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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 E n g l i s h E d i t i o n
Armin Smailovic Ian Berry Clément Paradis Jeanne Taris
Sayuri Ichida
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9 6 | L f i . G a ll e r y
8 0 | Summ i c r o n -S L 5 0
Over 25 000 photographers present more than half a million pictures in the LFI Gallery. In this issue: a market scene in Addis Ababa and a visit to a bar in Havana
Top performance and compact size: Berlin-based photographer Jo Fischer puts the new Apo-Summicron-SL 50 f/2 Asph through its paces
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8 6 | INTERVIEW Of opportunities, crises and competitors: speaking with Stefan Daniel, Head of Project Management at Leica
1 0 4 | I n t e rv i e w
9 0 | L e i c a c o mpa c t s
Jeanne Taris: from the Les gitans de Perpignan series
How much potential is there within Leica’s compact camera range? What standards have been set? And which of the cameras has what it takes to become a modern classic?
Ian Berry 6 | Leica classic
He cleverly combined social documentation with psychological intensity: exploring the work of the British Magnum photographer
Jeanne Taris 2 6 | L e s G i ta n s d e P e r p i g n a n
A new lens with L-Mount: the Leica Apo-SummicronSL 50 f/2 Asph
Of clichés and unadorned reality: rare glimpses into the world of the Roma living in Perpignan’s city centre
Armin Smailovic 4 0 | B E Y OND THE S P OT L IGHT
What comes, what remains? Sensitive portraits of acting students about to launch themselves into professional careers
Sayuri Ichida 5 8 | M Ayu
A Japanese ballerina in New York captured by a Japanese photographer: musings on homeland, alienation and the beauty of dance
Report from down under: we spoke with Moshe Rosenzveig, founder and creative director of the Head On Photo Festival in Sydney, Australia 108 | exhibitions Sally Mann in Atlanta, Thomas Struth at the Guggenheim in Bilbao, the Swedish Photography Award in Helsingborg, Hassan Hajjaj in Paris, and Civilisation in Melbourne 1 1 0 | L e i c a G a ll e r i e s The programme of the Leica Galleries worldwide, including Joel Meyerowitz in London, Josef Chuchma in Prague, and Franziska Stünkel in Salzburg 112 | books New publications by Erwin Olaf, Anders Petersen, Harold Edgerton, Miguel Rio Branco, and Insights Worldwide – 100 Years of Steiner Education 1 1 4 | my p i c t u r e Joseph Michael Lopez explains how he captured this black and white picture full of symbolism and mystery in Cuba 1 1 4 | i mp r i n t
Clément Paradis 68 | 圏 Ken
Full of pride and determination: young sumo wrestlers photographed for a long-term project in contrast-rich black and white
Cover: Sayuri Ichida, from her Mayu series
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I M P ORTA N T R E C OG N I T I O N L e i c a p h o t o g r a p h e r r e c e i v e s t h e C a r m i g n a c Awa r d
Tommaso Protti: from his Terra Vermehla (Red Earth) series
The Carmignac Photojournalism Award for socially-relevant, long-term photo projects was launched in 2009. It fosters investigative photojournalism that deals with human rights abuses and geostrategic issues. Each call for submissions has a focus on a different part of the world. The winner of the eleventh award, dedicated to the Amazon region, was announced in Perpignan: Leica photographer Tommaso Protti, whose series Terra Vermehla (Red Earth) presents impressive pictures that expose logging in the Brazilian rainforest. The Italian, resident in Brazil for years, spent six months in the rainforest documenting the situation for his award-winning reportage. Accompanied by British journalist Sam Cowie, Protti photographed the often violent social transformation in the region. He shows that the types of violence he observed are the consequence of the enormous increase in global consumption, and are not an exclusively regional problem.
ian B e r ry
Though the photographer has taken pictures all over the world, the series dedicated to his homeland is among his best known projects. The English is currently on display at the Leica Gallery Vienna. At the time the series was conceived, Berry was greatly inspired by Robert Frank’s book, The Americans. When asked if he could repeat the project nowadays, Berry gives a hesitant answer: too much has changed in the country; the straightforward approach you could have back then is no longer possible. 4 |
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C l é ment Pa ra d is Paradis has been photographing children taking their first steps into the world of sumo wrestling now for the fourth year. He wants his pictures to open up new ways of understanding, rather than just reproducing facts. He is fascinated by the carefree approach with which people take pictures in Japan. “We westerners take photographs in the same way that we construct complex buildings; in Japan they take pictures as though they’re singing a well-known song. So, why not combine both?”
J eanne Ta r is
The French photographer was attending the photo festival in Perpignan when a taxi driver warned her about a district to be avoided at all costs: Saint-Jacques, located in the heart of the Old Town and referred to by locals as a no-go zone. “That’s the kind of thing you shouldn’t say to me. It just sparks my curiosity,” Taris explains. She visited Saint-Jacques and photographed the Roma living there. The connections she established were so close that she returned for Christmas and New Year.
Photos: © Tommaso Protti, © René Burri/Magnum Photos/Agentur Focus, © Sophie Paradis, © Renaud Menoud
C o n t r i bu t o r s
ANGELOPELLE.COM
Die realistische SozialThe Fähigkeit, rare ability to combine realistic dokumentation mit psychologischer social documentary with psychoIntensität und subjektiver Empathie logical intensity and subjective emzu verbinden, zeichnet Ian Berry als pathy has made Ian Berry one of einen derremarkable bedeutendsten Fotograthe most photographers fen seiner Generation aus.Africa Vor allem of his generation. South and Südafrika und seine englische Heihis British homeland are among the mat gerieten dabei besonders intenLeica photographer’s most intensely siv in den Fokus seiner Leica. explored subjects.
LeicA classic
Ian Berry
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Photos: © Ian Berry/Magnum Photos
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Labourers in Ghana, 1965 (top); sandstorm outside the legislative building in Maseru, Lesotho 1960 (left); a scene captured during the traditional ‘Kaapse Klopse’ New Year’s Eve celebrations in Cape Town 1960 (page 7)
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A young black girl, scarcely more than a child herself, looks after a white family’s baby, South Africa 1969
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Keen observations: an eccentrically dressed woman at Whitechapel Market, London 1972 (top); evangelical church service in London, 1983 (left)
Previous pages: supporters climb to every vantage point whilst awaiting the arrival of Nelson Mandela, Natal 1994 (left); a white child with her black nanny at a National Party meeting, Harrismith, South Africa 1994 (right)
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A glimpse behind the scenes of the Ballroom Dancing Championship in Wembley, London 1975
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Belfast 1981: children at a demonstration in support of H-Block hunger strikers (top); young men hurling rocks and molotov cocktails at security forces in the prelude to Bobby Sands funeral (left)
Next double page: as a member of the Magnum agency, Ian Berry documented the Prague Spring with his Leica. An anti-Russian protestor demands neutrality, Czechoslovakia 1968
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Children at play in London’s Docklands, 1992 (top); page 24: man with his daughter and kitten in London’s East End, 1972
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I an B e r r y Born on April 4, 1934 in Lancashire, England, Ian Berry emigrated to South Africa in 1952, where he worked for the Daily Mail in Johannesburg (1956–58) and Drum magazine (from 1959). In 1962 he moved to Paris, where he met Henri CartierBresson. In 1963 Berry joined the Magnum agency, becoming a full member in 1967. He moved to London in 1964 to become the Observer Magazine’s first contract photographer. His assignments have taken him to Czechoslovakia, the Congo, Israel, Ireland, Vietnam, China and, time and again, South Africa. For many years, Ian Berry worked exclusively with Leica cameras. In 2012 Leica honoured him with a personalised black-paint Leica M9-P. Berry lives in Salisbury in the South of England.
mag n u mphoto s.co m ex hibitio n : The English,
Leica Gallery Vienna, September 6 – November 13, 2019 Bo o ks : (selection) The English (Lane Press, London 1978); l’Afrique DU SUD 1960–1995 (Magnum Press, Paris 1995); LIVING APART: SOUTH AFRICA UNDER APARTHEID (Phaidon
Press, Paris 1996)
It took two meetings with Henri Cartier-Bresson before Ian Berry was accepted into the legendary Magnum cooperative. The year was 1962, Berry had just returned from South Africa and believed himself to be well prepared for his interview. Equipped with a folder of his best photographs, he met with CartierBresson in a bistro directly below the Magnum offices in Paris. Being British, Berry decided to order coffee in an attempt to appear more continental; French-born Cartier-Bresson, on the other hand, turned out to prefer tea. A friendly chat ensued – but just ten minutes into the meeting, CartierBresson concluded the interview and left. Berry could not fathom what had gone wrong, until a Magnum employee revealed that Cartier-Bresson liked to see contact sheets in order to understand the photographer’s way of thinking. Fortunately, another appointment could be arranged. A week later, Berry presented CartierBresson with his contact sheets and all went well: he became a member of the Magnum agency. “Things were a lot simpler back then,” is how Berry summarises the experience. He still bemoans the fact that digital photography has put an end to contact sheets, which he views as invaluable illustrations of how a photographer works, moves and thinks. In fact Berry, who was Magnum’s youngest photographer at the time, saw the chance to spend long nights studying his colleague’s contact sheets as one of the greatest advantages of his membership – a practice which, technically, defied agency rules, but became a vital part of his visual education. The self-taught photographer never pursued any classic training. When he moved from England to South Africa at the age of 18, he discovered the medium’s techniques and possibilities on a strictly ‘learning-by-doing’ basis. Due to his British background, Berry’s perspective of South Africa’s segregated society was more analytical, and also more empathic, than that of many other white photographers.
