nagel from Hamburg used make-up, location and clothes to create an end-of-times mood, taking pictures of model David Baldheim in an old, industrial complex.

Balheim was her protagonist of choice and the person who inspired her with the story idea in the first place.

Michael Donovan and Arved Colvin-Smith concentrated completely on close-ups of faces. In his feature Face Game, Donovan uses accessories, light and colour to alienate the faces in an unusual manner, while in ColvinSmith’s Chromaticity, faces are the canvasses for a colourful impact. Both projects have little to do with commercial beauty photography, but rather share artistic ambitions. This kind of freedom is what the Digital Features offer the photographer.

80 |

lFi

Jörg Schieferecke drew inspiration for his feature directly from the song and related video Where The Wild Roses Grow, released 1995, where Kylie Minogue floats around in the water.

For Drop Dead Beauty he worked with mirror effects, reflections and a diversity of flowing textures. The series by Johann Clausen falls somewhat outside the frame, because for his Fishing project he produced still-lifes of fishing bait, with an aesthetic that celebrates form and colour.

British photographer Tom Hoops, adopted an unusual visual approach to the classic black and white fashion spread when he styled his model like a chinpira, a lower-placed member of the Yakuza hierarchy. In Fields, Edisonga, alias Jana Gumpert, created a very emotional atmosphere using a warm colour scheme.

New York fashion photographer Joseph Chen created a virtually mystical mood for his Gods & Monsters: gloomy colours, unreal lighting and largerthan-life, retouched animals define the images. In her lyrical Fairytale Dreams series, Verena Heller-Ghanbar concentrates on the elf-like appearance and expressive faces of her models.

In the series of the photographyduo Jacob + Carrol, That certain boy, the subject is once again at the forefront. Nothing distracts in these reduced, studio pictures, which show the outfits to best advantage. For her Lightship series, Janina Fleckhaus captivates viewers with playful romanticism in an unusual location – a fire brigade ship in London.

Fashion photographer Ram Shergill shot his Goldmine feature at locations in Spain where so-called spaghetti westerns were once filmed.

Collaborating with costume designer Jack Irving the outcome is a series with surreal outfits photographed in the sparse landscape of Almeria.

This article is only able to present a small cross-section of the large treasure-trove that is Digital Features.

Further series as well as interviews, production details and photographer profiles can be found on the S magazine website. Denise Klink

Digital F eatu re s

Further series, interviews with photographers, and technical details can be found at s-magazine.photography Antoni o Pare d e s | Hu nky dory

photographed with a Leica S007 with Summarit-S 70 f/2.5 Asph Jul i e Nag e l | Born 10.0

photographed with a Leica S007 with Summarit-S 70 f/2.5 Asph Mi chae l Donovan | Fac e gam e

photographed with a Leica SL with Vario-Elmarit-SL 24–90 f/2.8–4 Asph Arved Colvin-Smith | Chromaticity

photographed with a Leica S007 with Apo-Macro-Summarit-S 120 f/2.5 Jörg Schi e fe re c ke | Dro p Dead Beauty

photographed with a Leica S007 with Elmarit-S 45 f/2.8 Asph Johann Claus e n | Fi s hi ng

photographed with a Leica S007 withApo-Macro-Summarit-S 120 f/2.5 Tom Hoops | Chi np i ra

photographed with a Leica S007 with Apo-Macro-Summarit-S 120 f/2.5 Ed i s onga | Fi e ld s

photographed with a Leica S007 with Vario-Elmar-S 30–90mm f/3.5–5.6 Asph Jos e p h Che n | God s & Mo nster s

photographed with a Leica S007 with Summarit-S 70 f/2.5 Asph ve re na he lle r- Ghanbar | Fai ry-taLe

photographed with a Leica S007 with Elmarit-S 45mm f/2.8 Jacob + Carrol | That c e rtain boy

photographed with a Leica S007 with Summarit-S 70 f/2.5 Asph Jani na Fle ckhaus | Li g htsh ip

photographed with a Leica SL with Vario-Elmarit-SL 24–90 f/2.8–4 Asph Ram She rg i ll | Gold mi ne

photographed with a Leica S007 with Elmarit-S 45 f/2.8

f/ s top – L e ica v- l u x 5 – L e ica q 2 F i e l d t e s t –

T h e n e W l e ica V- Lux 5 Wi t h la rg e r Vi e w fi n d e r i m ag e , To u c h sc r e e n , fas t e r P r oz e ss o r a n d B lu e to o t h

lFI

| 81

u n i v e r sa l g e n i u s L e i c a v- lu x 5

With the V-Lux 5, Leica have added a new member to their family of compact cameras. At first glance it barely seems to differ from its predecessor – yet in reality, the V-Lux 5 represents fine-tuning par excellence.

To the casual observer, the new Leica V-Lux 5 might appear almost identical to its predecessor, the V-Lux (Typ 114). Both feature the same lens and sensor, and share numerous characteristics – whereby the term ‘reduction to the essentials’ is not exactly the first thought that springs to mind: an abundance of automatic modes and functions relieves photographers from having to make any settings-related decisions – provided this is what they desire.

And with its 25 – 400mm equivalent super-zoom, the V-Lux 5 covers focal lengths that are not represented anywhere else in Leica’s product portfolio. Perhaps this does not reflect a purist’s dream; but those who like to travel light whilst still having access to all photographic possibilities will find the 82 |

lFi

V-Lux 5 an ideal companion. In fact, it would be entirely unsurprising if even mechanical camera enthusiasts were to start wondering whether the V-Lux 5 might offer the very features they have been missing from their current camera. evolu tion, n ot r evolu tion . It is certainly

fair to ask why the V-Lux 5 shares so many traits with its predecessor which was, after all, introduced all the way back in 2014. Firstly, we should point out that, despite their overt similarities, the new V-Lux 5 does, of course, offer numerous advantages over the older model. Secondly, the pace of development in the field of digital cameras has inevitably slowed down, with an overall shift from revolutionary leaps towards

effective fine-tuning. In this particular case, the revolution already took place in 2014, when the V-Lux (Typ 114) marked an exciting departure from the tiny sensors commonly featured in compact cameras – whose limited light sensitivity was the reason for the low-quality images associated with compacts at the time.

