Bagels and Leicas and Nikons, Oh My!!

Fun times today, shooting bagels. Although the shoot didn't quite go as I had planned. As is often the case. I find it's always good to be flexible and well prepared when shooting food.

Today was all about learning about my new-old Leica lllf, a beautiful camera that was created before I was even born. But before I could even dip my toes into the deliciousness that is Leica, I had to buy some actual film. Film! Haven't touched the stuff in years. I'm so happy to have a chance to reconnect. Gets me all misty...

After viewing an online manual, I moseyed on down to my fave camera store in Palo Alto, Keeble and Schucat. I chose a little B&W and a little chrome film, 100 ASA for both. Luckily I was able to score some time with the Leica guy. Yes, there totally is a Leica guy there. He knows pretty much everything about every model ever made. My kind of guy.

I was the happy recipient of a brief lesson about the camera AND the process of loading the film. Which is way more intricate than my old Nikon film cameras, but hey, it's all worth it.

Back at the ranch, I set up a rustic old table with a white parchment backdrop, and let in some beautiful natural light. I adjusted the ASA on the camera, as well as the shutter speed and the aperture, then focused through the left eyepiece and composed through the right one. SNAP! God, such a freaking satisfying sound. But unfortunately, I was only able to hear it once. After much fiddling, the film advance doesn't seem to want to advance. Sigh. So, that's that. I'll take the camera back over to K&S later this week for advice.

But in the meantime, I wasn't going to let a perfectly beautiful set go to waste. So out comes all 36 MP of my D800 and I'm back in the digital age, once again.