He especially made waves with his images of the Sharpeville Massacre on May 21, 1960. Thousands of black South Africans had gathered in the township of Sharpeville for a peaceful demonstration against the apartheid regime – only to be brutally attacked by the police, who opened fire on the crowd, killing 69 people. Berry was the only photographer at the scene, and his images later served as evidence to prove the victims’ innocence. Even after moving back to Europe, he spent extended periods of time in South Africa to document the gradual dissolution of segregation. Yet Berry also increasingly focused his attentions on his home country: with his series The English, shot during the 1970s, he created an intimate survey of the British way of life. Four decades on, it remains as illuminating and humorously poignant as ever – particularly at a time when all eyes are on the UK during the country’s Brexit negotiations. Right up to his most recent works, Berry has always remained true to his visual style. Taking his time, he works with the utmost precision, preferably shooting in natural light. Fellow Magnum photographer Philip Jones Griffiths once described him as “selfless, understated, always present but never visible – a ghost with a clicking Leica.” Admired by his peers, he remains a steadfast representative of classic photojournalism – dedicated to a truthful depiction of reality by showing not only the wonders and beauty, but also the atrocities and hardships of the world we live in. As a result, he has captured people both in simple moments of everyday life, and amidst the horrors of conflict and war – always seeking to blend into the background whilst maintaining an empathic focus on his subjects. Despite their journalistic nature, his images are distinguished by a timeless quality: the ability to convey a story in which content and form perfectly complement each other. ulrich rüter
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Jeanne Taris
L e s G itans d e
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With her Les Gitans de Perpignan series, Jeanne Taris manages to achieve something quite exceptional: on the one hand her pictures seem to confirm clichĂŠs believed by the outside world about the lives of Roma people; on the other hand her work offers a rare glimpse into the unadorned reality, a glimpse that few people ever see.
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At some point during the evening the heels are simply too high. On top: Children are allowed to do anything. Left: The women are expected to have a festive wardrobe for special occasions. Previous pages: Thirteen year-old MaĂŠva has dressed up for the Christmas party. Boys begin drinking alcohol at an early age lFI
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Girls are married off at a very young age and soon have children. Using any form of contraception is not allowed
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Boys are brought up as masters in the home right from the beginning. They are allowed to smoke and drink, which they are proud to do even as children. Later on they are allowed to have various relationships and drive cars. These things are all strictly forbidden for women lFI
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Dressed up as ‘little adults’ the two six year-olds, Cochon and Oui Oui, must live up to the male image of their father
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Life in Saint-Jacques takes place on the streets until the early hours of the morning. Top left: Because city cleaners avoid the district, the locals have to keep it clean themselves. Beneath: 16 year-old SalomÊ’s wedding is celebrated quite simply in an Asian bistro lFI
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Children are virtually unrestricted. They are supposed to grow up freely and without rules: at parties they stay on the dance floor until dawn; like Oui Oui, seen here dancing a fiery flamenco number
J eanne Ta r is A mother of four, Taris began photographing when she was seventeen but showed no one her pictures. She did not consider herself talented enough to study photography; but during a Leica workshop she met a photographer who encouraged her to show her work. This resulted in publications in Polka and Vice, among others. In 2018 she won the Leica Gallery International Portfolio Award at the Voies Off festival in Arles.
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The Saint-Jacques district, located in the heart of Perpignan’s Old Town, is mainly inhabited by Roma who moved from Spain to the south of France centuries ago. It is the largest inner-city Roma settlement and makes up ten percent of Perpignan’s population. This micro-cosmos has its own weekly market, school and its own rules. Almost no one from outside gets access to this world that is increasingly threatened by poverty and criminality. It was pure chance that first took Taris to Saint-Jacques. She was in Perpignan in 2016 attending the Visa pour L’image photo festival when someone warned her to completely avoid the area. It was advice she did not heed. Instead she headed for the disreputable quarter, stood in front of derelict houses, asked questions and got to know a people in whom no one seemed to take an interest. The French photographer approached residents without inhibition, reminding herself not to allow prejudice to come into play. “As a woman and mother it can be difficult to see certain things,” she says. The job of a photographer however, is to observe without judgement. For the Roma, she was to become something of a window to the wider world: they could show themselves and their lives, but also catch a glimpse outside as well. Connections were made, especially to women, and friendships quickly formed. That same year she found herself home alone at Christmas, so she had the idea to return to Saint-Jacques. She was immediately invited to take part in the festivities and remained with the Roma right through to the New Year. Many of the pictures shown here were taken during that time. At a first glimpse they show people partying excessively, wearing fancy but rather old-fashioned outfits. However, take a second look and it soon becomes clear that children are at the centre of most images. The separation of
women from men is also noticeable. This reflects the reality experienced behind the good mood: gender roles within this society are conservatively defined and women are married off when still young, expected to bear children and attend church regularly. Any divergence from this established path is impossible. If a young girl defies these rules she is excluded from the community. In contrast, the men deal in business, drive cars, smoke, have multiple relationships at the same time, and are often violent. Gender roles are imposed at a young age: fathers are proud when their under-age sons drink beer and smoke. There are few rules for the youngsters: they decide how long they can stay awake and whether or not to attend school. The heavily made-up faces, high heels and tight dresses worn by women for the festivities have a serious background too: there are no other times when they can meet a man alone. This is the time to catch a man’s attention. What appears exaggerated and excessive in our eyes, is actually essential for Roma women. In more recent years a fatal trend has been added to this patriarchal distribution of roles: where alcohol formerly played the most prevalent role among men, hard drugs have now gained the upper hand, leading to even more violence and criminality. Some families are so indebted they are forced to sell their homes. Taris sees this as a great danger, as well as an important societal task. “We have abandoned the Roma. Leaving them alone to their poverty, without any education and prospects. Their situation is a societal problem that is simply ignored.” The commune claims to do a lot for the people of Saint-Jacques, but there is no evidence of it. At the same time, the publicity the Roma receive as a result of Taris’s work is not appreciated in official quarters. “They want total silence around the problem.” In contrast, she garners high praise from Perpignan’s regular inhabitants, who otherwise have little insight into the lives of their neighbours. The photographer is increasingly becoming an ambas-
sador for Roma concerns, and at times is overwhelmed. She was even approached by the hospital in Perpignan to establish a connection to the young girls in Saint-Jacques in order to educate them about contraception. “That was too much for me, as I am not a social worker,” Taris says with concern. It does reflect however, how helpless the authorities are in the way they deal with the district. Initially, the self-taught photographer worked exclusively analogue, and even today she still does not crop her pictures. “The photo you see is the photo I took.” For a long time, Taris also had difficulty taking herself seriously as a photographer. That is, until she took part in a Leica workshop, “Up until that point I would say that I just take a few pictures. Because I never attended a photography school, I didn’t consider defining myself as a photographer.” At the workshop she was encouraged to show her pictures. This led to publications in renowned photo magazines and international news magazines. As a young girl, Taris dreamt of taking photographs with a Leica. She began with the purchase of a Leica camera bag as she did not have enough money for the actual camera. Eventually she managed to get herself an X2, and later a Leica Q, which has now become her favourite camera. “Above all, I love the fact that it’s quick, quiet and discrete. I had to get used to the 28mm lens, but now I like it because you’re obliged to get up close to people. That suits my approach.” Taris’s next visit to Saint-Jacques is already planned – however, she first needs to distance herself. To be able to catch her breath, she says. Denise Klink
jeanneta ris.com LF I - On l ine . D E / B lo g : Slideshow with mo re pict ure s by Jeanne taris Equipment: Leica Q, Summilux 28 f/1.7 Asph
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Armin Smailovic B e yo n d t h e sp o t l i g h t
Twenty-six graduates from a school for performing arts say farewell to years of study: Armin Smailovic photographed them shortly before they stepped on stage; and into a whole new world.
Jérémie Galiana. Smailovic’s images reveal the metamorphosis the actor undergoes
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lukas walcher & mayla häuser. Smailovic used gaffer tape to fix the SL’s 24–90mm zoom … … at 35 mm, so as to photograph with this focal length
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lARA Feith. Different roles, different settings. The actors have different ways of approaching the characters
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Jan bülow & Felix mayr. All the pictures were taken in the old buildings … … of the Ernst Busch School for Performing Arts in Berlin-Schöneweide, on the banks of the Spree
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Anna-sophie friedmann & moritz Carl winklmayr. Light and shadow are indispensable ‌ ‌ as far as Smailovic is concerned. It underlines the individuality of those portrayed
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Henning flĂźsloh. The actors not only bid farewell to their years of study, but also to a place rich in memories
julian Valerio rehrl & Theo Trebs. The photographer asked the graduates ‌
‌ to slip into one of their roles, thus creating a moment between reality and fiction
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Antonia Scharl & Jan Meeno Jürgens. 26 students were photographed by Smailovic … … over a period of five days. He used a film filter when processing the pictures
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Professional acting requires understanding and energy. It represents hard work, presence and creating illusions. The actor steps out onto the stage and away from reality, into a state of fantasy. This world between the individual and the role is exactly what the photographer has captured in his images. He photographed twenty-six graduating students from the Ernst Busch School for Performing Arts in Berlin for their 2019 finals brochure. Capturing them in moments similar to those before a performance, his subjects slipped into the costumes of different characters and for twenty minutes recited their assigned passages of text. Smailovic explains: “I tried to get the students into a space where they were disconnected from the fact that I was photographing them, so that they wouldn’t pose or be permanently aware of the presence of the camera. This gave the pictures a documentary character.” Tartuffe, Hedda Gabler, Richard III, Odysseus, Elizabeth I – the diversity of roles performing art students are required to tackle during their studies is as broad as the many ways of interpretation open to them: laying down, sitting up, crouching; dreamy, playful, concentrated. Every black and white image hides a different approach to the way a character is interpreted by the actor. The images reflect the metamorphosis a performer undergoes; like a butterfly its cocoon, they leave their selves behind, ready to enter into a world that is not their own. Smailovic has been working for the Thalia Theater in Hamburg for ten years. He photographs the rooms, rehearsals, stage sets, and cast members. One of the actors he got to know at the theatre was Alexander Simon, now a professor at the Ernst Busch School for Performing Arts in Berlin. Last year Simon asked the photographer to help him on a project that included a brochure and an exhibition.