Another explanation for the concept behind the new V-Lux 5 is rooted specifically in Leica’s compact-camera partnership with Panasonic: Leica afford themselves the luxury of integrating only a select few of their jointly-designed cameras into their own product portfolio – essentially cherry-picking the best models to be rebranded with the Leica dot. It is no secret that every digital

compact camera in Leica’s catalogue has a Panasonic counterpart. The undeniably steeper price-tag of the red-dot version is easily justified by the greater range of included accessories and, in particular, the considerably higher resale value.

The V-Lux family is based on Panasonic’s FZ cameras, whose extreme zoom ranges necessitated a construction that could no longer be labelled as compact: the term ‘bridge camera’ is much more fitting, as FZ models really are half-way to being system cameras. The V-Lux (Typ 114) was based on the FZ1000, which set new standards in compact camera photography – thanks both to its significantly increased sensor size and the DC Vario-Elmarit 9.1– 146 f/2.8–4 Asph lens. →

As with all models in this series, the V-Lux 5 resembles a mirror reflex camera – albeit smaller and a great deal more light-weight.

The operating concept involves numerous keys and dials, many of which can be assigned functions of the photographer’s choice

lFI

| 83

25 mm

50 mm

135 mm

400 mm

The V-Lux 5’s truly impressive variable focal length of 25 – 400 mm spans from a distinctive wide-angle to the long telephoto range. Thanks to the camera’s optical image stabiliser, the tele range is easily controlled

84 |

lFi

The two mode dials on the top plate allow for the convenient selection of shooting and exposure modes. The ring around the lens can be used either for manual focus or to select the focal length, depending on the chosen setting

Trailblazer s. In light of the FZ1000’s popularity, Panasonic recently released an updated variant – the FZ1000 II. This, in turn, was chosen by Leica as the basis for the new V-Lux 5. The reason the V-Lux 5’s spec sheet appears to feature relatively few changes is, quite simply, that the Panasonic FZ1000 and the Leica V-Lux (Typ 114) were already excellent cameras, and very much ahead of their time.

Having said that, the new V-Lux 5 does, of course, still offer numerous improvements. Leica and Panasonic have simply retained those elements that have proven effective – including the camera’s two main components: the lens, which just cannot be faulted, and

the sensor, whose resolution and sensitivity remain unsurpassed within this category. Almost everything else, however, has been adjusted or overhauled.

While the viewfinder display has retained its resolution of 2.36 million pixels, its magnification has been increased to 0.74x. The display has been turned into a touchscreen with moderately increased resolution; touch operation makes tasks such as setting the AF point or scrolling through the camera menus much easier.

The camera’s processor has also become slightly faster – an improvement that is noticeable in several areas: in movie mode, 4K videos with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels can finally be

In st ead of em bodying a major r evolu t i on, t he V- Lux 5 p rov e s that, even in the fi el d of dig i ta l ca m eras, fi n et u n i n g is t he intelligent way forwa r d.

recorded at 30 frames per second. The camera can now also be charged via USB, so there is no need to carry a charger. In addition, it is equipped with Bluetooth to simplify the connection with the Leica Fotos app.

In 4K photo mode, the V-Lux 5 captures frame sequences at 30 fps, from which single images with a resolution of approximately 8 megapixels can be selected at a later date. In Post Focus mode, the camera records consecutive frames with different focus settings – essentially enabling you to ‘move’ and select the focal point after the picture has been taken.

At this stage you are well into the realm of the Leica V-Lux 5’s automatic →

BUY. SELL. TRADE. LEICASTOREMIAMI.COM

I +1 (305) 921-4433 I INFO@LEICASTOREMIAMI.COM

USE CODE LFI0619 FOR FREE NEXT DAY AIR ON ANY PURCHASE OVER $500.

(ONE-TIME USE ONLY. VALID THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2019 ON ORDERS SHIPPED WITHIN THE UNITED STATES.)

lFI

| 85

whether they would like to take advantage of these functions, or simply not use them at all.

Straightforward and prac t i c e- o r i e n t e d.

functions and features, which many of the aforementioned purists will most likely view as a distraction – especially considering that the V-Lux 5 also offers the option of customising eight keys on the

camera, along with three touchscreen icons, with a function of your choice.

Not forgetting, of course, the array of display options in the viewfinder.

However, it is entirely up to the photographer

“America’s Premier Leica Specialist”

|

86 |

lFi

The rotate-and-tilt monitor is now a touchscreen, making it much easier to operate the camera. But the improved ocular viewfinder is still the better choice, especially in the tele range

If required, the V-Lux 5 facilitates an entirely straightforward mode of operation. Simply set the exposure mode dial to P for ‘programmed auto’, select the single frame symbol on the drive mode dial, and rely on the camera’s excellent autofocus; rotate the ring on the lens barrel to set the focal length, and look through the viewfinder to compose your frame. Especially when working with longer focal lengths, it is preferable to opt for the viewfinder as this makes

it easier to hold the camera steady; the display, on the other hand, is mostly useful in terms of camera operation and image playback.

The enormous focal length range of the lens quickly becomes a familiar and effective asset – not least thanks to the optical image stabiliser, which ensures that even 400mm tele shots can be captured at standard exposure times. In other words, images that would not be possible with any other Leica can be achieved with the V-Lux 5 with the greatest of ease. Talking of ease: the V-Lux 5 is distinguished by a surprisingly light-weight construction – a trait photographers are sure to appreciate anytime they are handling or carry-

ing the camera for any length of time. The price to be paid for this advantage is the fact that the camera’s construction is primarily based on plastic rather than metal – however, particularly for those who use the V-Lux 5 as a second camera, this is certainly an acceptable trade-off.

