[sugus]

Merlimont

Which 2 streets are this?

[rdenney]

Amsterdam and Rotterdam last time I was there were filthy--all kinds of crap in canals in Amsterdam, dirty paper and trash blowing everywhere in the streets. The two places in Europe that I found to be clean were Switzerland and Germany.

I have found fairly clean places in cities all over the world, and also fairly trashy places. It is not simply a matter of someone from France's perception of municipal make-work programs in the USA. It's far more a matter of economic conditions in that neighborhood.

Switzerland is indeed clean. But many buildings in Switzerland are not at all clean, and are marked up with graffiti, in places tourists don't usually go. So, the Rue-du-Rhone in Geneva is spotless, but the old Zodiac building in Le Locle, not so much.

You will not see a lot of trash blowing in the streets in many places in the US. But we don't depend on municipal workers in those places. We simply pick up after ourselves, and each keep our own property clean. That is not a universal truth anywhere. I travel to New York frequently, and parts of even Manhattan are quite clean. Parts are not.

I've never been one to photograph poor neighborhoods, for several reasons. 1. I don't live there and being there is a presumption that is poorly seen by the residents. They don't feel it is the job of the financially secure to represent their plight, and they generally do not enjoy being portrayed as living in squalor. There are ways to approach people authentically, but I'm willing to confess that I lack that skill. 2. There are photographers in those areas who have skill and vision, and they know what to see while I don't. 3. That's not the sort of thing that interests me in photography in the first place.

Streetscapes with buildings can be interesting to me, but like the photo we are discussing, I prefer them without people, and certainly without recognizable people. That's difficult in vibrant city areas, of course. But I live in a rural area and that's more my milieu.

Rick "much of what made cities dirty was burning coal, now much more rare" Denney

[ivanvernon]

I have found fairly clean places in cities all over the world, and also fairly trashy places. It is not simply a matter of someone from France's perception of municipal make-work programs in the USA. It's far more a matter of economic conditions in that neighborhood.

Switzerland is indeed clean. But many buildings in Switzerland are not at all clean, and are marked up with graffiti, in places tourists don't usually go. So, the Rue-du-Rhone in Geneva is spotless, but the old Zodiac building in Le Locle, not so much.

You will not see a lot of trash blowing in the streets in many places in the US. But we don't depend on municipal workers in those places. We simply pick up after ourselves, and each keep our own property clean. That is not a universal truth anywhere. I travel to New York frequently, and parts of even Manhattan are quite clean. Parts are not.

I've never been one to photograph poor neighborhoods, for several reasons. 1. I don't live there and being there is a presumption that is poorly seen by the residents. They don't feel it is the job of the financially secure to represent their plight, and they generally do not enjoy being portrayed as living in squalor. There are ways to approach people authentically, but I'm willing to confess that I lack that skill. 2. There are photographers in those areas who have skill and vision, and they know what to see while I don't. 3. That's not the sort of thing that interests me in photography in the first place.

Streetscapes with buildings can be interesting to me, but like the photo we are discussing, I prefer them without people, and certainly without recognizable people. That's difficult in vibrant city areas, of course. But I live in a rural area and that's more my milieu.

Rick "much of what made cities dirty was burning coal, now much more rare" Denney

Very well stated.

[Fcsnt54]

This is from last week from sequoia national park using the 645z with the 75mm and also the 150mm lenses

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Last edited by Fcsnt54; 03-29-2018 at 07:57 PM.

[itshimitis]

A couple from 2015...

Pentax 645Z and FA 80 - 160:

Mount Cook and Lake Pukaki



I'll be back in Sydney in a few weeks...



And much closer to home from Loughrigg looking down Great Langdale...

[sculptormic]

I recommend not coming to Berlin, then. I was born here and live here so I am allowed to say that... Southern Germany, of course, is quite clean.

---------- Post added 29-03-18 at 06:54 ----------



Where can one find your books? Are they on Amazon or similar?