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At the time, Smailovic was teaching documentary photography at the University of Applied Scciences Bielefeld in the Design department, so he decided to complete the series with four of his students. While his students opted for classic portraits or studio photographs, he chose a more theatrical concept using a backdrop steeped in history. For nearly 70 years, BerlinSchöneweide was the location of the Ernst Busch School, Germany’s most famous performing arts school. In 2018, the school moved to the town centre, Berlin-Mitte, so Smailovic’s pictures, taken in the former location, reflect two aspects of separation in the rather morbid, crumbling, wellused backdrops, where graduates bid farewell to the buildings and to their studies, in both time and space. The pictures were taken with a Leica SL that Smailovic claims he had been waiting for since forever. He is not a friend of the rangefinder camera. “I need the exact image that I’m photographing,” he says. “I react very sensitively to what I see; to the small moments rich in detail that I consider important. The SL, with its electronic viewfinder, serves me very well.” His photographs are precise compositions made up of people and settings, their impact is strong and mysterious. They reflect the photographer’s intention of using light in such a way that it underlines the individuality of those portrayed. You can see the actor beyond the spotlight. Smailovic has been a photographer for more than thirty years. He finds that theatre, as an extension of his photography, allows him to further reflect and comment on events. One of his biggest documentary projects, Srebrenica – I counted my remaining life in seconds, speaks about a survivor of the genocide in Bosnia. This photographic series and further research formed the basis for a theatre piece that Smailovic himself staged at the Thalia Theater in Hamburg. He said that, through their performance, the actors had given a completely new interpretation to his work. katja hübner
A r min S mai l ov ic In fact, he wanted to be a fashion photographer. Born in Zagreb, Smailovic received his first camera when he was 13 years-old. After spending time as a military photographer in Yugoslavia and a war correspondent in Croatia, he now works as a freelance documentary photographer. He lives in Munich and Sarajevo, but also travels the whole world. In the near future he will be travelling to Matera, Italy, for a theatre and film project. He has been awarded the Hansel Mieth Prize several times. smai lovic.com LF I-Online.DE /B log: armin Smailovic, one photo — one story Equipment: Leica SL with Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-90 f/1:2.8-4 Asph
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Sayuri Ichida M ay u
The city as a stage: Ichida has photographed Mayu, a Japanese ballerina with the New York Theatre Ballet, for a project dealing with more than just dance. Her themes are homeland and the sense of alienation.
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Rather than smooth parquet flooring, her feet dance their way across concrete and raw paving. There are no spotlights to illuminate the dancer as she works through her exercises, steadying herself on a signpost or a bicycle stand. Walls of buildings and broad cityscapes create backdrops for surreal displays where the big city becomes a stage for the dancer. The audience are the passing strangers who happen to be walking along the same route. “Even though pedestrians frequently stopped and stared, Mayu remained completely unperturbed and highly professional. It was as though she was unaware of the people around us.
I think that once Mayu starts to dance, any setting becomes a stage for her,” the Japanese photographer Sayuri Ichida explains. “Some passers-by tried to inconspicuously take photographs with their smartphones while others asked for permission.” The photographer’s long-term project is dedicated to a ballerina from the New York Theatre Ballet, an institution that has been part of the city’s cultural scene since 1978. Ichida however, wanted to capture more than the beauty of dance and the graceful movements of a young woman. Themes of homeland, alienation and arriving all played a central role in the conception of the series. “When I met Mayu I had already got over the toughest part of being an immigrant
who needs to find her way in a foreign situation. I believe it was the same for Mayu. If I’d still been bemoaning my situation at the time, I wouldn’t have been able to complete the project – because I wouldn’t have wanted to give it up. However, for the two of us it represented something of a milestone from different perspectives. In addition, the chance for a wonderful collaboration with another artist made me once again realise how free and independent we are.” In 2012, after working in Tokyo and London, Ichida moved to New York to work as a photo-retoucher in the fashion industry. →
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“All h e r dan ce mov e me n ts ar e beautiful, but for th e s e ph otos I as ke d Mayu n ot to look too beautiful. �
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“ I t h i n k t h at o n ce Mayu starts to da n c e , a n y s e tt i n g be come s a stage for h e r . �
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S ay u r i I c h i da Born in 1985 in Fukuoka, Japan, Ichida studied at the Tokyo Visual Arts College before working as an assistant for a photography studio in Tokyo. She moved to London in 2009 and to New York in 2012 where she worked as a digital photo-retoucher in the fashion industry. In 2016 she received the Japan Photo Award for her Deja Vu series, and in 2018 her Mayu series put her among the winners of the Fotofilmic 18 Shortlist Show in Canada.
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At first a stranger among foreigners, it was art that finally offered her a home. She had this in common with the dancer, Mayu, who is the protagonist of the series, though the person is not central to the concept. In fact, the face of the dancer is never visible – it is always the graceful back, the leg extended high in the air, the proudly raised head. The dancer herself remains anonymous in the heart of the big city.“ In a series with a American dancer, I would have probably used a more open, direct imagery, setting the dancer more offensively in the scene and thus bring her closer to the viewer,” the photographer explains.
In contrast, Mayu conquers the city and turns it into her stage, while remaining anonymous for all the strangers who, at the same time, are unable to look away. This reflects parallels with immigrants for whom New York is gradually becoming a new home. The series was taken with a Leica M6. The photographer became aware of the cameras at an exhibition in New York, and was very soon calling the analogue version her own. To take pictures of dance with an analogue camera represented a particular challenge because the ballerina is constantly moving and you must wait till the film is developed. However, the photographer’s motto – always trust your instincts – resulted in very beautiful images.
The photographer’s current project also deals with people – but in this case, in contrast to the series shown here, the focus is on faces. “Building a relationship to whatever I’m photographing, that’s the challenge of photography,” Ichida explains. “It makes no difference if it’s friends, strangers or landscapes.” For the Mayu series, Ichida remembered specific places, which she then used as settings for the dancer: places in the heart of the big city. katrin iwanczuk say u r iic h i d a .c o m Equipment: Leica M6
with Summicron-M 50 f/2 Asph
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ClĂŠment Paradis ĺœ? KEN
For hundreds of children, the yearly Wanpaku tournament in Tokyo is the first step into the world of sumo wrestling. The French photographer followed the scene closely for four years, using an M Monochrom to dive into a proud culture steeped in tradition and determination.
The annual sumo competitions are not just about the sport itself, but about the feeling of solidarity that comes from participating
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Fo r Pa rad i s, t he Ja pa n e s e Wor d 圏 (KEN ) — Zon e , circle or plot — is the expression of a sport where yo u h av e to cla i m yo ur ow n s pace .
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Paradis was impressed by the children’s intransigence, putting it as the focus of his stories captured in contrast-rich black and white. “These wild youngsters are not afraid to fight against the largest of giants. It may well be that the fight is lost right from the beginning, but they value the pleasure of measuring themselves against such a dominating power. It’s a pity that there are only a few adults who still possess this rebellious spirit.”
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The low-access threshold motivates many children to try out sumo wrestling. While many younger sumotori already have plans for a professional future and are consequently under more stress, the children are more relaxed about it all. “It’s more like a combination of family reunion and religious ceremony,” Paradis reckons
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With sumo wrestling it is all about the circle on the floor, which you want to push your opponent out of. “With my photography,” Paradis explains, “I want to show how valuable the day is for all the participants. It’s also a special day for me as a photographer. It’s like I’m hypnotised by the ring – it’s both fascinating and intimidating. If the viewer captures even a small glimpse of this, then I’m happy.”
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Ph oto g ra p hy a n d sumo w r e stlin g h av e ce rtain s im ila r it i e s : i t i s a b o u t d e te r min in g th e r igh t framewo r k a n d co n ta i n i n g th e e s s e n tial.
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Paradis prefers to get to know new worlds more than explain how they function. He does not see photography as simply a way to reproduce facts, but prefers to use his exploratory eye to lay out paths to individual insight
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This sport is invincible: even after centuries, sumo wrestling still has an enthusiastic following among fans of martial arts – especially within its country of origin, Japan. Today, people of all age groups continue to practise this sport. While the eight to ten yearolds learn the basic techniques behind this form of wrestling, for those 15 years of age it is possible to begin a professional career as a sumotori. The degree of expectation, performance and pressure for success among youths should not be underestimated; however, in the case of the children’s competitions, the main focus is on solidarity. It was precisely this friendly atmosphere, caught somewhere between a family reunion and a religious ceremony, that attracted the interest of the French photographer, Clément Paradis. “The project began without my realising it at first, when I went with some of my younger cousins for the first time to the Wanpaku Sumo Tournament in Tokyo,” he remembers. Since that humble beginning he followed the event annually, now for the fourth time. The results have come together in his Ken project, which in turn is part of a larger project titled Partition Magique. The series deals with daily life for the Japanese, revealing the urban and social labyrinths through which they have to manoeuvre in their daily lives. “Within this context, the high profile of sumo wrestling is particularly exciting,” Paradis explains. “In this fight, the winner is the one who manages to separate himself from his opponent by ending up alone in a pre-defined area.” From the photographer’s perspective, this philosophy is not just an obsession particular to Japanese culture. He sees parallels not only to lifestyles in the western world, but also for photography in general: “We also create areas that are separate and bring them into a certain frame work – and of course, everyone prefers to be on the ‘inside’ rather than out!”
