LEICA Barnack Berek Blog: FRENCH LEICA CONNECTION

Today I have the pleasure to introduce French Leica Photographer Solenn Hervouet to the readers of the Leica Barnack Berek Blog. He recently submitted a variety of photographs to be published. Besides Leica equipment he also uses a variety of other camera makes and lenses. Many of lenses by other manufacturers have been adapted for use on his Leica equipment. For today’s gallery I have selected images that were mostly shot with Leica lenses, but I have included two excellent images that were taken with a Zeiss Sonnar 50mm f/1.5.

Solenn Hervouet writes about himself:

Some background info (not that much, I'm still a young man):

I'm 32, I live in France and I'm an engineer in scientific computing. I'm currently moving from Paris to Bordeaux, I was born in St Nazaire

(see www.flickr.com/photos/63722156@N04/sets/72157628916422967/). I worked for the automotive industry (Renault) and currently in the aerospace industry. I discovered photography at 25, with my dad's old Nikon F. Mostly by accident: I gave it for repairs as my father had problems with it, and when it came back working I tried it with an old Kodak Gold film. It was in May in Paris, the weather was nice, and I was instantly hooked. Sometime after, it ceased working again.

From there, I began with Nikon gear, and quickly went to Leica as I like its design, feeling and simplicity. I also began to love old classic German cameras : Contax, Exakta, Rolleiflex, ... I like the feeling of the chrome, engraved metal and leather. I'm not really a collector as I like to use my cameras (even if, the more I have, the less I can find time to use them all). I like typical cameras of the 30s/40s/50s : rangefinders, TLRs, SLRs. Their workmanship is impressive, and cannot be matched today. I even have a pair of Speed/Crown Graphic that I should use more. I'm always surprised of the quality of the pictures, as I often do not like the "clinical" sharpness of the more modern cameras.

I do use in parallel digital and classic cameras, as I have not learned the wet print process. I scan my films; it does not bother me as I'm used to work with computers. I don't oppose digital/film, they can work nicely together.

I still have a lot to learn in the technical part of the photography process. And I do not have a good photographic culture either. I just do what I like, walking around with some nice cameras. I'm still wondering what I can do with a camera, what "style" really means...

I would say he is well on the way to being an excellent photographer.

Leica M4, Summilux 35mm f/1.4

Leica M8, 135mm Elmarit f/2.8

Leica M8, Summilux 35mm f/1.4

Leica M8. Summilux 35mm f/1.4

Leica M8, Summilux 50mm f/1.4

Leica M8, Zeiss Sonnar 50mm f/1.5

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