I don’t need to ride to know I have much for which to be thankful. Riding this morning it seems as if the world has gone away, the roads and intersections empty.
Standing alone on the pavement I am thankful for family and friends. Holding the cold camera in my bare hands makes me grateful for a warm bed and home.
A sip of hot tea at Starbucks reminds me I have never been hungry or without money in my pocket. Today there are no complaints (even though my Vespa fell over in a muddy field a short time ago). I give thanks for the spiritual and material wealth I have received. To each of you I wish a safe and happy Thanksgiving Day.
Were you on the Vespa when it fell over?
Steve,
Thank you for all in the wonderful pictures and sharing thoughts throughout the years and we all can be Thankful for what we have.
Ride safe for the holidays,
Phil
Steve, as always some amazing pictures, thanks
John: No, I was standing about 50 feet away looking at how I might make a picture. I didn’t have the seat down either so everything fell into the mud. My Leica M6 was pushed down into the muck.
Aside from the mud the only thing that needed attention was the mirror position. Falling over in soft mud in a pasture is about the safest way to fall I think…
Pvino: Thank you!
Rig: Thanks for your kind words about the pictures. Stay safe on your CBR!
Steve,
In a broader vein, I read Abbey’s book, your favorite. Quite engaging, and for someone with depression . . ., enlightening as well.
Thanks,
Joe
YIKES, I hope your M6 cleaned up all right. I also have two M6’s both with Abrahammson Rapidwinders. And you are probably right, mud is better than cement or asphalt, but next time remember to close your seat
Joe EE: Abbey’s work were pivotal points in my thinking. I still revisit them from time to time. There are many books I enjoy but only a few that leave lasting echoes like his did.
I am glad you found them useful.
bobskoot: Yeah, my M6 is a workhorse. It has been through a lot over the years and keeps on ticking. The film counter has been dead for about 5 years now. I have had it fixed twice but my model has the less than desirable internal nylon gear which seems to wear out after a few hundred rolls of film. Someday I will send it to DAG Camera Repair for the more robust brass gear they can install….
Those Rapid Winders look sweet but I am such a slow, slow shooter that it just isn’t needed. I used to have a second M6 so that I wouldn’t have to waste time moving from a 35mm lens to a 50 or 90. But I never used it. Sold it on Ebay. Now I am a once camera man in the Leica world…
Steve:
The reason I have 2 M’s is for the same reason as you: 28mm on one body, and a 90 summicron on the other and I have coloured Rapidwinders, one black and one red (for B&W and Colour), but my love is LF which is not compatible with scooters due to the amount of equipment you have to carry
bobskoot: I had an Ebony RW45 that would pack nicely on the Vespa along with a couple lenses, film holders and tripod. When I got the scooter I already ditched it for an 8×10 Zone VI camera. That was too big. It went away and replaced by a Mamiya 7 which unfortunately doesn’t see much action. The Leica is the mainstay of my film work these days…
I have cameras similar to your Ebony. I have a Wista 4×5 Rosewood, Toyo 45A (non-revolving back) and another wood view, something like a Calumet which is my user. Holders, etc and also a couple of 6×9 (graflex type) roll film backs, but I mainly use my Noblex 150F 6×12 panorama. Of course I also have a few MF systems, which incl Mamiya 7 kit. To tell you the truth my GSW690 Fuji is much sharper than the M7, but I use the M7 more since I have 2 lenses and has a meter. I used to collect cameras and seldom part with any. I just remembered, I also have a B&J 5×7 with a few film holders and the image circle of my Nikor 180WA covers 5×7 with no movements
That sounds messy, but thankfully no one was hurt. We did not see that photo…Did we miss it? Too bad cause the others are great as usual.
well, mud in a field is not that bad. Did you read about my stupid similar accident? soft tarmac and a bump right upon sharp gravel… a 350 $ fix.
the post is here
You are good fellow photographers as well. I use to carry along with me my Pentax MX with some good Ilford b/w (HP5 mainly) or Fuji slides film. Then I have my Nikon 5700 but it has been fixed twice and it’s on the way to break for the last time, so this week I bought a Canon G9 just like yours. A very nice small and strong digital baby.
This weekend, though, I was riding and shooting color Reala film with my YashicaMat TLR… shooting matches every ride with its right camera, I think.
Ale-
L’Insetto Scoppiettante
and
Light was enough.
Heck with the riding part. My new goal is to do two things.
One, to make my photos as clear and sharp as yours. Which means I will have to dig into the settings of the Nikon. I love that Starbucks photo!
Secondly, when you all bandy about these camera names and terms, I’m going to one day actually understand them!