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Despite its competitive character, sumo wrestling bonds the participants together, which is something Paradis recognised while photographing his project. A glance at his contrast-rich, energy-laden, black and white pictures, soon reveals very clearly how valuable and special the competitions are for all those participants involved in the contest. It is his focus on the people, their emotions and their gestures, that make Paradis’s pictures stand out. In the process, he sees himself as someone who prefers to take photos to explore and to describe, rather than to compress the world into a tight corset of explanations. “I’m happy if through my pictures the viewer gains a certain insight into what’s happening in the arena,” he says. As an exotic outsider with limited knowledge of the Japanese language, it was not always easy for him to be part of the activities: “There are many ritualised procedures taking place in daily Japanese life. People can at first feel inhibited if there is someone in attendance who has the potential to ruin the atmosphere. I am the only outsider during the tournament – and this happens every year anew!” Consequently, it was essential for him to photograph from a place of respect and awareness for prevailing social codes. The children themselves however, had completely different expectations for the day: “They saw me as a kind of attraction. They were very curious and interested to know if a foreign photographer would be able to stand up to all the hustle and bustle in the arena. While they are definitely not shy in front of the camera, on the other hand, they certainly let me know if they don’t want me around.” For Paradis, this curiosity and authenticity was definitely a common thread that played a role in the way he approached his work. “I would say that, as a photographer, I am a little bit like they are: I don’t take any of it too seriously – even though, at the end of the day, I also was something of a competitor: wanting to draw the best out of myself and my camera within this tense atmosphere.” Danilo Rössger
C l é ment Pa r a d is Born in 1983, Paradis considers himself a photographer, author, book designer, teacher and learner. He works with both images and words in France and Japan. In 2012 he founded the independent publishing house Timeshow Press. His first monograph, Sound of Midnight, appeared in 2014. Paradis teaches Aesthetics and Photographic Theory at Saint-Étienne University Jean Monnet. clement-paradis.com LF I-Online.DE /B log: Slideshow with further pictures
Equipment: Leica M Monochrom with Elmarit-M 90 f/2.8 and Summilux-M 35 f/1.4
f/ s top
– ap o - S u mmic r o n - S L 1 : 2 /5 0 mm – I nte rv ie w S te fan Danie l – Ko mpa k t kame r as –
T h e f o u rt h a d d iti o n to Leica’s range of Summic ro n l enses f o r t h e S L f eat u r es a stan da r d f o ca l l ens
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FA M I LY OF FOUR Ap o - Summ i c r o n - s l 5 0 f/ 2 a s p h
The Summicron range of lenses for the Leica SL welcomes a new addition. Photographer Jo Fischer has agreed to put the high-performance Apo-Summicron-SL 50 f/2 through its paces.
Father, mother, son and daughter: for a long time, this was the definition of a picture-perfect family. If such conventions were to be applied to Leica’s Summicron-SL series, the lens range could now be considered perfect and complete. After the almost simultaneous release of the 75 and 90mm models, followed by the relatively recent 35mm variant, Leica now introduce the Apo-SummicronSL 50 f/2 Asph. Berlin-based photographer Jo Fischer certainly came to this conclusion when he set out with a Leica SL and the new lens. All images captured during his field test were shot without a tripod, whereby the Summicron’s diminutive size proved a great advantage. Fischer usually works with the Leica M, which is, of course, smaller and even more manageable than the Leica SL. However, Fischer did find the SL considerably faster – not least due to its outstanding autofocus, which the photographer lauded for its speedy as well as quiet operation. i nnovat i v e Fo c usi ng
Beneath its smooth exterior, the Apo-Summicron-SL 50 f/2 Asph houses a complex interior complete with autofocus, aperture priority and processing unit
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m e c h a ni sm . Aside from optical performance, the SL-Summicron’s developers especially focussed on practical application. This has manifested itself not only in the compact dimensions of the lens, but also its exceedingly fast autofocus. Earlier on, we likened the four Summicron-SL lenses to a family – a comparison that is based on more than their identical aperture. All four members of the lens range, which now covers the main focal lengths, were devel-
oped concurrently – with initial plans dating back as far as the conception of the Leica SL itself. Consequently, they share various fundamental traits in terms of construction, optical design and exterior appearance. Among these commonalities is a specially developed focusing mechanism which Leica have termed the Dual Synchro Drive. This innovative concept ensures that the mass to be shifted during focusing is as lightweight as possible, resulting in a correspondingly fast autofocus. In this case, there are only two moving lens elements, which naturally weigh much less than the larger groups that have to be shifted in many M lenses. This, in turn, means that they are light-weight enough to be moved by fast stepper motors. While the two lens elements move independently from each other, they are electronically synchronised to ensure perfect coordination. High-speed autofocus.
The result is an extremely fast autofocus which palpably enhances the SL’s performance. In order to determine the correct focus point, mirrorless system cameras such as the SL carry out two contrast evaluations via the image sensor, whereby the focus is changed in between the two measurements. It takes the Summicron-SL 50 a mere quarter of a second to engage the entire focusing throw. While the Dual Synchro Drive might seem like a relatively straightforward concept, its execution was ambitious. It not only necessitates a different →
Photos: Š Jo Fischer; product photography: Leica Camera AG
The new 50mm lens allows for easy handling and a broad range of applications
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Our photographer relied on the ultra-fast autofocus to capture his model, Katharina, in the lake. Like all L-mount lenses, the Apo-Summicron-SL 50 f/2 Asph is sealed against water spray – though Fischer still opted to shoot from the vantage point of dry land
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Photos: Jo Fischer
When using the lens for portraits such as this image of musician Eze Wendtoin, recording the subject up close works just as well as allowing some more background. In any case, the lens offers a sharp rendition all the way into the corners of the image
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optical design, but also relies on an exceedingly precise construction, along with state-of-the-art electronics to coordinate the stepper motors. For this reason, experts from every Leica department were involved in the development of the Summicron-SL lenses – which are an impressive testament to the success of this cross-divisional collaboration, having already set new benchmarks in terms of quality and speed. For a standard lens, an aperture of f/2 is no great feat – instead, it is classed as ‘normal’ in the same way as the focal length. However, what Leica have done with the four Summicron-SL lenses, is to offset the aper-
ture with a very pronounced depth-of-field effect; this can be accomplished because the extremely sharp rendition of the lens makes the difference between in-focus and out-of-focus areas appear more distinctive. The exceptionally high-quality rendition of the lens provides maximum contrast in the focal plane; for the rest of the scene, the usual optical laws apply, leading to a low-contrast rendition – so that the distinction between the two becomes especially noticeable. The four Summicron-SL lenses with the focal lengths of 35, 50, 75 and 90 mm have been consciously designed to share some distinctive ‘family traits’
Ela b o rat e co nst ru ct i o n. This superior per-
formance is the result of an elaborate lens construction. Twelve lens elements in ten groups – three of which are aspherical, with a total of four aspherical surfaces – ensure that even the most minute optical flaws will be corrected. This also explains the ‘Apo’ in the lens name, which indicates apochromatic correction across the entire visible colour spectrum – a very unusual attribute to be found in a 50mm lens. Leica’s efforts have once again yielded a lens whose performance is both spectacular and straightforward in its excellence. At this point, we would habitually discuss possible weaknesses – but in this case, there simply seem to be none. The Apo-Summicron-SL 50 f/2 Asph is beyond reproach, and delivers a sharp corner-to-corner rendition at every distance and aperture setting. Stopping down is only necessary for compositional reasons. Fischer, too, was inevitably struck by these performance standards: “This lens really does deliver corner-to-corner
sharpness, so that there is no need to take precautions such as placing the subject at the centre, or stopping down in order to get the most out of the lens.” In essence, none of the tricks that are used to work around lens weaknesses need to be applied. “Another trait I noticed right away is the extremely natural-looking bokeh. This is something Leica lenses are known for, but this lens takes focal plane control and working with blur to yet another level.” Fischer found the 50mm focal length to be extremely versatile. When shooting portraits, moving in on the subject was just as easy as it was to capture a greater portion of the background. Fischer – who usually works with a 35mm lens, and generally prefers taking a few steps forwards or backwards over a lens change – clearly enjoyed the 50mm Summicron’s universal scope of applications. It certainly seems as though this fourth addition really has turned the Summicron-SL series into a complete and picture-perfect family. holger sparr
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T o n i A n g e r m ay e r i s t h o r o u g h ly i mp r e s s e d by t h e s p o t- m e t e r i n g c a pab i l i t i e s o f t h e L e i c a fl e x S L .
The Leicaflex SL offers one further big advantage: it permits selective exposure measurement – spot measurement through the lens of an area precisely and sharply defined by a measurement field in the viewfinder. I said spot measurement deliberately because with a normal focal lens the measurement field is only 7.5° in extent (with the 180mm f/2.8 Elmarit it is only 2°) – that is so to say, smaller than that of almost any hand exposure meter. And this is a decisive advantage with any subject where it is essential to determine the absolutely correct exposure for individual features. To take a concrete example, a white swan against a black background, or a group of black chimpanzees against a light background, will always give an incorrect integral measurement. Why? The principle on which integral measurement functions is to sum up all brightness within the acceptance angel, giving an exposure indication which corresponds to a mean value. This however must always fall down when we are concerned only with the correct exposure for a particular area of the image. This does not arise with selective measurement, for here – without removing the Leicaflex from the eye – the measurement is confined, under continuous control through the viewfinder, to precisely that detail which is important. No more, no less.
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F u t u r e Visi o ns i n t e rv i e w
The camera industry is going through a crisis, but Wetzlar’s tradition-steeped company seems well equipped for the future. Stefan Daniel, Head of Product Management, offers insights into the future of Leica’s camera lines.
