I have uploaded a few images from my recent scouting trip to Provence. These are scans of B&W prints, so I apologize in advance for the poor quality. I also shot several rolls of slids, but as I have no film scanner, I have no easy way to post any of them at this time.

Flame away!

Provence

Kathy

Cheers,

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), May 20, 2002

Answers

Excellent, by any standards!

-- Willhelmn (wmitch3400@hotmail.com), May 20, 2002.

You were scouting Provence and discovered Kathy? We should all be so fortunate. Nice shots all around.

-- Preston Merchant (merchant@speakeasy.org), May 20, 2002.

Ah, yes. And then there was Kathy!

-- Patrick (pg@patrickgarner.com), May 20, 2002.

I should have clarified that Kathy IS one of the models we will be using on the September workshop in Provence. I was simply interviewing her for the postion.

Ahem...

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), May 20, 2002.

I was particularly interested in the shots taken with the 135 Tele- Elmar...honest!

-- Paul Hart (paulhart@blueyonder.co.uk), May 20, 2002.

Good shots Jack. One thing though.... if they were mine I would've increased the contrast on them just a touch (especially for the open crypt and the pumpkins) to make them "jump" out at the viewer. You wouldn't be sacrificing anything in terms of tonal gradations because those shots have a lot of tonal range.

Just a suggestion.

Cheers,

John.

-- John (ouroboros_2001@yahoo.com), May 20, 2002.

All this talk about 'older' Leica lenses being the ones with the 'Leica' look. The Cloisters picture has all the Leica look you need, from a 35 summilux aspheric. Very nice pictures. Thank you.

-- Gil Pruitt (wgpinc@yahoo.com), May 20, 2002.

Superb work, Jack. The composition and execution are as flawless as your model.

-- Jonathan Silvers (jbsilvers@hotmail.com), May 20, 2002.

Wonderful pictures Jack!

I wish I could attend the workshop.

-- Eric Kragtwijk (e.kragtwijk@hccnet.nl), May 20, 2002.

Nice rack!

-- pinhead (blieb@sheridnaross.com), May 20, 2002.

lovely lighting and very very good skin tones. were you using any filters??

-- roger michel (michel@tcn.org), May 20, 2002.

Excellent work, Jack.

And, my condolences for the tough "interview". ;-) The workshop in Provence should be a great success with such film-worthy subject matter.

-- Ralph Barker (rbarker@pacbell.net), May 20, 2002.

Thank you all for the kind comments!

Paul: Sure...

John: The prints showed a little more "pop" than these scans reflect. If I find the time, I'll tweak the contrast in PS and re- post them for you.

Gil: I agree. And that shot is one of my favorites.

Pinhead: Never noticed...

Roger: The lighting was natural light at about noon, but I was in a courtyard where the light was naturally reflected off of the surrounding stone buildings. One of the shoots we have planned for these models will be in the rock quarry at Les Baux. I expect this will generate a similar quality of light... As for filters, when I'm shooting slides I keep my standard color-slide filter on every lens -- an 81B -- and I did not bother to take it off for this shoot.

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), May 20, 2002.

Ralph: Thank you -- I am glad somebody recognizes the sacrafices I am willing to make for the team!

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), May 20, 2002.

I love Provence - nice shots jacks!

-- Anam Alpenia (aalpenia@dasar.com), May 21, 2002.

Jack, very nice shots! I use to live/study in Aix-en-Provence so that area is very close to me. I cannot remember meeting/seeing Kathy there though...

Wish I could join the workshop but we're expanding the family.

Cheers,

-- pat (modlabs@yahoo.com), May 21, 2002.

Jack,

Good shots. The bullfight is in Arles--right? Kathy is a stunning model. Absolutely made for black and white. Am wondering if she wouldn't be more suited for studio than outdoors in Provence. But them hmmm.... With architecture as a counterpoint.... Not with Van Gogh's sunflowers, but with Cezanne's still lifes--hmm.

Best,

Alex

-- Alex Shishin (shishin@pp.iij4-u.or.jp), May 21, 2002.

Alex:

The bullfight shown was in Palovas. The one we'll be shooting in September will be in Nimes. The problem with the ring in Arles is that the original base collapsed into the catecombs below, so now the floor of the ring rests about a significantly further below the first row seats. This makes photography in the Arles ring much less appealing than at the ring in Nimes.

Cheers,

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), May 22, 2002.