A JOURNEY INTO THE WORLD OF LEICA
Like being able to see through a magic peephole where the fascinating essence of life's fleeting moments is effortlessly visible, my eyes are suddenly fresh again with wonderment and fervent enthusiasm. These are more or less the same words I used to express to Karin Rehn-Kaufmann, Art Director and Chief Representative of Leica Galleries International, the effect of this trip I've taken with Leica.
Leitz Park, Wetzlar, Germany. In the state-of-the-art factory, gallery, museum and headquarters of Leica AG rolled into one gorgeous facility, after gazing at frame after frame of amazing photographs that neatly adorned every wall, I felt a bit unsettled. I would've meant moved, but it made me ponder about what I've been shooting all these years as a photographer by profession for about a decade. I didn't think that so early into this trip, my immersion into the photographic icon behind the red dot would begin.
Our distinguished guide took us through Leica's milestone cameras on exhibit, from the Ur-Leica, the very first working 35mm camera created by the celebrated father of 35mm photography himself, Oskar Barnack in 1913, all the way to models that embodied Leica's evolution into the digital era—with marked innovations that were ahead of the time of their release. Our guide and the rest of our hosts were tightlipped about what we were all really there for, but the rumors, anticipation, and excitement practically spelled it out. To coincide with 100 Years of Photography with Leica, and bestowing the 2017 Leica Hall of Fame Award to acclaimed photographer Joel Meyerowitz, the much-awaited successor to the Leica M (Type 240) will finally be unveiled.
Taking photographs
Wetzlar is a city less than an hour's scenic drive from Frankfurt, and it was particularly picturesque (and freezing) at this time of year. Along with esteemed Leica ambassadors and journalists from Asia-Pacific, we toured its cobblestoned streets. Century-old houses and establishments were embellished with snow and teeming with old-world charm—and as expected with a city walk with a bunch of photographers, our progress was slow due to stopping to shoot at every corner. I had a Leica Q with me as a review unit, and as a doorstep into the brand—and as expected, it took exceptional images with its bright 28mm f/1.7 lens and full-frame sensor, quite effortlessly.
More importantly, it made me shoot more spontaneously, as shooting with it was intuitive, and a joy to say the least. I marveled at its compact form factor, its comfortable heft, but most especially the depth and "filmic" quality of the images it produced. My newfound friends could sense my snap-happiness, and were giving me the "wait 'til you use an M" look, but I didn't mind—I was having a frozen field day. My highlight, was being able to shoot at the same exact spot where Oskar Barnack stood, and used the first working 35mm Leica camera to take its first photographs in 1913. And yes, I just had to take a photo of the same building he shot, which remained largely unchanged over a hundred years later.
A short bus ride took us to the quaint town of Marburg, where we spent some time exploring and photographing its 677-year old St. Elizabeth's Church. Wewere all just silently clicking away, in mutual understanding and obvious elation. Mindless of the -7 degree clime, we strolled around Marburg for more photos of the superb scenery. Before I knew it, my photographic heart was full, way before my memory card filled up.
A 10 in every respect
As luminaries, photographers, celebrities and lovers of the still image from all walks of life streamed in to pack the main hall of the Leitz Park, the program began, paying tribute to Joel Meyerowitz and his inspiring body of work of over 50 years, honoring him with the highly coveted Leica Hall of Fame Award.
Soon after, Leica chairman Dr. Andreas Kaufmann, together with its CEO Oliver Kaltner, presented to a thrilled crowd the much-anticipated Leica M10.
The culmination of loyal Leica users' wish lists, the M10 is a more compact, faster Leica camera that embodies the pinnacle of the brand's ethos and unrelenting quest for photographic perfection while being steadfast with the true essence of photography. The Leica M10 through its cutting-edge technology and extensive feature set succeeds most importantly, at being transparent—by eliminating any hindrance between the photographer and the chosen moment he or she has decided to immortalize exquisitely, through a photograph. A tiny fraction of time, as a visual keepsake for all time.
I gush, yes, from what I've taken home with me from this trip—for I was taken into a world where I've found once again, the inexplicable passion for taking photographs I once felt when photography itself was a bit new to me. All that precision, optical perfection, relentless innovation, in my understanding, are really meant to keep the fire for taking photographs, burning indefinitely. Fire ignited for those who haven't felt it, and rekindled to those may have veered slightly away from it.