From instant photography and compacts to APS-C, fullframe and medium format cameras: with their highly diverse product portfolio, Leica seem perfectly positioned to weather the storm. Stefan Daniel shares his thoughts about the future of the company’s camera lines – the two-part interview continues in LFI 8/2019. LFI: The global statistics published by the Japanbased Camera & Imaging Products Association paint a rather disjointed picture: in the past two years, compact camera sales have almost halved; many DSLR manufacturers are struggling, whereas the mirrorless camera market boasts figures that are rather encouraging. Where do you see opportunities for Leica to avoid the problems affecting other manufacturers, and how can the company further strengthen its position in future-oriented product segments? 86 |
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Stefan Daniel: The decline of the compact camera market is far from a recent issue. After the sales boom in the noughties, the downturn started in around 2010. Today, entry-level compacts have practically disappeared from the market. Essentially, the more a camera differs from a smartphone, the better it will sell. This is something we have anticipated early, which is why we have only produced cameras which out-perform any smartphone by a very significant margin. In particular, this might include an extensive zoom range or a large sensor, as well as features such as a built-in viewfinder. Of course we, too, are observing that sales volumes are no longer what they were in 2009 or 2010, but for Leica, compact cameras remain a product segment that is well worth continuing. LFI: A closer look at the figures shows that, even though reduced numbers
of units are being sold, the actual turnover is relatively unchanged. Stefan Daniel: Yes, average prices are increasing. This is partly due to the rising cost of components, which is an industry-wide development. However, it is important to note that the value of the camera market is four to five times what it was in analogue times. This is not often talked about, but it is why we at Leica don’t fully agree with the discontent that has become so prevalent within the industry. LFI: People are taking more pictures than ever – but instead of being printed, the majority of these images are shared on social media. Classic photographers seek to present their work in the highest possible quality, while the average person captures smartphone images and shares them online at a reduced resolution. At the moment, uploading
pictures from a traditional camera still requires the intermediary step of transferring the file onto a smartphone. Is it possible that even ‘proper’ cameras will eventually offer direct internet access? Stefan Daniel: Leica’s product strategy is already strongly oriented towards making cameras as connective as possible. In 2018 we launched the Leica Fotos app, which enables users to quickly and efficiently access their camera’s photographs on a mobile device. This is something we will continue to develop, in order to ensure an even more straightforward connection between camera and smartphone. We are still somewhat limited by the current camera hardware. But for future camera generations, we intend to make the process so seamless that incamera recordings – where rendition quality inevitably exceeds that of smartphone images – can →
Stefan Daniel, Head of Product Management at Leica: “The M10 is perceived as a fully developed camera, and is a platform that will endure for many years to come.�
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also be presented on social networks. Having said that, there are different types of user groups. Some photographers are very mobile-savvy and have switched to an entirely cloud-based workflow, while others still prefer a traditional desktop workflow, and continue to transfer files onto the computer via an SD card reader. LFI: Image-blending algorithms have become a popular feature in smartphone photography, whereby several frames that have been captured either in different recording modes, or in rapid succession (in the case of the Huawei P30 Pro, for example) are combined into one picture. This facilitates images of an as-
toundingly high quality, despite a small smartphone sensor. Is it conceivable that this technology might one day feature in compact cameras? Stefan Daniel: Computational imaging is one of the core themes we are focusing on – along with its possible implications for traditional cameras, whose hardware is more high-performance to begin with. The company does, in fact, have in-house development capacities within this field, which we are planning to expand. LFI: Where does artificial intelligence come in? In many cases, the distinction between a great picture and a mediocre one depends less on the technological
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capacity of the camera, and more on the photographer’s ability to make the most of these predetermined traits. Could artificial intelligence support photographers in this regard – for example, by finding the exposure value that gets the maximum performance out of the sensor? Stefan Daniel: Yes, the results that can be achieved with smartphones are based both on computational imaging and, in no small part, artificial intelligence. For example, if you point the Huawei P30 Pro’s camera at the moon, the smartphone is able to recognise the scene and will most likely enhance the result with a pre-existing image.
LFI: There have been some semi-serious jokes about a camera which, having recognised the subject to be photographed, simply downloads a better photograph of the same scene from the cloud… Stefan Daniel: That’s where it starts to get interesting (laughs)… But of course, Leica’s guiding principle is to support the creative photographer, based on the premise that this is where the joy of photography intrinsically lies. Those working with the Leica M, for example, are not interested in having everything taken out of their hands. They have intensely familiarised themselves with their tool, and enjoy the process of actively crafting a composition with the
aperture, shutter speed and framing of their choice. LFI: The M, in particular, very much embodies this approach. What other possible developments do you foresee for this series, given that in the past 13 years – from the M8 through to the current M10 – almost every wish put forward by photographers has been fulfilled? As of the M9, the camera is now equipped with a full-frame sensor, while the size of the M10 reflects the dimensions of an analogue M. There is also one particular group that envisions an M variant with a built-in electronic finder instead of a rangefinder, and perhaps even an autofocus function –
though this would hardly fit in with the fundamental M concept? Stefan Daniel: That’s a very interesting question. The M series will certainly continue to evolve; we are in the process of developing certain concepts, though I’m not able to discuss any details at this point. But we are not talking about major technological leaps such as the jump from the M9 to the M (Typ 240), and then to the M10. Instead, we are looking at areas such as battery life, resolution and operating speed that could still be optimised further. We do occasionally hear requests for an integrated electronic finder, and these are options that we contemplate. However, the M10
is perceived as a fully developed camera, and is a platform that will endure for many years to come.
“Leica’s g u i din g p r incip l e is to su pport t he c r eative photograp he r t hrou g h tec hn ology an d to mak e t he a r tistic process as u ncomp l icate d as p ossib l e . ”
LFI: Might there be alterations to the traditional base plate? It would be very convenient if the battery could be changed as easily as on the Q2. Stefan Daniel: So far we have retained the base plate due to lack of space, but it is certainly possible that this aspect of the Q2 may also be implemented in forthcoming M models at some point in the future. Interview conducted by michael J. HuSSmann
Part two of the interview will focus on the concept of the Q/Q2, as well as Leica’s APS-C cameras and mirrorless full-frame systems.
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g r eat an d sma l l L e i c a c o mpa c t s
LFI has set out to compile an overview of Leica’s camera lines. Following no particular sequence, we start with the compact ranges, which have long – and undeservedly – been overshadowed by the company’s more substantial camera systems.
In the minds of most photography enthusiasts, the Leica brand is synonymous with classic rangefinder photography and, by inference, legendary system cameras. However, the fact is that even Leica’s compact camera portfolio, whose beginnings date back to analogue times, features some genuine classics. When the industry transitioned from analogue to digital, the classics potential within the compact camera segment was temporarily hampered: like many other manufacturers, Leica took some time to ensure that their digital system cameras could match the performance levels their customers had come to expect. During this period, compact cameras served as something of a testing ground for digital photography, allowing manufacturers to 90 |
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liberally experiment with sensor sizes, zoom ranges and configurations without having to adhere to the classic film formats. The smartphone boom (which Leica have become a part of through their collaboration with Huawei) put an abrupt end to the rampant sales figures of digital compact cameras – leading to the disappearance of entire companies and product lines from the market. While Leica could not completely escape the ‘smartphone slump’, the company was affected to a much less severe degree – mostly because Leica have had the foresight to only release distinctly high-end compact models that always significantly outperform any smartphone (see our interview with Stefan Daniel, Head of Project Manage-
ment at Leica, on page 86). This applies just as much to Leica’s smaller compacts as it does to the segment’s most sizeable representatives, the Q and Q2 – a series with which Leica set exciting new standards by pairing a compact camera with a sensor that records in the classic full-frame format. To this day, the compact camera segment continues to be a successful part of Leica’s catalogue. We take a look at the compacts currently featured in their product portfolio, and investigate which of these four models might have the potential to become a modern classic. While the Q2 appears to be the most likely contender, this does not render Leica’s other three compacts any less attractive. After all, the nature of a camera’s performance
takes precedence over its status on the market – particularly if you are searching for the perfect companion to take on your travels. L e i ca C-Lux: t h e co mpac t a ll-ro u nde r.
Released in summer 2018, the C-Lux is a perfect introduction to the world of digital compact cameras made by Leica. Some manufacturers might categorise it as a travel zoom camera, owing to its compact yet extremely capable lens: the DC Vario-Elmar 8.8–132 f/3.3–6.4 Asph covers an enormous focal length range of 24 to 360 mm (35 mm equivalent). In addition, the lens is collapsible – meaning it hardly protrudes from the camera body when the C-Lux is switched off, and only extends to its full size at maximum focal →
The compact body of the Leica C-Lux houses a large image sensor as well as a lens with an enormous zoom range
With its fast lens and large sensor, the D-Lux 7 prioritises high performance over attention-grabbing spec-sheet data
The not-so-compact body of the V-Lux 5 is ergonomic, ensuring a steady hold on the camera when working with longer focal length
The size of its image sensor and superior quality of its lens allow the Q2 to actually surpass most system cameras
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length. Even then, it is still surprisingly small considering the size of the camera’s one-inch sensor, and the highly effective image stabilisation inside the lens itself. It seems safe to say that the C-Lux’s size-to-perfor-
mance ratio is unmatched by any other Leica. The camera easily fits in your pocket or any kind of bag, only to instantly deliver a vast choice of focal lengths that spans from the wide-angle to the tele range – a spectrum
The V-Lux 5 is the only Leica with a fold-out display. For tele shots, however, it is best to steady the camera by looking through the viewfinder
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even well-equipped (and much less travel-friendly) system cameras would be hard pressed to cover. Of course, an interchangeablelens camera will inevitably offer a more powerful performance; the lens of the C-Lux may not be ultra-fast, and its rendition slightly softens towards the upper end of the zoom range – but these drawbacks are very small concessions in light of the camera’s many advantages. After all, a C-Lux you can pull out of your pocket is more useful than an M you have left at home. And this is why the C-Lux – despite being hailed as an ideal second camera – surreptitiously turns into many photographers’ main companion.
