🔴 MrLeica – July 2023
Monthly Newsletter
Features
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Hi! I started the blog back in 2013 sharing my stories, experiences and reviews of various Leica, film cameras, lenses and more. Check out the last 100 blog posts and search all 400+ articles using the toolbar on the homepage.
What was I up to last month?
YouTube views and subs were down for the first time last month. They always fluctuate month on month but they were down maybe 20%. This might be because I covered less mainstream lenses, less popular topics or other people are just making better videos! It’s a good incentive for me to stay focused and aim to make better content. Other than that, I seemed to be testing lots of lenses and planning more for future videos to come. Lots in the pipeline! I also had one wedding to shoot, I’ll share a sample next month.
The highlight of June was being invited to hanging out with the popular Australian YouTuber, Peter Coulson, when he visited London to run his model photography workshops. I’ve never been to a workshop before. I’m self taught and was teaching from early on (2014). It was interesting to see how others work and it was really cool hanging out with Peter’s students chatting about cameras etc. More on my time with Peter next month and look out for one of his podcast episodes where I stand in for his assistant Bec!
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Workshops in June
For June I had two private 1:1 workshops requests. Sadly Craig had to cancel but we plan to reschedule. Hugo brought his Leica M camera and opted for a hybrid session. We spent the morning mastering rangefinder photography then the usual model photography/ portrait session in the afternoon. Hugo and I share many common interests so it was great fun hanging out for the day.
(NEW) Dates for Group Workshops & Photowalks
I’ve been promising small group events for a while. Finally we can start! Please contact me to secure a place.
Prices and group size may increase going forward so get in early!*
July 2023 – LONDON
- 29th July – Photowalk and getting the most from your Leica M camera (4 people £150ea)
- 30th July – Model photography on location, available light only (4 people £200ea)
August 2023 – LONDON
- 26th August – Photowalk and getting the most from your Leica M camera (4 people £150ea)
- 27th August – Model photography on location, available light only (4 people £200ea)
SEPTEMBER 2023 – TBC
Private 1:1 Tuition
Kick start your photography with a private 1:1 workshops. See workshop prices and testimonials
Leica+Model Workshops
Digital photographers
If you’ve followed me for a while you’ll know my preference for digital Leica cameras (over other brands) and simple metal and glass small manual focus lenses.
Cameras – Not much to update. Currently loving the Leica SL for portraits and the Leica M240 for street and travel photos.
Lenses – I have received some Sonnar lenses to test so look out for that and I’ll be doing some YouTube reviews on popular Leica lenses I’ve not yet covered (kindly loaned to me! More info to come next month.
Recommended kit – Leica SL! See my full KitList for the exact products that I use.
Film photographers
Film – I’m still shooting 95% 35mm film and 100% black and white. It’s mostly cold stored expired film stock.
Cameras – My most used film cameras this month are the Leica M3, Leica M4-P and 1931 Leica Standard.
Directory: Leica Repairs + Leica YouTubers
If you have feedback after a Leica service, repair or CLA I’d love to add it to the Leica Repair Directory page to help others. Equally, if you love watching YouTube, let us know your favourite Leica YouTuber channel?
Need Leica Presets?
My recommended photography gear list – https://mrleica.com/kitlist/
Latest YouTube videos
Below is a catch up of all the YouTube videos I published last month. If you’re new here see previous month newsletters for more!
WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME!? | Leica Summilux 50mm f1.4 v2 (Pre-ASPH)
CHIMPING is good – Here’s why!
My FAVOURITE Camera (2023)
Which was better? Leica vs iPhone
The “COOKE LOOK!” Light Lens Lab Speed Panchro II 50mm f2 (3 Month Review)
TOP 10 Mistakes YOU MAKE When Shooting FILM! (Camera Shop Reveals)
Start Taking ART Photos (+ Video). Carl Zeiss BIOTAR 75mm f1.5?
Remote Learning!
Latest blog posts to read
Only one new blog post shared last month (apologies!). I am testing lots of gear behind the scenes so more to follow.
Written posts to supplement the YouTube review videos including full res images. 400+ existing blog post articles.
Featured photographer of the month
This month I feature the new(ish)-to-Leica photographer (now using the Leica SL2 and SL2-S) Peter Coulson (again). Firstly, a huge thanks to Peter for inviting me as a guest to his recent London model photography workshops. Rather than write a few sentences about Peter I can go one better. Peter kindly agreed to answering some of my Leica questions (to him) as part of a new YouTube video to follow. Stay tuned for that and if you are interested in model photography definitely check out his channel.
Featured supplier/ gear of the month
This month I feature not a camera nor a lens. The supplier doesn’t know I’m writing this but I was so impressed I thought i’d share it
Following my new desk last month, for June I have another non-photo specific item (that still benefits my photography). I promise it will be camera gear next month! If you are like me you sit down way to much. This might mean not leaving the house very often (see featured Patreon post below). What I needed was an incentive to move! I thought I would get with the times and invest in a smart watch. I’m sure you already know but these watches tell you how many steps you do each day and vibrate if you’ve not moved for ages (and basically say “Move!”). I love routines and building good habits so I’m finding the watch makes me get out more. (As mentioned previously, I normally run, cycle, swim or gym but not much in between). Often I run or cycle with a small camera but recently I’ve been doing a lot of walking too. (You’ll see in YouTube videos to follow). It’s quite rewarding at the end of the day. You have new photos to enjoy and the smart watch tells you your steps, calories burnt, heart rate etc. It even tells you if you are getting enough sleep and if it is quality sleep (and stress levels!). Love it!
