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Go behind the lens of the Leica SL2 and SL2-S with cinematographer Bret Curry (@bretcurry) as he shares the influences, inspirations, and muses behind his visible journey with filmmaker and photographer, Nicholas Kalikow. “Bret Curry and I met in late 2018 and instantly discovered we shared a really related set of influences and philosophies relating to cinema and pictures,” defined Nicholas. “We shortly found that we have been each drawn to Leica to create our visible tales, and have been collaborating on varied initiatives shot on Leica cameras and lenses ever since. When the SL2-S got here out I used to be completely smitten, Bret instructed me that if I wished to purchase the SL2-S, he’d fortunately take the SL2 off my palms. We took a couple of minutes earlier than capturing our ‘NEBULA’ mission to speak cameras.”
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Nicholas: You have been generally known as the Q photographer, what has SL2 given you that Q couldn’t?Bret: I shot with my unique Q day by day for over 5 years. In my view, there isn’t a extra completely designed digital camera, significantly for somebody like me who feels most at dwelling capturing a 28mm and considers a 50mm to be telephoto. More often than not – and that is what I like to recommend to individuals – I shoot the Q spot AF, auto ISO capped at 1600, and at f1.7 (until I have to cease down for some inventive objective). Clearly, there are 100 other ways you would shoot with the Q however that is my favourite. With the Leica Q, the extent of high quality you get in relation to the low quantity of effort spoils you.
I did nevertheless need the flexibility of the SL2 system, particularly as my work has advanced to 50/50 movie and movement. I used to be particularly bought on switching as soon as I used the APO Summicron SL lenses. That being stated, the day by day lens I carry on my SL2 is a 28mm Summilux-M – so I principally put collectively an interchangeable lens Q for myself. Some habits die arduous.
Nicholas: Inform me about how you utilize the SL2 and SL2-S for movement work and the way you construct out the digital camera to suit comfortably on a movie set.
Bret: The very first thing I’ve to say is how purposefully designed the SL2 and SL2-S are for somebody who shoots each stills and movement work on the identical mission. You possibly can change between the stills and video mode by means of the fast menu display and their particular person settings are maintained. That’s big, significantly while you most frequently desire a 180-degree shutter, constant ISO, and colour temp whereas capturing movement.
The beauty of the SL2 and SL2-S is you can deal with them the way in which you deal with every other high-end digital cinema digital camera – basically as a sturdy field with a sensor, lens mount, and some intuitive buttons that mix into the background and melds seamlessly with industry-standard digital camera equipment. I make the most of the Lock Circle Full Metallic Jacket 2 cage to encompass the digital camera with mounting factors and a rod system and construct out the digital camera the identical manner I’d with every other cinema digital camera. I output a really malleable log picture to the Atomos Ninja V recording monitor, though in-body recording additionally will get you a unbelievable high quality. The digital camera, monitor, and wi-fi equipment are all powered by one battery mounted on the finish of the rod system. Urgent the report button on the digital camera triggers recording to the monitor as nicely. Every part you’d count on out of a typical cinema digital camera – and positively far more easy than most DSLR-based rigs I’ve used previously.
Nicholas: What issues do you make when selecting the SL2 vs. the SL2-S for a given mission?
Bret: The pure resolution, when you’ve got the choice, is to shoot the SL2 for stills and the SL2-S for movement. I feel that applies more often than not, though the SL2-S excels in uncontrolled low-light eventualities and the SL2 shines in lit or managed environments. There’s a cause for each cameras to exist side-by-side, however you’d be nicely served by both in nearly any scenario. The Venn diagram of those two our bodies would present many extra similarities than variations.
Nicholas: Once I first shot with you and your spouse Pleasure, I spotted that she’s greater than your muse and favourite topic, she appears to nearly be a collaborator, are you able to discuss the way you guys work collectively?
Bret: Pleasure has been beside me whereas I’ve had a digital camera in my hand greater than anybody else, besides perhaps my pal and essential digital camera assistant Justin Scheidt. I can’t start to clarify how a lot she has influenced each a part of my strategy to pictures, and to life usually. She brings views and concepts which are fully separate from my instincts, and as somebody with a B.A. in Artwork Historical past, she has a sure visible literacy that may usually assist me with issues I’m caught on. She can be fully uninterested within the technical aspect of pictures, which is refreshing since I’m surrounded day by day by individuals like me who can’t cease speaking concerning the technical aspect of issues.
Nicholas: Your first e book, A Ghost Story: Pictures was lately launched this month by Mood Books. The entire photographs within the e book have been shot on the Q, appropriate? Are you able to inform me just a little extra about that mission and the way it feels to be a broadcast photographer?