Leica D-Lux 7: p erformance is ev ery thin g.
When it comes to their smaller compact cameras, Leica, as we know, cooperate with Panasonic. With some of their joint products, the source of the core concept is easy to deduce. The D-Lux 7 is, quite unmistakably, a true Leica design – and a daring one, at that: the camera is distinguished by an unusually large sensor in the micro four-thirds format, combined with an extremely fast lens – whose zoom range, on the other hand, is relatively small. On paper, lens speed and sensor size may not always count as the most important factors, but they matter all the more out in the field. The DC Vario-Summilux 10.9–
34 f/1.7–2.8 Asph offers an equivalent focal length spanning from 24 to 75 mm, which is rather moderate for a compact camera. However, this is offset by the exceedingly high lens speed, which allows the photographer to play with sharpness and blur – an option that is not usually associated with compact camera photography. And all of this comes in a camera body that is still very compact. The long-standing D-Lux series has established an excellent reputation as a ‘sophisticated’ compact. The most recent model is the D-Lux 7, which was released in November 2018 featuring a 17-megapixel sensor, touchscreen display and bluetooth module. In many ways, the D-Lux – which
Their outstandin g q ua l it y an d v e r sati l it y put Leica’s compact cameras st r eets a h ea d o f an y m o d e r n sma rtphone camera .
juxtaposes a more limited spectrum of possibilities with an extremely high performance – has always been something of a counterpoint to the C-Lux and its expansive scope of applications. The status of the D-Lux has, to some extent, been slightly dented by the fact that the concept of combining large image sensors with high-speed lenses has been taken to far greater heights in Leica’s Q series. However, this comparison is rather unfair, seeing as a Leica Q2 is not only much more expensive, but also larger and heavier than a D-Lux 7. The latter is compact enough to fit inside your coat pocket, and makes for a reliable companion to keep with you at all times. →
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Leica V-Lux 5: all i n o ne. Since the days of ana-
logue photography, the term ‘bridge camera’ has been used to describe the niche between a limited compact and an endlessly expandable system camera. The
The Leica Q2 has the mostpared-down operating concept – characterised by streamlined ergonomics and only a few control elements on the rear panel
recently released V-Lux 5 (see LFI 6/2019, page 82) is a case in point; the fact that it is almost the same size as a mirror reflex camera is a small price to pay for its seemingly endless focal length range and abundance of possibilities. In terms of technical specifications, the V-Lux 5 shares some similarities with the Leica C-Lux: both feature a oneinch sensor, and the V-Lux 5’s DC Vario-Elmarit 9.1– 146 f/2.8–4 Asph also spans from a wide-angle to a tele lens, covering an equivalent focal length range of 25 to 400 mm. However, while the C-Lux’s tele range tends to be a sparingly used option (despite the diminutive camera’s image stabilisation), on the V-Lux it is the
definitive range of choice. The substantial camera body sits well in your hand and is easy to steady against your head. More importantly, the high lens speed facilitates a very shallow depth of field and, consequently, a distinctive separation of the subject from the background – especially at the upper end of the zoom range. The V-Lux 5 also features dedicated control elements for many functions which (if they are available at all) are usually controlled via a menu in most smaller cameras. In essence, the V-Lux replaces an entire camera system in one single unit – and does so for a comparatively moderate price. It goes without saying that higher-end models such
for the demanding photography Thomas Biasotto with Leica M and Noctilux 50 mm
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as an M or SL are on yet another level; but if you own either of these cameras and decide, for example, not to bring them on your travels, the V-Lux serves as an absolutely valid substitute. Leica Q2: in a l eagu e o f its own. With many
above-average compacts, you might ask yourself whether their sensor size or lens quality are taking you close to an SLR-type experience. In the case of the Leica Q2, there is no need to wonder, as this camera operates well within system-camera territory – and sometimes even beyond. The Q2’s 47-megapixel sensor records in full-frame format, while the Summilux 28 f/1.7 Asph (complete with macro
mode) is superior to virtually any existing zoom lens, be it built-in or interchangeable. The camera uses its enormous resolution to simulate additional focal lengths (35, 50 or 75 mm) by cropping the frame whilst recording. With its permanently mounted lens, the Q2 may officially fall into the category of a compact camera – but in reality, it represents a genuinely viable alternative to high-grade models such as the M10 (whilst offering the additional benefits of a higher resolution, autofocus and aperture priority). Having said that, the Q2 is neither smaller nor lighter than an M, and is positioned in a considerably higher price bracket than Leica’s other compact
A P otentia l classic: the new Q 2 is t he m ost l i k e ly m ode l in Leica’s ran g e of compact camer as to become a future collector ’s item .
cameras. Like the M series, the Q2 is a bold in-house development: it is a testament to Leica’s confidence in the technological capabilities of their products – because very few manufacturers would ever have the courage to combine such an elaborate and upscale camera with a lens that is not just built-in, but also features a fixed focal length. Of course, the previous Q model as well as the Leica X series have paved the way for this concept. But none of them seem quite as wellrounded and accomplished as the Leica Q2 – which, even a few months after its release on the market, shows all the hallmarks of a potential modern classic. Holger sparr
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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
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best o f LF I . Ga l l e r y
M acau S u n “I’ve often photographed sunsets at this place, which is one of the last authentic fishing harbours in Macau without any modern hotels and casinos – and yet I find new, exciting motifs every time. On this occasion it was the parked seven seater van, with the sun reflecting so beautifully on its roof.” António Leong Leica M10 with Summicron-M 28 f/2 Asph
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S is y p h u s “At the market in Addis Ababa you often see people carrying things on their heads, but this man took it to a whole new dimension: it looked like he was carrying the entire world on his shoulders – practically like the mythical Sisyphus who was punished by being forced to roll an immense boulder up a mountain, again and again.” Laurent Muschel Leica M240 with Summilux-M 35 f/1.4 Asph
OLD T OW N ROA D “This picture was taken on a lovely evening that I spent with my son and a camera. We were driving through Isleton, a small town in Sacramento County, California, in search of interesting motifs, when my eye was captivated by this scene with this water tower and the old truck.” Sunny Saw Leica M240 with Super-ElmarM 22 f/3.4 Asph
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The proud st r an g e r “Despite the precarious economic situation, this elderly lady at a bar in Havana proudly allowed me to take a picture of her. Time and again I find that the faces of people who live in humble circumstances often speak of authenticity and pure humanity.� Johannes Barthelmes Leica Q, Summilux 28 f/1.7 Asph
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I n t h e mi d d l e of the gorge
E nj oy in g Food
“When we took pictures at Hong Kong’s Monster Building, my daughter felt very intimidated. She had never seen anything like it before, and didn’t want to stay. This taught me that you should never underestimate the impact that surroundings have on children.”
“The Qamouaa highlands in northern Lebanon exerts a magical draw on nature lovers, campers and excursionists. We met a family there who invited us for a barbeque. These two lively girls enjoying their chicken, were simply too charming not to photograph.”
Collin Lin Leica M8 with Elmarit-M 28 f/2.8
Rodrigue Zar Leica Q, Summilux 28 f/1.7 Asph
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Wei g h t o f t h e past “During the Soviet era, huge ships were built in the Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv. This picture shows a powerful construction from former times, that is now simply rotting away. It shows me that sometimes it’s just difficult to let go of garbage from the past.” Ralph Maurer Leica Q, Summilux 28 f/1.7 Asph
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Photo left: © James Dryden; photos right: © Nathan Laine, © Michael Jalaru Torres, all courtesy Head On Photo Festival
p h oto – b o o k s – E x h ibiti o ns – f esti va l s – Awa r d s –
“ e q ua l o pp o rt u nities f o r e v e ryo ne .” i n t e rv i e w
Moshe Rosenzveig, founder and creative director of the Head On Photo Festival, in Sydney, speaks about equal opportunity as a creed, the photo scene in Australia, and a look into the photography of the future.
