Salamanca in Black and White

The beauty Spain offers is its light... Some may call it strong or harsh, but it's also a challenge, and it offers a lot of situations like the one above, in which one wonders where to meter and what to do. Since I wanted to show the contrast and still reveal some detail in the shadow areas, I metered on the sunny spot, then on the dark, and negotiated a comfortable middle ground... only to give it a little more aperture.  The result is this (which still needed a little tweaking with Photoshop): a nice corner in Salamanca, with an unsuspecting pedestrian to offer the human dimension.  

This is a contrast of old and new, very often done and overdone... but I liked it and here it is. I was after the great display of clouds in the sky. 

The odd effect of the sun on old stone appears here on this detail of the cathedral of Salamanca.  Again, a metering challenge (which zone is brighter?).  I ended up taking a reading off the wall in the center of the frame, as I figured it'd be the most prominent in the final image.   

The inside courtyard of the Salamanca cathedral.  There's a number of small chapels and rooms around it, but the light creates a particularly inspiring effect in the corridors. 

Salamanca Plaza Mayor.  We were there a bit too early for the local "marcha", which explains the chairs unused and still piled up.  I like this image simply because it offers a certain geometry in the interplay of straight and curve lines, light and shadow, and an inevitable touristy or post-cardy look to it.  Who cares!  I saw it, liked it, photographed it and now I'm considering printing it and framing it and hanging it. 

I began with the interplay of light and shadow, and so I end.  This is Salamanca, a street on the way to the famous bridge over the Tormes river.  I was walking lost in thought, lifted my head and saw the shape of a house cut on a corner.  "Why not photograph it?" I thought.  So, here it is.

For the next post I may dig some images from previous trips or experiences, whether local or abroad, done with my M4-2 or any other Leica.  There's going to be a theme: metering.  

BTW, even though I don't find it absolutely necessary, these images were all done with my faithful friend, my Leica M4-2 and my Konica Hexanon 35mm f2, on Kodak BW400CN film.  No longer made, alas, but then, I'm switching to other choices and exploring other possibilities. 

Toledo Medieval Fest, June 2014

These images from Toledo (some sections and one of the June Medieval Festivals) are brought to you by:

My Leica M4-2,
My Konica Hexanon 35mm f2
My Leica Summicron 90mm f2 
My film stock Kodak BW400CN ISO 400

But enough with the technical babble.  Here's the goods!

This is the surviving mosque in Toledo, now a museum. 

View of Toledo, from a street that goes down to the Puerta Bisagra (Bisagra gate). 

The arches under which one walks to exit the city through the Bisagra gate.  This one leads to a small courtyard in which there's a statue of Alfonso VI (I believe). 

This very jovial man serves up churros and chocolate in the Kiosko Katalino, right outside the walled city, across from Puerta de Bisagra. 

Festival Medieval, in the beautiful park right across from the Puerta Bisagra. 

Band of musicians performing during the "Festival Medieval." 

This lady was not only the juggler and stilt-walker but also their gymnast/entertainer. 

The banners all over the place.  I thought they offered a nice abstract... and at the same time expressed very well the spirit of the celebration. 

Artisan/vendor at work. In fact, I bought a nice piece of jewelry from him... using a credit card!

So, these are memories of a town to which I'll return in the summer of 2016 (and I intend to make it happen), when I take another group of students to Toledo, with my university.  This time, I know what to expect, and not only will I take my Leica with again, but will probably pack my Summicron 50mm, just to see what happens.  In the meanwhile, I'll go back to my routine, but will return to look at these images (and others that I'll post later), and hope that you get interested in going there too. 

So long!