Bret: All the photographs within the e book have been shot with the Q apart from a number of shot on one other digital camera. I used to be the gaffer and second-unit DP on the movie A Ghost Story, which was directed by David Lowery and got here out 2017. The making of the movie was a very distinctive scenario. A bunch of Texas filmmakers and another shut collaborators who had been working collectively on varied initiatives for the previous decade acquired collectively to make a small film with some very recognizable actors, one in every of whom was in a traditional bedsheet ghost costume for many of the movie. It’s not a scenario that comes up usually! The Q is the right digital camera for somebody taking pictures on set on prime of their essential job. I used to be in a position to seize stills that took benefit of the placing visuals of the movie and the intimate nature of the set. After a protracted however pleasant course of, the e book will likely be launched through Mood Books. It’s a fairly particular factor to have a e book printed and I’m trying ahead to the followers of the movie and its imagery lastly having the chance to personal a duplicate.
Nicholas: Getting again to the SL2 system, the Summilux-M 28mm as you’ve acknowledged is your “go-to” lens, however on our collaborations, you fairly often use the Summicron-SL 28mm, and also you’ve had a protracted historical past of capturing 28mm on Leica Q. What qualities do every of those lenses carry to the desk for you?
Bret: To me there may be nothing higher than a quick, sharp 28mm lens on a full-frame sensor. It truly is the candy spot: You get context however separation. Additionally, if you end up capturing individuals, you usually must get of their “bubble” to realize the framing that you simply need. You find yourself sharing an area with one another separate from every part else round you – there could be a sense of conspiring along with your topic. It sounds bizarre to say, but it surely’s a dynamic that interprets to the sensation of the picture.
Every of the lenses you talked about have distinctive qualities. I’ve talked about to you earlier than that the 28 Summilux-M feels has a distinct character than the APO-SL and Q variations, I feel it’s essentially the most classically “Leica” of the bunch, it’s tough to explain. The APO-Summicron-SL sequence usually is simply mind-blowing by way of high quality, significantly when the photographs are intently inspected. Nevertheless, 28 Summicron nonetheless retains that attribute Leica falloff. The 28 Summilux on the Leica Q is a marvel, and I assume as a closed system it’s tuned to the sensor and vice-versa to realize optimum high quality, significantly broad open. The macro mode with that lens can be a extremely spectacular achievement of mechanical design. Leica and their 28mm’s remind me of a band who adjustments their sound drastically with every album, however are nonetheless instantly recognizable as them if that is sensible.
Nick: If you shoot movie you appear to range evenly between colour and B&W, however in digital, you nearly solely shoot in colour? Is there a cause for that?
Bret: No matter format, I like daring colours and a way of heightened actuality, and that’s the reason I principally appear to shoot and ship photographs in colour. I feel it’s additionally a operate of viewing in colour whereas capturing digital and never having the ability to unsee these photographs in colour. My movie cameras are actually nearly at all times to seize “bonus” photographs on a mission that’s being shot on digital, so I’ll usually put black and white in to combine issues up. I’d like to make a degree to shoot extra purposefully in black and white on digital sooner or later, my subsequent Leica would possibly very nicely be a Q2 Monochrom or M10.
Nicholas: Do you ever watch movies and say, “I’m wondering if I can recreate that as a nonetheless?”
Bret: That could be a nice query. On a regular basis. I can specifically consider a current shot that I did of Pleasure that was straight influenced by Mulholland Drive, the place a shot of palm bushes dissolves right into a shot of Naomi Watts mendacity on a sofa. The mix between these two pictures by DP Peter Deming made an iconic double publicity that we wished to recreate. It was enjoyable to share the ensuing picture and see how many individuals made the connection.
Nicholas: Spielberg or Hitchcock?
Bret: Kubrick!
Nicholas: What’s subsequent for you?
Bret: Properly I’ve acquired to get SL2 on this underwater housing and also you’ve higher get your wetsuit on, NEBULA ain’t gonna shoot itself!
Nicholas: Let’s do it!
Take a sneak peek of Bret’s most up-to-date journey with Nicholas.
View Bret Curry’s Set Up
To view extra of Bret Curry’s work go to his web site, or comply with him on Instagram at @bretcurry.Try Nicholas Kalikow’s work on his Instagram at @nicholas_kalikow.
Editor’s Observe: It is a syndicated weblog submit from the LEICA Digital camera Weblog. And it is a sponsored submit from Leica.
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