LFI: You are celebrating Head On’s
10th edition this year. What did Australia’s photo and art landscape look like before its existence? Moshe rosenzveig: Head On changed the photography scene in Sydney and Australia by introducing the work of 5000 photographers who didn’t have the opportunity to do so in the past. Today, there are hundreds of galleries and other spaces exhibiting photography as a result of Head On’s work, and many more people engage with photography. We also changed the way people think about exhibitions, encouraging artists and viewers to think beyond ‘white-walled galleries’. We bring curated photography
exhibitions into the every-day through installations in parks, churches and the city streets themselves. Our educational program and the Head On Photo Award for students have been pushing visual literacy for current and future photographers and anyone who consumes images. How did this all come to life? I founded Head On in 2004 as a portrait competition. We chose work without knowing the names of the photographers. The pictures depicted people from all walks of life taken by anyone, not only by professional photographers. It was established in response to the only photo competition at the time which was run at the Art Gallery of New South Wales (Australia’s main museum), and was all about celebrities shot by well-known photographers. Head On was established to give equal opportunities to everyone to exhibit their work without bias. LFI:
rosenzveig:
This year you ran 157 exhibitions and events, with 900 exhibiting artists, in 89 venues, and 12 award-winning, international photographers who headlined the 2019 festival – which is
LFI:
Above: Michael Jalaru Torres, from his Native series; left: mobile photo by Nathan Laine: Urban diving platform in Wellington Harbour; left page: James Dryden: Spilt Milk, second place Head On Student Prize 2019
quite impressive. What tell us about your personal highlights? rosenzveig: It’s very difficult to choose a handful of works. Some of my personal favourites this year include the work of Jenny Rova, who curated her own life using pictures taken by her past lovers, Tariq Zaidi’s →
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Above: Lulu Pinkus: Cloud Surfing, second place Head On Mobile Prize 2019; left: Tariq Zaidi, from hisThe Sapeurs of Brazzaville series
For the Italian photographer Monia Merlo, pictures of hands represent the most honest form of portraiture. Taken from her Hands exhibition at the Head On Photo Festival 2019
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Above: Paul Blackmore, from his Heat series, where the Australian photographer captures beach life in Sydney during three heat waves; left: Janie Barrett, photographer for The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper: Water play, Giles Baths, Coogee
Photos: © Tariq Zaidi, © Lulu Pinkus, © Paul Blackmore, © Janie Barrett, © Monia Merlo, all courtesy Head On Photo Festival
“ I mag es t h at a r e f r ee f r o m o l d pe r cepti o ns an d tec h n o lo g ica l r est r icti o ns ”
beautiful work about the sapeurs in central Africa, Tami Xiang’s clever imagery of the ‘left behind’, Anni Hanen’s evocative cyanotypes and some of the extraordinary portraits in the Head On Portrait Prize. Can you tell us a bit about the Australian photo scene? There are some well-known Australians, like Magnum photographer Trent Parke, Patrick Pound, Bill Henson, and Justine Khamara, among others, who might have a more introspective view; and there are talents from overseas, like Helmut Newton and Liu Xiaoxian, who explores the differences as well as the commonalities between East and West. rosenzveig: The Australian photography scene started very early and included one of the oldest daguerreotypes in existence. Much of modern Australian photography was due to several European migrants, including Helmut Newton and Wolfgang Sievers. In the past thirty years, there have been several ‘new’ photographers who shaped what we could call Australian photography. Among these are Magnum member, Trent Parke who influenced many young photographers with his use of the unique Australian light, Tracey Moffat for her exploration of her indigenous identity, Polixeni Papapetrou for the theatrical sets she created with her daughter, and Bill Henson for his moving (and provocative) work with young people. Of the younger photographers, it’s worth mentioning Michael Jalaru Torres, a really promising indigenous artist, Samantha Everton who creates beautiful tableaux, and Tami Xiang who explores issues of her Chinese background. LFI:
What techniques might define future photography projects? rosenzveig: To me, the technique and the equipment are secondary to well thought through and executed imagery. I try to avoid work that is either too clever, or not engaging. With the advent of cleverer cameras, we will see more interesting work by non-professional photographers. LFI:
Having new technologies, young people are liberated from the technological constraints of the past. We find two distinct trends among young photographers: Instagram images that are created to communicate daily, banal, personal experiences usually to get ‘likes’, and, on the other hand, images that attempt to express thoughts and emotions in new and fresh ways that are free from old perceptions and technological restrictions.
carbon tripods and ball heads from
noW redUced, but only
as long as supplies last
What are your plans and visions for the future? rosenzveig: I see photography as a very important art form as it is one of the most significant forms of mass communications, though perhaps the least understood by most people. We are currently developing our educational program to further expand the work we already do with high school students. I would like to see photography and how to read photos taught at schools in the same way as English or any other language is taught. LFI:
What do you wish for the local and also for the worldwide photo scene? rosenzveig: As we move further away from the technical constraints imposed by the equipment, the only factor stopping us from creating is our own creativity. I hope photography is better understood and accepted as an art form by everyone, regardless of the photographer’s background, equipment or image genre. LFI:
Interview: Carla Susanne Erdmann
M o s h e rosenzvei g Born in Israel in 1957,
he worked as a photojournalist there before settling in Australia in 1984, where he worked as a photographer and television producer/ director. He founded Head On in 2004 and developed it into Australia’s biggest photo event. In 2018, he was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for his contribution to the Visual Arts, in particular, photography. N ext Ed ition: Head On Photo Festival 2020;
opening celebrations May 1, through May 17, 2020; Sydney, Australia; www.headon.com.au
orde r now: lfi-online.com/shop
Swedis h Photography Award Helsingborg
H i g h M u s e um o f A r t, At l a n ta
A tree is predestined to extend its roots deep into the ground, to become an immovable, inextricable part of the soil from which it has sprung. Sally Mann’s photographs emanate a similar sentiment: her broad body of work arises from an intricate root system of memories and impressions that are deeply anchored in her homeland, the American South. Experimental, elegiac and hauntingly beautiful, her photographs are ‘bred of a place’. A Thousand Crossings – featuring works created in Virginia, Georgia and Louisiana – serves both as a tribute and an analysis of the Southern States, a region whose complex heritage includes rich literary and artistic traditions along with a troubled history of division, rebellion, devastation and war. More than 100 portraits, still lifes and landscape photographs (many of which have never been published before) explore the prevailing themes of our existence: memory, desire, death, the bonds of family, and nature’s magisterial indifference to human endeavours. At the core of Mann’s observations is her precise understanding and profound love for the American South. This, in turn, is what enables her to create images that pose questions about identity, race and religion in the place she calls home. Organised into five sections – Family, The Land, Last Measure, Abide with Me, and What Remains – A Thousand Crossings offers a sweeping overview of Mann’s artistic achievements over the past four decades, and explores the ways in which the photographer’s work has been shaped by her relationship with her native land. Oct 19, 2019 — Feb 2, 2020, Photo: Sally Mann, Last Light, 1990
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October 19, 2019 — February 9, 2020, Photo: Carl Hjelte, Albin Biblom during a photo session
T h o mas S t r u t h Gu g g e n h e i m M u s e um , B i lb a o
A showcase of 130 images from Unconscious Places, Portraits, Museum Photographs, New Pictures From Paradise, and Places of Worship addresses four decades of the German photographer’s oeuvre. The selection includes early works that have never been exhibited before. October 2, 2019 — January 19, 2020, Photo: Thomas Struth, Kyoko and Tomoharu Murakami, Tokyo 1991
H AS SA N H A J JA J M AISON E U RO P ÉENNE DE L A P HOTOGRA P HIE , Pa r i s
He is known as the Andy Warhol of Marrakesh, or simply ‘Andy Wahloo’ – an affectionate play on the Arabic term ‘wahloo’, meaning ‘I have nothing’. His images certainly bear a resemblance to the American pop artist’s signature approach. Born in Morocco and raised in London, Hajjaj combines painting and photography to create colourful images fea-
turing Arabic symbols, Western brand logos and kitsch aesthetics. Drawing on his dual-national background, the artist poses questions about religion and consumerism – building bridges between his English and North African roots. September 11 — November 7, 2019, Photos: Hassan Hajjaj, Rilene, from the series My Rockstars; Time Out, from Vogue: The Arab Issue
Photos: Courtesy Joseph M. Cohen Family Collection/© Sally Mann; © Carl Hjelte; © Thomas Struth; © Hassan Hajjaj
Sa l ly M ann
Albin Biblom is the winner of this year’s Swedish Photography Award, sponsored by the Sandeng fine-art company. Biblom’s symbolic depiction of his working process shows the artist in a highly stylised natural landscape, searching for fragments of reality to compile into a narrative that conveys his view of the world.
Photo: © Irene Kung
The term ‘civilisation’ describes the social and material constructs that determine our politics and progress – in other words, the basis on which we conduct our lives. The showcase Civilization: The Way We Live Now explores this topic in the form of 200 images by 100 contemporary photographers from Africa, Asia, Australia and Europe, offering insights into collective life around the world. “Civilization: The Way We Live Now is a rich and varied portrait of our times,”
C i v i l i z ati o n N at i o n a l G a ll e r y, M e lb o u r n e
explains Tony Ellwood AM, Director of the National Gallery of Victoria. “The exceptional quality of the work included is testament to the talent and vibrancy present in contemporary photography today.” Divided into eight
themed sections, the exhibition features works by renowned photographers such as Candida Höfer, Edward Burtynsky, Pieter Hugo, Robert Polidori and Alec Soth. Each artist presents a personal perspective of the complexities of urban life in the 21st century. Perhaps we should start asking ourselves: how do we really want to live? September 13, 2019 — February 2, 2020, Photo: Irene Kung, Torre Velasca, Milan 2010, from the The Invisible City series, 2010
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F r an z is k a S t ü n k eL L e i c a GAll e r y S a l z bu r g
You need to look at these pictures twice – or more – because the Leica photographer’s imagery is not only multi-layered and complex, but worthy of closer examination. The German artist and film director has spent ten years working on the Coexist series now being presented in Salzburg. The large-format Diasec prints, show mesmerizing reflections captured while Stünkel was travelling in Asia, Africa, Europe and America. Using her M9, the photographer repeatedly manages to produce surprising imagery that captures the atmosphere of each particular location. 110 |
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The natural reflections join outer and inner spaces together; the pictures layer colours, shapes and reflections of light caught in the fleeting moments of everyday life, producing photographically recognisable realities. Stünkel avoids any type of digital post-production: she is only interested in authentic moments on the street. The coexistence motif that is responsible for the series’ title is both timeless and current: the degree to which the interconnectedness of people around the world in relationship to nature, architecture and urban settings, is reflected in artistic dimensions
can be seen in both this current exhibition as well as a photo book just published by Kehrer Verlag, where numerous authors from different scientific fields deal with the topic of coexistence. Finally however, it is the images seen in their original format that lead the viewer to a truly attractive impression of the world. While reproducing reality, the motifs are also visual, artistic constructions. Photos: Franziska Stünkel, from the Coexist series October 18, 2019 — Februar 9, 2020, Leica Gallery Salzburg, Gaisbergstr. 12, 5020 Salzburg, www.leica-galerie-salzburg.com
Leica Ga l l e r ies A r enbe r g C ast l e
N u r embe r g
Vincent Lagrange
Volker Figueredo Véliz: Cuba – Inside
AUT | 5020 Salzburg, Arenbergstr. 10 May 25 — September 28, 2019
GER | 90403 Nuremberg, Obere Wörthstr. 8 July 20 — October 19, 2019
B an g k o k Porto
Nobuyoshi Araki: Life By Film. Photo Happiness
Giuseppe Pons: Americano
THA | 10330 Bangkok, 2nd Floor, Gaysorn Village, 999 Ploenchit Road July 24 — October 22, 2019
POR | 4000-427 Porto, Rua d. Sá da Bandeira, 48/52 September 7 — November 9, 2019
B o st o n
S ão Pau l o
Alex Webb: Slant Rhymes
Current exhibition unknown at time of publication
USA | Boston, MA 02116, 74 Arlington St. September 12 — November 3, 2019 C o nstance
Werner Bischof
J o e l M ey e r ow itz L e i c A G a ll e r y L o n d o n
GER | 60311 Frankfurt on the Main, Großer Hirschgraben 15 August 23 — October 19, 2019
The American became known around the world for his colourful street photography taken in New York City in the sixties and seventies. With The Everyday Chaos of Ordinary Life, the Leica Gallery in London is now showing additional images that were taken in Europe at around the same time.