In a similar vein, there is no denying that – given the multitude of features and buttons – the operation of the V-Lux 5 can be slightly complex, despite the fact that the touchscreen has made the camera’s operation a great deal more intuitive.

In many ways, however, the experience is not unlike buying a new washing machine: at first you are amazed at the array of options; but after a

The New V-Lux 5 is a n idea l s econ d ca m e ra w i t h a m y r iad of talents – not all of whic h a r e com m on ly fou n d i n L e ica’s p ro d u c t p ort fol i o.

few weeks, you will only use the small handful of features you regularly need.

The V-Lux 5 is a genuine all-rounder that could also perfectly complement an existing camera, seeing as it has tricks up its sleeve that are not covered by most photographers’ existing equipment. For example, it excels in applications such as video capture and telephoto shots for nature and wildlife photography. It is also perfect for travelling, seeing as it is neither too heavy nor outrageously valuable. The absence of a revolutionary leap, and the fact that the camera’s image quality has remained almost the same, in no way detract from its impressive scope of capabilities. holger sparr

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2019

For inquiries & consignments, please contact us at auctions@tamarkinauctions.com

lFI

| 87

T h e Q 2 at Ni g h t Leica q2

The Leica Q2 follows on from one of Leica’s most popular cameras, and is distinguished by an enormous leap in sensor resolution.

Photographer Peer Kugler has put the new camera through its paces.

In terms of external appearance, the Leica Q2 is almost indistinguishable from its predecessor – the greatest difference is the new model’s high-resolution sensor

88 |

lFi

The new Leica Q2 has already developed quite a following. This should come as no surprise, given the great popularity of its predecessor, which impressed photographers by combining the outstanding image quality of a fixed-lens, fullframe camera with all the conveniences of modern digital photography, including an AF function. The Q has proven to be a camera you can keep with you at all times, while its exceptionally sharp rendition positions it in an entirely different league than any smartphone camera.

The Leica Q2 now continues this success story. Its most notable improvement is the image sensor, whose 47-megapixel resolution exceeds anything you might find, for example, in the M system. The Q2 uses this high resolution to simulate additional focal lengths by means of cropping – namely 35, 50, and now even 75 mm – though this obviously results in a corresponding decrease in resolution.

Baptism by fire. To find out how photographers truly feel about the Leica Q2, we asked Peer Kugler to put the new camera through its paces. The Berlin-based photographer was an ideal choice for this task. For quite some time, the Q was his most frequent companion, though he has recently started to work primarily with the M10.

For the purpose of this exercise, Kugler swapped his entire set of equipment for the Leica Q2. This ensured that he would not merely carry out a qualified field test, but dig deep into the intri-

cacies of the camera’s strengths and weaknesses.

It also meant that the Q2 would be pushed beyond the limits of its comfort zone, given that Kugler specialises in night-time shots – in other words: low-light photography. This would inevitably prove a genuine challenge for the Q2’s new sensor, seeing as a high resolution necessitates smaller pixels – which, in turn, increases the risk of image noise at high ISO settings.

Externally, the Q and the Q2 appear almost identical, particularly given that the lens and dimensions of the camera body have remained unchanged. However, as a seasoned Q photographer, Kugler detected the subtle details that set the Q2 apart from its predecessor. For example, he commented on the simpler operating concept of the Q2, whose rear panel features a smaller number of keys. He also pointed out another minor, but surprisingly practical improvement: “The Leica Q’s diopter dial had a tendency to lose its setting while stored inside the camera bag – it’s something that made me lose valuable time on more than one occasion. This has now been remedied on the Q2.”.

A question of resolut i o n. When it came to the

Q2’s greatly increased resolution, Kugler had some initial reservations. Many medium-format photographers will relish the idea of a compact camera whose image quality is almost on par with their hefty, medium-format camera.

However, the fact remains that smaller sensor →

Photos: Peer Kugler; product photos: Leica Camera AG

Photographed with the Leica Q2 at a focal length of 28 mm, aperture f/2.8, 1/40s and ISO 1600

lFI

| 89

Even in sparsely-lit environments such as this rehearsal space of the band Blue Cosmic in Berlin, the Q2 delivers excellent results. The full-frame sensor allows for a delicate positioning and emphasis of the focal plane

90 |

lFi

All images on this double page were recorded at a focal length of 28 mm, ISO 1600, aperture f/2.5 to f/2.8 and shutter speeds ranging from 1/50s to 1/30s

lFI

| 91

pixels can potentially lead to increased image noise.

Both the Q and the Q2 facilitate very high ISO settings – which Kugler frequently relies on for his characteristically low-light photographs. For this reason, reviewing his first test-shots left him slightly taken aback: “I did feel a little concerned, because the noise effect is undeniably stronger than with the original Q.” Fortunately, this only becomes noticeable when zooming in to ‘pixelpeeping’ levels. Given that the images are captured with an impressive 47-megaapixel resolution, there will be very few reasons to do so, provided the photographs are intended for standard use. As well as only

being visible at extreme magnification, the image noise of the Q2 is exceedingly finegrained. As soon as you switch to preview or print your image, any signs of noise become virtually imperceptible. Indeed, the photographs featured on these pages, taken at settings of up to ISO 3200, clearly illustrate that the Q2 delivers exquisite results even at high sensitivity levels.

Of course, he also put the Q2 to the test in favourable lighting conditions – and was impressed by the significantly improved image quality: “The resolution and sharp rendition are truly spectacular, and a definite step up from the Q.” Obviously this is most noticeable when working with

the camera’s shorter focal lengths – with 28 mm being the ideal, as this is when the resolution of the sensor can be fully utilised.