You can order the book 'Opale et Albâtre 'on my site Michiel Schierbeek or at the publisher site OPALE ET ALBÂTRE ? Michiel Schierbeek - 99 Uitgevers / Publishers
click on the right on 'bestellen' to order. My next book will probably be published some time next year.

[yucafrita]

You can order the book 'Opale et Albâtre 'on my site Michiel Schierbeek or at the publisher site OPALE ET ALBÂTRE ? Michiel Schierbeek - 99 Uitgevers / Publishers
click on the right on 'bestellen' to order. My next book will probably be published some time next year.

Great! Thank you!

[Fcsnt54]

Here is a couple from my travels today, taken with the 645z and the 75mm lens





I was trying to see which one I like better between the color and black and white for the next one. Either way its hard to believe that these pictures are real, they almost seem like drawings or paintings.

[mattb123]

My recently acquired, bargain priced lenses seem to be performing well on the 645D.
I went out to an overlook near some of the remaining ice to catch moonrise last night.

FA 80-160 to replace one that was coming apart. Found this new one for a very reasonable price.


Arsat 30/3.5 to replace my old one that was also getting a bit loose. This one now has a Pentacon Six to 645 adapter living on it.

[rdenney]

My recently acquired, bargain priced lenses seem o be preforming well on the 645D.
I went out to an overlook near some of the remaining ice to catch moonrise last night.

FA 80-160 to replace one that was coming apart. Found this new one for a very reasonable price.


Arsat 30/3.5 to replace my old one that was also getting a bit loose. This one now has a Pentacon Six to 645 adapter living on it.

Oh, I’m so taking my Arsat fisheye with me to Alaska. That photo is lovely.

I have a 80-160 A manual focus lens on the way, too. $75 was simply irresistible. May not take that one to Alaska.

Rick “still waiting on the Z—may have to thaw out and use a box of film while I wait” Denney

[ivanvernon]

My recently acquired, bargain priced lenses seem to be performing well on the 645D.
I went out to an overlook near some of the remaining ice to catch moonrise last night.

FA 80-160 to replace one that was coming apart. Found this new one for a very reasonable price.


Arsat 30/3.5 to replace my old one that was also getting a bit loose. This one now has a Pentacon Six to 645 adapter living on it.

Great photos. Now that you are using Pentacon adapter, you may want to consider acquiring the Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 180mm f 2.8 lens, generally priced about like the Arsat 30, and then also maybe the CZJ Biotar 120mm. Two great lenses for the D.

[MFullana]

new to this forum but not new to Medium Format. For many years as a commercial photographer my workhorse camera was the Pentax67. After lurking on here for a while I ended up taking the plunge and bought a 645z system complete with a large setup of lenses. I could not be happier with the IQ coming out of this system.
Here is a quick shot taken in the Smoky Mountains National Park.
Pentax645z, 28-45, ISO 100, 20 second exposure.

[dsmithhfx]

Everybody: I vacuumed the dust off my my display, and y'all photos look 100% better. Thank you.

[texandrews]

new to this forum but not new to Medium Format. For many years as a commercial photographer my workhorse camera was the Pentax67. After lurking on here for a while I ended up taking the plunge and bought a 645z system complete with a large setup of lenses. I could not be happier with the IQ coming out of this system.
Here is a quick shot taken in the Smoky Mountains National Park.
Pentax645z, 28-45, ISO 100, 20 second exposure.

Welcome, and it's no wonder you are liking the output of the Z. I am sad that since the Fuji's release the Z has become the Rodney Dangerfield option. It's a great system, even with its several flaws.

And the Smokies, so dear to my heart. My family had one of the cabins up in Elkmont until the Park Service stupidly stopped renewing the leases. Really learned to flyfish there, honed my photo skills back in the days of film.

[tuco]

Some rocks in Utah
GX617, 100 Acros