I stanb u l
GBR | London, 64–66 Duke Street W1K 6JD September 4 — October 20, 2019
GER | 78462 Constance, Gerichtsgasse 10 August 30 — November 17, 2019 F r an k f u r t
Alan Schaller: Metropolis
Sinem Disli: Hollows & Mounds – A Take on Göbekli Tepe
S in g ap o r e
Stash x Jahan: 12 Hours SIN | Singapore, Raffles Hotel Arcade, #01-20/21, 328 North Bridge Rd., 188719 September 12 — November 11, 2019 T aipe I
Jeff Mermelstein: Sidewalk/Arena TWN | Taiwan, No. 3, Ln. 6, Qingtian St., Da’an Dist., Taipei City 106 August 7 — October 7, 2019 To kYo
TUR | 34381 Şişli/İstanbul, Bomontiada – Merkez, A Birahane Sk. No:1 September 4 — December 15, 2019
Yoshihiro Tatsuki: Seen in the blink of an eye
Kyoto
wa r s AW
JPN | Tokyo, 6-4-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku August 23 — December 4, 2019
Yoshihiro Tatsuki: Seen in the blink of an eye
Jacek Sołkiewicz (aka Mirrorman): Mirror Reality
JPN | Kyoto, 570–120 Gionmachi Minamigawa, Higashiyama-ku August 24 — December 4, 2019
POL | 00–496 Warsaw, Mysia 3 September 20 — November 9, 2019 Wet z l a r
L o s A n g e l es
Maggie Steber: The Secret Garden of Lily LaPalma; Jesse Diamond: After Hours Photos: © Joel Meyerowitz, © Josef Chuchma
BRA | 01240–000 São Paulo, Rua Maranhão, 600 Higienópolis
USA | West Hollywood, CA 90048, 8783 Beverly Boulevard September 12 — October 21, 2019 M i l an
Jean Pigozzi: Urban Jungle ITA | 20121 Milan, Via Mengoni 4 September 23 — October 19, 2019 M E l b o u r ne
Tim Page: 21 AUS | Melbourne, VIC 3000, Level 1 St Collins Lane, 260 Collins Street August 8 — October 31, 2019
Alex Webb: The Suffering of Light GER | 35578 Wetzlar, Am Leitz-Park 5 September 5 — November 3, 2019
J o se f C h u c h ma L e i c A G a ll e r y P r a g u e
The Czech photographer has opened up his archives for the Cut-outs (of normalization) exhibition, presenting pictures taken during the seventies and eighties, some of which were unpublished till now. Chuchma captures the unique aesthetics of the time after the overthrow of the Prague Spring in 1968.
Vienna
Ian Berry: The English AUT | 1010 Vienna, Walfischgasse 1 September 6 — November 23, 2019 Zin g st
Ekaterina Sevrouk: Last Paradise GER | 18374 Zingst, Am Bahnhof 1 May 24 — October 15, 2019
TCH | 110 00 Prague 1, Školská 28 September 13 — November 3, 2019
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Ha r o l d E d g e rto n Seeing the Unseen
S t o c k h o lm
If you think you know Stockholm, this book may change your mind: the Swedish photographer (born 1944) shows the metropolis in an entirely new light as he takes us through the city in a rapid sequence of full-page impressions: urban spaces, everyday moments, snow falling on Katarinavägen, a dachshund parade in Gärdet, an operating theatre in Danderyd, New Year’s Eve celebrations at Skeppsbron’s giant Christmas tree. We meet anarchists and pleasure-seekers, rebels and squares, rockers and latex fetishists, children and old people; even the Swedish crown princess joins the cast of this unusual portrait series, which was created over the course of four years. Exploring his home city with his camera was something the photographer resisted for a long time. In the late 1970s, Petersen gained acclaim with his candid photo book on Hamburg’s notorious Café Lehmitz. Other topics ranged from the city of Rome to psychiatric hospitals, circuses and prisons. His direct and radical visual approach – echoing the aesthetics of his mentor, the legendary Christer Strömholm – has made Petersen one of Sweden’s most renown photographers. With Stockholm, he has created an idiosyncratic, almost overwhelming love letter to his home city. Yet the book (which accompanies an exhibition at Stockholm’s Liljevalchs Museum) also serves as a unique document of the joys and struggles of life in our times. 368 pages, black and white images, 20.2 × 26.5 cm, Swedish/English, Max Ström Publishing
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208 pages, 158 colour images, 22.5 × 28.5 cm, English, Steidl
M i g u e l Ri o B ranc o M a l d i c i da d e
Uncompromising, radical, breathtaking: the Brazilian Magnum photographer (born 1946) paints a thought-provoking picture of global urbanization. His full and doublepage images – all of them untitled – show the struggles as well as the poetry of life and survival in the world’s ever expanding megacities. 464 p, colour images, 24.5 × 33 cm, Engl/Port/Ger/Fr, Taschen
E rw in O l a f I am
Royal portraitist and digital storyteller with a penchant for the surreal: this photo book surveys the full breadth of Erwin Olaf’s multi-faceted oeuvre, from his first studio photograph (1981) to his most recent series created in Shanghai and Palm Springs. Throughout the decades, the Dutch photographer (born 1959) has refined his style into increasingly elaborate and hyper-stylised orchestrations. Art-historical references as well as surreal imagery
play an important role in his work. Renowned for his perfectionism in portrait photography, Olaf has also been commissioned as portraitist to the Dutch royal family. 400 pages, 223 colour and black and white images, 33 illustrations, 22.9 × 29.2 cm, English, Aperture
Photos: © Anders Petersen; © Harold Edgerton/Massachusetts Institute of Technology; © 2019 Miguel Rio Branco/Magnum Photos; © 2019 Erwin Olaf
A n d e r s P ete r sen
Harold Edgerton (1903–1990) was an American engineer, entrepreneur, educator and photographer. As the inventor of the electronic stroboscope, he created high-speed photographs that combined technical brilliance with spectacular aesthetics. His iconic works, such as the milk drop coronet, or bullets flying through mid-air, are always an exciting rediscovery.
I nsi g h ts Wo r l dw i d e 100 Years of Steiner E d u c at i o n
In addition to the centenary of the Bauhaus movement, 2019 also marks 100 years since the first Waldorf school opened its doors in Stuttgart, Germany. But unlike the legendary art school, which is revered as an icon of the past, the educational movement founded by Rudolf Steiner is very much active to this day. Since 1919, Steiner’s original ideals have evolved into an international network of some 1150 Waldorf schools and 2000 Waldorf nurseries worldwide, twothirds of which are located in Europe. Featuring images by 17 Leica photographers – including Fulvio Bugani, Laxmi Kaul, Dominic Nahr, René Perez, Daniel Šperl, Gerard Turnley and Herbie Yamaguchi – this volume offers fascinating insights into Waldorf schooling in 40 different countries around the world. The true purpose of education is not just to convey knowledge, but to nurture each student’s individual talents. By capturing everyday moments of school life – from knitting practice in Nairobi (left) to calligraphy lessons in Japan – the photographers show how Rudolf Steiner’s core concept of an individualised learning experience has been integrated into each school’s unique cultural framework. 176 pages, 111 colour and 31 black and white images, 21 × 28 cm, German/English, Kehrer Publishing; Photos: © Dominic Nahr/Maps (3), Emile Ducke
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Leica Fotografie I n t e r n at i o n a l
J o sep h M ic h ae l Lo pe z my p i c t u r e
This picture speaks of the light and shadow in Cuba – and of the memory of a fantastic flan.
71st year | Issue 7. 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
Rodolfo. Cienfuegos, Cuba 2017
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
This frame seems to refer to the space between the inheritance of being Cuban and the notion of liberty; a graphic human profile of light and darkness. While in Cienfuegos, Cuba, I found Rodolfo during my search for the exact location of my mother’s childhood home, which she left behind in 1967. I found him and his brother, Nikone, sitting in an empty lot, interlinked with a chess board over their laps. I discovered that these two brothers were incarcerated for political reasons at the same time and place as my uncle and my grandfather. When I took this picture, we were walking to Rodolfo’s niece’s home, following a route that brought us under a roof that allowed the sunlight to filter through. Following that moment, he offered me the most memorable flan—it was made with just the egg yolk. That was one of many secrets he shared. Joseph Michael Lopez, born in New York Cityin 1973, began working on his Master’s in Photography in 2009 at Columbia University. His New York at Its Core: Future City Lab series belongs to the collection of the Museum of the City of New York.
L F I 8 / 2 0 1 9 w i ll App e a r o n N o v e mb e r 7, 2 0 1 9
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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
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