Wit h i ts s p ectac u la r i m ag e qua l i t y a n d fast autofocus lens, the Q2 will p er f ec t ly com p l em en t – or p er ha ps ev en replace – a syst em ca m era .

Lo ng e r ‘fo ca l l e ngt h s’ . At the same

time, one of the particular attractions of the Leica Q series is the ability to simulate longer focal lengths through cropping. The photographer is able to choose between the focal lengths of 35 mm, 50 mm, and (in the case of the Q2) 75 mm at the push of a button; viewfinder display and exposure are automatically adjusted in accordance with the selected focal length option.

The raw files still contain the complete content of the sensor, which has →

WE LOVE LE ICA

L eica — N ew A n d P r e - O wne d E x c l u s i v e P h o t o T r i p s — W o r k s h o p s — T r a i n i n g Se s s i o n s — Fa c t o ry V i s i t s www.leica-store-nuernberg.de

92 |

lFi

» LEICA – THE ELIXIR OF LIFE « Our Leica Boutique Hamm offers the full assortment of Leica products, as well as a comprehensive range of accessories for the ultimate photography experience. We take the necessary time to give our customers individual and competent advice. In addition, our services include purchasing, exchanges and trade-ins. People from 89 countries have been our faithful customers for decades.

Manuel Machado, owner

FOTO MACHADO Leica Boutique Hamm, Bahnhofstraße 9, 59065 Hamm, Phone: +49 (0)2381 92 72 10, www.fotomachado.de

For our field test, photographer Peer Kugler tried out the different focal length options offered by the Leica Q2. Even at the longest focal length, the image quality is still impressive. All images were captured with a wide open aperture at ISO 800

35mm ‘focal length’

50mm ‘focal length’

75mm ‘focal length’

simply been overlaid with a freely positionable and erasable frame to indicate the cropped section.

And what did Kugler think about these additional options? “To be honest, I rarely use the focal length button,” he admitted. “After all, I am aware that the picture is recorded at a very high resolution, and I often crop my images in postprocessing. For this reason, my workflow doesn’t usually require me to crop while shooting.” While this approach may not overtly honour the effort Leica’s developers have put into this feature, it does reflect the relaxed confidence of someone who has built up a deep sense of familiarity with the Leica Q. Furthermore, the 28mm focal length generally counts as one of Kugler’s preferred choices, even when shooting with his Leica M10.

Confidence is certainly a useful trait when it comes to the spontaneous shots Kugler has a tendency to capture. In this regard, the Q2 has a clear advantage over the M10, seeing as Q2 photographers can always rely on their camera’s autofocus. This means that they are quicker to shoot – though, as with anything, there is a price to pay. “Because of its fairly large AF lens, the Q2 is slightly bigger than an M10 with a 28mm lens. However, in low light you do often see more in the Q2’s electronic finder than you might in the viewfinder window of the M.” Kugler was also pleased to find that (in addition to enhancing many aspects of the camera’s performance) the vastly increased sensor resolution has had no adverse effect on the Q2’s responsiveness, which is still the same as that of his older Q. A few nocturnal excursions through Berlin were all it took for Kugler to fully embrace the qualities of the new Q2 – ample proof that even night owls will find the Q2 a reliable companion for their photographic jaunts. holger sparr

We buy, sell & trade Leica worldwide! We want your used & rare Leica!

TOP $$$ paid for all Leica gear. Ask about our low consignment rate.

Please call Sam Shoshan at 1-888-534-2272 Toll free (US)

C L A S S I C CO N N E C T I O N L LC 2490 Black Rock Turnpike, Suite 420 · Fairfield CT 06825 USA 203-371-2352 | 203-371-2353 Sam@ClassicConnection.com | www.classicconnection.com

Leica USA Authorized Dealer

94 |

lFi

MEISTER CAMERA Le ica Stor e S Hamburg-be r Lin-mÜncHe n

The ColleCTor ITem of The day at meister-camera.com

La n dsca p e Pic t u r e s LFI — 50 years ago

French photographer René P o uj a d e o n l a n d s c a p e p h o t o g r a p h y w i t h t h e L e i c a fl e x S L .

Each day exclusively at meister-camera.com we offer one special collectors item covering LEICA-cameras and lenses, historical accessories, documents and curiosities. leICa STore hamBUrG / meISTer Camera

subjektiv pancake

meister_lfi_boerse2017 english Kopie.indd 1

for all cameras with leica-M mount

For the landscape photographer the greatest advantage of the Leicaflex SL lies in the extremely wide aperture of its lenses, thus permitting exposure so short as to effectively rule out any risk of camera shake. In cases where so wide an aperture is not necessary the lens can of course been stopped down to secure increased depth of field. In particular, the f/2.8 initial aperture of the 180mm lens is quite sensational, so that one can afford to forget the weight – 1650 grams – which anyway can easily be taken up with the left hand. Exposure determination through the lens functioned so perfectly, that every negative received optimum exposure, while the definition is so outstandingly good that no loss of detail is apparent. even in enlargements up to 12 x 16 cm.

Eppendorfer Landstraße 64, 20249 Hamburg, Germany, Phone +49 - (0)40 - 467 777-55 hamburg@meister-camera.com, meister-camera.com

22.02.2017 12:06:11 Uhr

lensless photography for leica M

The fact that the lenses are appropriately spaced for focal length – 90, 135 and 180 mm – enables the landscape to be photographed on any scale without changing the viewpoint. The long focus of the 180mm lens has the further great advantage of cutting out an obtrusive foreground. For landscape photography I use only a medium speed panchromatic film (50 ASA) in order to exploit to the full the outstanding sharpness and detail rendering of the lenses even in the final enlargement. If faster films are used equivalent results cannot be expected in this field.