Meet my awesome Patreons
Each month I will feature one of my loyal (and awesome) Patreon VIP members. If you want to be featured in a future newsletter join us! Please welcome Steven Muns!
“My name is Steven Muns and I live and work in Dallas, TX. Outside of my professional life, in which I provide access to Alternative Investments to high-net-worth individuals (happy to help with that), I am a musician and photographer. At seven years of age, I started shooting with Kodak 110 and Polaroid cameras, twelve frames at a time on the odd occasion when my parents would buy film for me – mostly for vacations. Until 2020, I enjoyed photography merely to document my personal experiences and vacations, making no effort to learn the fundamentals. As it did for others in so many ways, 2020 represented the end of so many things and the start of others for me. It was a very dark time in world history and for me personally, which is one of the reasons that I bought a Fujifilm XT-4 in September 2020. I became diligent, passionate and even obsessive about learning the basic technical and fundamental aspects photography. A bit of a gear head, I bought too many X-Mount lenses and eventually came across Matt Osborne’s YouTube reviews and stunning work shot with the Voigtlander Nokton lenses. I bought the 40mm / 1.2 and adapted it to the Fuji X-Mount. Then I went all in on the M-Mount and bought a Leica M10p in September 2021. About a year later, out of nostalgia, I became film curious (can I coin that phrase?), bought a Leica MP and started shooting analog again. Although more than I could ever need, this equipment has inspired me to keep shooting, learning and developing. At this point in my journey, I am trying new things as often as I can. More on that shortly. My creative inspirations are broad. In my twenties I became interested in Edward Hopper’s paintings which resonated with me before and after I lived and worked in Manhattan, not only for the color and use of light, but because they offered a window into the lives of average people and how they managed living through the Industrial Age and the alienation and loneliness his subjects felt. Some of the photographers that I particularly enjoy are Ernst Haas and Saul Leiter for their use of color, Vivian Maier, Robert Frank and Walker Evans for their perspective on American culture and its people, and Greg Williams, a current photographer of celebrities who inspires me to be more of a participant in my work. Of course, I love Osborne’s work. It is beautiful, classy and consistent. Moreover, his content is so informative and that is entertaining for me. It is a bonus that I have appreciated beautiful women since I can remember. My mother tells a story about me marveling at Tanya Tucker’s “TNT” LP album cover in about 1980 as a small child. While I mostly shoot portraiture, travel, and reportage styles, I enjoy shooting interesting people more than anything. My current challenge is that I am working on developing and refining my own style. You can see that in the lack of cohesiveness and broad nature of what you see in my work (www.stevenmuns.com). I want to be patient with that but I frequently ask myself what I want to communicate with my work and with what degree of consistency. Nevertheless, I have had some moderate early success. In the Summer of 2022, I was one of twelve applicants chosen out of more than 200 artists of all types for a residency at Willow House in Texas (https://www.willowhouse.co). The photo book I created from that residency is available on Blurb (https://www.blurb.com/b/11251774-willow-house- artist-residency-2022). I have three pieces featured for sale in a local independent art gallery and coffee shop in McKinney, TX (https://getmefiltered.com). Samples of my work can be seen at www.stevenmuns.com and of course, my Instagram. The work and dialogue shared on this platform have been instrumental and vital to my development. More importantly, I hope I can contribute something to you all in reciprocity”.
Viewers comment of the month
Each month I feature the most memorable viewers comment. “Steve C” writes –
“My parents gave me my first camera when I was five. It shot 120 size film. I shot on all kinds of Kodak and Sears cameras. I shot on Nikon during college and after I graduated I bought a Hasselblad 500 C/M with the Zeiss 80mm lens. I even had the Fuji GS645S and the Fuji GA645 (I think they’re still in my room somewhere). I’ve shot on several Panasonic Lumix cameras (G9, GH4, GH5, S5), the Fuji X-T2, 3, 4, 5, the Fuji GFX 100S, and the Sony A7SIII and A1. So, I’m almost 63 now and I finally decided to try Leica. I’m so glad I did. In your latest video you say “If everyone could see the world through a Hasselblad, the world would be a happier place.” I agree. When I bought my Hasselblad, I kept wishing that I’d bought it 10 years before so I could have used it that much more. The same is true with my SL2-S. If only I’d switched to Leica ten years ago. They really are that good. Thanks again for all of your YouTube videos and for all the information on MrLeica.com. You’re a truly great contributor to the art and mechanics of photography”.
Patreon post of the month (shared)
To give you a taster of what we get up to on Patreon I here is a post you missed! Join our 200+ active monthly members and look for the 10% off discount!
Post: “You wont meet interesting people if you sit in your house all day” – View on Patreon
Coming up next month..
I have quite a few Leica M lens reviews to follow. I’ve been busy testing! There are also more collaborations to come from me and fellow YouTuber/ model photographer Peter Coulson as we both head to Europe! Stay tuned!
YouTube video – spotlight
You may have already seen it but the first video in July will be my Photoshoot with Bec (Video’d by Peter Coulson himself!). This is a behind the scenes (“BTS”) video similar to the 80+ model videos on Patreon .