L FI 4/ 1 969 : Defects in Slide Projection, Scoring the Slide Series, Two Flash Systems – one Contact and more for 1.09 euro in the LFI App for Android and iOS

www.monochrom.com

lFI

| 95

b e s t o f L F I . Ga l l e r y

F ULL S TE A M A HE A D ! “I was in the oldest hat store in New York looking to get myself a Stetson, when I saw a salesperson right in front of me, cleaning a panama hat with steam. As I had my M Monochrom with me, I asked if I could take a picture. With the third take I had it in the bag.�

Federico Quintana Leica M Monochrom with Summicron-M 35 f/2 Asph

96 |

lFi

l ig h t box

C A M B R I D GE N I GHTH AWK S “Shortly after attending a conference in Cambridge, I was wandering through the streets one evening. It had rained a little earlier, so the air was clear and the light conditions perfect for a lovely picture. The bar scene immediately reminded me of Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks.”

Amit Kar Leica M10 with Summilux-M 50 f/1.4

T h e Li g h t o f the moon “This picture was taken in the waterfront park Kwun Tong Promenade in Hong Kong. I saw the light source in the picture as a symbol for the moon, which represents, in my mind, the source of all life. As I consider life incredibly valuable, I absolutely had to take a picture of this motif.”

Tse King Yung Leica X113, Summilux 23 f/1.7

98 |

lFi

WA S H I NGTON MONUMENT “When I went to visit this famous monument in the capital of the United States, I was immediately able to identify with the way visitors were behaving. The picture perfectly fits into a series I’m currently working on, which deals with the isolation of people in the cities around the world.”

Cedric Roux Leica Q, Summilux 28 f/1.7 Asph

lFI

| 99

A L I EN B R A I NWA S H “There is a playground with lots of devices located on the rooftop of the Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art and Design in Japan.

When seeing the image, my first association was with the film War of the Worlds, where extraterrestrials with long tentacles try to take over the world.�

Hagen Wolf Leica Q, Summilux 28 f/1.7 Asph

100 |

lFi

lFI

| 101

102 |

lFi

E A RTH , W I N D A N D WATER

t h e C OUR A GE t o pai n t

“We were looking for a place to shoot a fashion spread, when we came onto this empty road. We started improvising a bit, and the windy weather and the backdrop served us very well. I like the contrast between the maritime elements and the grey asphalt.”

“While their parents are working outside the village, children belonging to the Suri people of Ethiopia have their faces painted as part of their daily fun activities. It was a very amusing journey, and it gave me a lot of pleasure to portray these wonderful people.”

Antoine Edel Leica M10 with Summicron-M 50 f/2

Bob Chiu Leica SL with VarioElmarit-SL 24-90 f/2.8–4

lFI

| 103

L A NTERN F E S T I VA L “The first full moon following the Chinese New Year symbolises unity and perfection, and is celebrated with a lantern festival that dates from the Qing Dynasty (16441911). It belongs to our World Heritage since 2008. In this picture you see the Dance of the Fire Dragon, in Meizhou, China.�

Leo Kwok Leica M10 with SuperElmar-M 21 f/3.4 Asph

104 |

lFi

lFI

| 105

p h oto

Photo: © 2019 Fred Baldwin, Houston, Texas

– b o o k s – e x h ibi t i o n s – f e s t i va l s – Awa r ds –

A l e ssia R o l lo Fata M o r g a n a

F r e d B a l dw i n Dear Mr. Picasso

The coast of Salento in southwest Italy has become a beacon of hope for countless refugees crossing from Africa into Europe. Yet all too often, the lives they dream of are as elusive as a mirage at sea.

In this stunning volume, the Italian photographer Alessia Rollo (born 1982) conceptualises their quest in poetic images that veer between reality and imagination.

80 p, 44 colour illustrations, 20.5 × 27 cm, Span/Engl, Ediciones Anómalas

Fred Baldwin

Photos: © 2019 Fred Baldwin, Houston, Texas; © Alessia Rollo; © Günter Zorn, 2019; © 2019 Gerhard Vormwald

Dear Mr. Picasso

An illustrated love affair with freedom

To mark his 90th birthday, the American Leica photographer (born 1929) has created a wonderful gift of his own: an opulent photo book, looking back over his life’s work. In 34 chapters, Baldwin – who is a brilliant storyFred Baldwin teller – revisits the highs and lows of his career, along with its most pivotal moments. The course of Baldwin’s life was dramatically altered by an encounter with Pablo Picasso in 1955. After a difficult childhood, unhappy college experience and military service in the Korean War, Baldwin was intent on finding his life’s purpose. He decided he would like to interview and photograph Pablo Picasso, despite having no formal training, contacts or reason to expect success.

Gathering all his courage, he delivered a letter to the world-famous artist’s home in Cannes, illustrated with his own drawings in the hope of appealing to Picasso’s sense of humour. After a three-day wait outside the property, he was invited in to spend the day with the great painter, and take pictures of his studio. From here on in, Baldwin felt that he could achieve anything – even a successful career in photojournalism. From 1956 to 1987, he travelled the globe on behalf of the world’s leading magazines. Together with his wife, Wendy Watriss (also an award-winning Leica photographer), he established the renowned FotoFest in Houston, Texas, in 1983. Dear Mr. Picasso – An illustrated love affair with freedom is a glorious celebration of a lifetime dedicated to photojournalism – brimming with hundreds of images from Baldwin’s archive.

Dear Mr. Picasso An illustrated love affair with freedom

704 p, colour and b/w illustrations, 17 × 24 cm, English, Schilt

Gerhard Vormwald Bilderfinder

While the wordplay in the German title does not translate, it perfectly conveys Vormwald’s greatest talents: for one, the German photographer (1948-2016) was a ‘Bild-Erfinder’ - an inventor of images: in his studio in Paris, he employed elaborate techniques to create unusual, surrealist compositions, long before the existence of Photoshop. Yet he was also a ‘Bilder-Finder’ – a finder of images: whatever the environment, he had an uncanny

Guenter Zorn Kag u raza ka M i g n a r d i s e s

For the past 20 years, the German Leica photographer (born 1953) has lived in Tokyo’s Kagurazaka neighbourhood – a peaceful haven amidst a city that never sleeps.

In this homage to his adopted home, he takes the viewer on a stroll through this village within a metropolis.

128 p, 106 colour and b/w illustrations, 21.4 × 21 cm, English/Japanese/ German, Klee Inc Paris Tokyo

eye for the strange, and often humorous moments of life.

Three years after his death, this five-chapter volume allows audiences to rediscover the facets of his oeuvre – from his achievements as a commercial photographer to his creations as a master of experimentation.

160 p, 86 colour and duotone illustrations, 20 × 28 cm, German/English, Hartmann Books

lFI

| 107

S u m M e rt i m e Sa lo n R o b i n R i c e , N e w Yo r k

“This is my favourite exhibition, even though it took months to curate and a week to install,” Robin Rice says about her annual summer show, which this year comprises 100 works by 58 artists – transforming the entire gallery into a mosaic of pictures in all colours and sizes.

F o t o c o l e c ta n i a , B a r c e l o n a

Linearity is not usually the first thing you tend to notice when looking at a photograph. You might spend time scrutinising a landscape or a facial expression, marvelling at a detail or admiring a fashionable garment.

And yet, lines – whether straight, slanting or curved – are the basis of every visual composition. The Beauty of Lines seeks to open our eyes to this concept of seeing.

The exhibits were selected from the Sondra Gilman and Celso González-Falla collection, which encompasses 1500 original prints by some of the great masters of 20th and 21st century photography – including works

by Robert Adams, Walker Evans, Rineke Dijkstra, Berenice Abbott, Man Ray and Lee Friedlander. The Foto Colectania Foundation describes the exhibition as an aesthetic journey: “Formal depictions are freed from their cultural and historical context to allow the visitor to experience his or her own personal and delicate relationship to the photographic image.”

The showcase is divided into three distinct segments: Straight Lines illustrates the great importance that ‘lines of force’ have in a composition, with photographs by famous artists such as Hiroshi Sugimoto and Lewis Baltz. Curved Lines, which includes images by Robert Mapplethorpe and Bill Brandt, is dedicated to the male and female forms. Abstractions investigates the line in its purest form, unaffiliated with our usual understanding of the real world. In its entirety, the exhibition presents the viewer with the two extremes within photography: the faithful reproduction, and the aesthetic interpretation of reality in our everyday lives.

20 June — 29 September 2019, Photo: Laurent Elie Badessi: Man’s Back, Horse’s Back, Camargue, France 1994

108 |

lFi

B rassa ï F oa m , A m s t e r da m

Gyula Halàsz – better known under his pseudonym, Brassaï – ranks among the key figures of 20th-century photography. Born 1899 in Brassó, Transylvania, he moved to Paris in 1924, and made the French capital the main focus of his oeuvre. As well as documenting the Parisian elite, he was fascinated by those on the margins of society. For his

Phest F e s t i va l , M o n o p o l i

The International Festival of Photography and Arts in Monopoli, Italy, is a huge celebration of photography, music, cinema and the fine arts. This year’s topic, See Beyond the Sea, promotes the Mediterranean Sea as an entity of connection, rather than heartless separation.

5 September — 3 November 2019, Photo: Liza Ambrossio: The Rage of Devotion, 2019

book Paris by Night, he roamed the clubs and streets to portray the city’s outcasts, drug addicts and prostitutes. His first retrospective in the Netherlands, comprising 170 images, lets us experience 1930s Paris through what Henry Miller described as Brassaï’s “insatiable eye”.

13 Sept — 4 Dec 2019, Photos: Brassaï: Gala Soirée at Maxim’s, May 1949; View through the pont Royal toward the pont Solférino, c. 1933

Photos: © Laurent Elie Badessi; © Nancy Grace Horton; © Liza Ambrossio; © Estate Brassaï Succession, Paris

T h e b e au t y o f Li n e s

17 July — 22 September 2019, Photo: Nancy Grace Horton: Blast Off, 2010

L e ica Ga l l e r i e s A r e n b e r g C as t l e

Nuremberg

Vincent Lagrange: The Human Animal Project

Volker Figueredo Véliz: Cuba – Inside

AUT | 5020 Salzburg, Arenbergstr. 10 25 May — 28 September 2019

GER | 90403 Nuremberg, Obere Wörthstr. 8 20 July — 19 October 2019

Boston

Porto

Alex Webb: Slant Rhymes

Collective Exhibition: Morocco 2019

USA | Boston, MA 02116, 74 Arlington St. 12 September — 3 November 2019

POR | 4000-427 Porto, Rua d. Sá da Bandeira, 48/52 15 June — 31 August 2019

Frankfurt Prague

Alan Schaller: Metropolis GER | 60311 Frankfurt am Main, Großer Hirschgraben 15 23 August — 19 October 2019 I s ta n b u l

Sinem Disli: Hollows & Mounds: A Take on Göbekli Tepe TUR | 34381 Şişli/İstanbul, Bomontiada – Merkez, A Birahane Sk. No:1 4 September — 15 December C o n s ta n c e

Werner Bischof GER | 78462 Constance, Gerichtsgasse 10 30 August — 17 November 2019

N o b uyo s h i A ra k i L e i c a G a ll e r y B a n g ko k

The photographer, who distresses and beguiles, the artist whose erotic, bondage images have made him famous. With his Life By Film.

Photo Happiness exhibition, Araki is now presenting thirty new pictures photographed exclusively for the Leica Gallery Bangkok.

THA | 10330 Bangkok, 2nd Floor, Gaysorn Village, 999 Ploenchit Road 24 July — 22 October 2019

TCH | 110 00 Prague 1, Školská 28 21 June — 8 September 2019 Salzburg

Pascal Dusapin AUT | 5020 Salzburg, Gaisbergstr. 12 26 July — 12 October 2019 S ã o Pa u l o

Current exhibition unknown at time of publication BRA | 01240–000 São Paulo, Rua Maranhão, 600 Higienópolis Singapore

Kyoto

Current exhibition unknown at time of publication

Yoshihiro Tatsuki JPN | Kyoto, 570–120 Gionmachi Minamigawa, Higashiyama-ku 24 August — 4 December 2019

SIN | Singapore, Raffles Hotel Arcade, #01-20/21, 328 North Bridge Rd., 188719 Tai p e I

London

Current exhibition unknown at time of publication

Mark Cohen London, 64–66 Duke Street W1K 6JD 17 July — 1 September 2019

TWN | Taiwan, No. 3, Ln. 6, Qingtian St., Da’an Dist., Taipei City 106

Los Angeles

Photos: © Nobuyoshi Araki; © Alex Webb/Magnum Photos

A Tribute to the Masters of Photography: Jürgen Schadeberg

Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Eye of the Century

To kYo

USA | West Hollywood, CA 90048, 8783 Beverly Boulevard 13 June — 5 September 2019

JPN | TokYo, 6-4-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku 23 August — 4 December 2019

Mi l a n

Mark de Paola: Recent Work ITA | 20121 Milan, Via Mengoni 4 9 September — 21 September 2019 ME l b o u r n e

Tim Page: 21 AUS | Melbourne, VIC 3000, Level 1 St Collins Lane, 260 Collins Street 8 August — 31 October 2019

Yoshihiro Tatsuki

A l e x W e bb L e i c A G a ll e r y W e t z l a r

With The Suffering of Light, Alex Webb presents a personal selection of his multifaceted and formidable body of life’s work: unique, intensely colourful scenarios taken over nearly three decades, with magical, at times puzzling, moods, where light often appears to be the central protagonist.

GER | 35578 Wetzlar, Am Leitz-Park 5 5 September — 3 November 2019

wa r s AW

Patryk Bułhak: Closed POL | 00–496 Warsaw, Mysia 3 2 August — 14 September 2019 Vi e n n a

Ian Berry: The English AUT | 1010 Vienna, Walfischgasse 1 6 September — 23 November 2019 Zi n g s t

Ekaterina Sevrouk: Last Paradise GER | 18374 Zingst, Am Bahnhof 1 24 May — 15 October 2019

lFI

| 109

“G o o d m u sic pai n t s p ic t u r e s i n o u r m i n ds .” i n t e rv i e w

A dialogue with the arts: members of the ©theleica10 collective have set themselves the goal of conveying song lines and film titles into photos. Each week the artists take on a new task – the results are presented on instagram.

Photos: © Erika Blanco

Ten photographers, ten weeks, each week one song line – many unforgettable pictures. This is the initial idea behind the @theleica10 collective project. Each week the photographers post their song-inspired pictures on instagram. What does the Bob Dylan song Not Dark Yet look like? Or a line from the Beatles’ Tomorrow Never Knows? And how about an image from the film comedy A Fish named Wanda?

– because it was not long before the idea evolved to include conveying the essence of a film in just one photograph. We spoke about the relationship between music film and pictures, with the photographers Danny Wilcox Frazier and Carlos Javier Ortiz, as well as Ruddy Roye, who put the project in motion in the first place.

LFI: Can you explain how this unusual project came about?

Ruddy Roye: The idea arose from a conversation I had with one of the other photographers involved, Travon Free, about what it would be like if we were to marry words with pictures.

We felt that it might be a more direct way of reaching the truth about issues such as social justice, discrimination and bias. We asked ourselves, what if one thought produces different pictures which, in turn, lead to different interpretations – how would that situation be resolved? What would a body of work that started from one single thought look like? Would all the interpretations reach towards a common theme? I talked about how the tone and aspirations of reggae music from the ’70s to the ’90s have inspired the way I photograph today, and we both wondered what it would be like to photograph song lines in 2019.

LFI: What is the commonality between music and photography? How do you unite these two mediums?

Carlos Javier Ortiz: Music inspires me to think about photography and film. Music opens my sequential soul.

It breaks down frame rates, placement and moments. →

Using a Leica X-U, Erika Blanco visualised a song line from Bon Iver’s Heavenly Father: “I don’t know how you house the sin. I was never sure how much of you I could let in.”

Left page and left below: Blanco’s interpretation of the Argentinian melodrama The Secret in their Eyes and the Italian western The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

lFI

| 111

… essential part of his work. When travelling around rural America, he always took care to have the right musical accompaniment (above). Carlos Javier Ortiz is also inspired by music. Here we see his version of Bob Dylan’s Not Dark Yet (below)

Sheila Pree Bright and A Fish named Wanda (above). Very top (clockwise from the left): Kevin Sturman and a line from the Beatles’ song Tomorrow Never Knows; Maggie Steber’s version of Bob Dylan’s Not Dark Yet. For Danny Wilcox Frazier music is an ...

112 |

lFi

Kevin Sturman’s picture to A Fish named Wanda and Ruddy Roye’s version of the Bob Dylan song (from above). Roye brought the project to life after a talk with photographer Travon Free, where they were discussing the relationship between words and pictures

Photos: © Sheila Pree Bright; © Danny Wilcox Frazier/VII (2); © Carlos Javier Ortiz; © Ruddy Roye; © Maggie Steber/Redux Pictures; © Kevin Sturman

“ t h e l i n e s f r o m s o n g s i l is t e n to ov e r a n d ov e r s e t t l e i n a n d ta k e h o l d. “

Except for when taking photographs, music is a constant part of my work process.

While driving countless miles of back roads through rural America to make both Driftless and Lost Nation, I was never without music mirroring my mood or setting the tone. I would search for albums and live sets that connected emotionally to the region and subjects I was working with.

There is so much to learn from the music of a region and culture. Editing too must be done with music for me.

The tempo of my edits is influenced by the songs I’m listening to when arranging work prints. It’s an energetic process that I love and music feeds part of that energy.

Roye: I believe that one of the commonalities between music and images is that good music paints pictures in our minds. This is why the combination of music and moving pictures is so effective in driving our emotions when we watch a movie in the cinema. When we were babies, our mothers and fathers might have sung to us. We have been building images from music most of our lives, so it certainly isn’t a farfetched notion that the line of a song can conjure up visual and profoundly emotional associations.

Danny Wilcox Frazier:

How did the photographers in the group come together?

Roye: I started out by choosing photographers who I knew from Instagram and who also work with a Leica. Then I reached out to Leica to introduce me to particularly women photographers who shoot with Leica cameras. I wanted variety. I wanted a mixed bunch of people who were already engaged in photographing in different ways on their Instagram feeds.

LFI:

How does the creative process work? What does it start out with?

Frazier: With lines from songs I listened to over and over, letting the music settle in and take hold. The film titles we are now working with have the same process for me. I spend time with the title, stories on the film, as well as the film itself. The politics and LFI:

historical significance play into the reaction, ultimately helping create or select a photograph that takes the conversation in a new direction.

Is there a specific photo where you feel this was particularly successful?

Frazier: The photograph of a young father holding his daughter after calf roping in Red Cloud, Nebraska is a favourite. It was late after a night of roping and drinking and the kids were getting tired. This cowboy picked up his daughter and she melted into him creating a quiet moment of love and security. Even the horse seemed to be respecting the two of them as I made a frame and moved on. The line from Bob Dylan, “It’s not dark yet but it’s getting there”, was the perfect spark to use this photograph.

carbon tripods and ball heads from

LFI:

noW redUced, but only

as long as supplies last

Where is the @theleica10 collective heading in the future?

Roye: I’m hoping that we can go on for as long as we stay interested. Members of the group are already thinking about other art forms, such as poetryto-photograph.

Ortiz: Exactly. The next ten weeks after this, we’ll move on to poetry. We hope to make a book at some point in the future. That is the request we are getting from our viewers on Instagram. The community is strong, and we are really inspired by putting our work out to the public every week.

Books are challenging, but important and most of all we inspire each other.

I love the community that Ruddy has built with this project.

LFI:

Interview: Katrin Iwanczuk

@t h eL eica10 The ©theleica10 Instagram collective is composed of photographers Erika Blanco, Sheila Pree Bright, David J Carol, Danny Wilcox Frazier, Travon Free, Lauren Kop, Ruddy Roye, Maggie Steber and Kevin Sturman. They describe themselves as an artist collective that tells stories through images that are always inspired by music, poetry, films and other art forms.

orde r now: lfi-online.com/shop

Leica Fotografie I n t e r n at i o n a l

Ga e l T u r i n e my picture

These three men already knew that their blindness was incurable. Even so they drove to see a shaman, making jokes all along the way.

71st year | Issue 6. 2019

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 A rt Direction Brigitte Schaller EDITORIA L OFFICE Michael J. Hußmann, Katrin Iwanczuk, Denise Klink, Bernd Luxa, 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 Carla Susanne Erdmann, Katja Hübner, Ulrich Rüter, Holger Sparr, Katrin Ullmann M anagement Board Steffen Keil

From the Aveuglément series, Ivory Coast 1997

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. 47, 1 January 2019 REPRODUcTION: Alphabeta, Hamburg Printer: Optimal Media GmbH, Röbel/Müritz PA PER: Igepa Profimatt

I was 24 years-old when I took this picture. My first son had just been born, and I had recently got my degree in Photography. I went to the Ivory Coast to work on an essay documenting the tens of thousands of people there, who have lost their sight to river blindness. They are shunned by their communities because local superstition claims that the sickness is the result of a curse. The three men in this picture took me along when they went to visit a healer who claimed that he could free them from the curse.

As we drove in the taxi, they were joking around, talking about how they would negotiate a good deal with the shaman for the price of the miracle cure.

This picture earned me good credit, allowing me to continue working on the series in three other countries, which in turn evolved into a book. As it turned out, the picture marked a turning point in my career.

Gael Turine, born in Nieuport, Belgium, in 1972, studied Photography in Brussels. He has been published in Spiegel, Le Figaro and the New York Times, among others, and his work has been exhibited internationally. Turine is a member of the VU' Agency.

L F I 7/ 2 0 1 9 w i ll a p p e a r o n 2 0 s e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 9

114 |

lFi

Distribution LFI (USPS no 0017912) is published 8 times per annum.

Subscription price per annum (including shipping) worldwide: 80 €; Digital subscription: 49 € 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

LEICA. DAS WESENTLICHE.

SEAMLESS, INSTANT, EVERYWHERE

LEICA FOTOS

The gallery in your pocket.

When traditional photography and the digital experience merge – amazing things can happen. Introducing the Leica FOTOS mobile app. The new app offers Leica photographers the tools needed to easily stay connected through a single app, providing an exemplary mobile photography experience.

Compatible with any Wi-Fi enabled Leica camera, the new app delivers features that enable photographers to capture unforgettable moments remotely, transfer, edit and share images quickly, easily, and on-the-go.

Leica Camera AG I Am Leitz-Park 5 I 35578 WETZLAR I DEUTSCHLAND I www.leica-camera.com

N

35 LEITZ AUCTION*

23rd Nov. 2019 V

I

E

N

N

A

For more information about consignments visit

WWW.LEITZ-AUCTION.COM * former Westlicht Photographica Auction