5 Frames With the Leica M8 in Providence, Rhode Island

I walked about with this beautiful old box recently in the downtown Providence, Rhode Island area.

Providence is a small city bathed in colors from the work of the active arts community. Its history is checkered with corruption, a fact emphasized in the wonderful “Crimetown” podcast. I have been practicing law (and hoping to perfect it) since 1983. Originally my office was on College Hill, proximate to Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design. As of 2022 the office relocated to the downtown area, and I and my large cache of vintage cameras are glad for the move. Providence continues to struggle from the ravages of the pandemic. It is resplendent in parts and seedy in others. The renowned Harry Callahan, a RISD professor, spent a lot of time capturing the seedier end.

The M8 is a quirky bit of kit. Writing to the memory card is slow as molasses. The date on my camera resets when the battery kaputs to 1969 or 1970 in homage to the retro vibe of the imagery. The 10 megapixel camera tends to freeze up like a stubborn dog. A battery pull and insert solves that. High ISO images lean into the filmic nature of the camera with pronounced film grain-ish noise. Because of a sensor characteristic I use a UV-IR cut filter to normalize colors. The M8 has shortcomings, but it more than compensates with the brilliance of its CCD sensor. This classic camera is a true joy. On to the images.

I will throw out this interesting question for readers. Moodywarlock, the host of The Rusty Ruin Journal (WordPress) recently asked a question in this post https://rustyruin.blog/2024/10/20/green-machines-rusty-bolts-and-dynamic-range/comment-page-1/#comment-66: Is the unique look of CCD images due to a) qualities of the sensor or b) the way CCD images are processed using modern editing software? Check out Moodywarlock’s blog for images made (not taken!) using the CCD equipped Olympus E-1.

These images were taken (made, sorry Moodywarlock!) on a Photowalk around the City of Providence. I capitalize the word Photowalk because of my immense enjoyment of the podcast bearing that name. It is truly a wonderful and inspiring show, and highly recommended. It has inspired me to get out and Photowalk more often. I have no affiliation with the podcast.

The Photowalk started near my office with a conversation with a friend on his way to play chess on the Riverwalk Bridge. My Summicron 35mm was on the camera. The first capture, showing the M8’s color palette, is of a man reading a book astride the Providence River. The scene reminded me that books, once such a big part of my life, have melded into my iPad. I regret not using books to read any more.

I reached the bridge in time for my friend’s (wearing a tie) declaration of ‘checkmate’. Nick, a young film enthusiast, was watching the game and we chatted of experiences with film. Nick was shooting a Canonet QL XVII, a camera dear to my heart. We took one another’s portraits. A sculpture with the imposing power plant in the background caught my eye. I completed the circle with a shot of a parking attendant engrossed in his telephone in the dying light. In my view, people’s infatuation with iPhones has diminished the quality of street scenes containing people.

Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy the imagery.

Please visit my blog chronicling the travels of a Canonet QL17 around the world here. The imagery created by these talented photographers is nothing short of amazing: https://victoria862.com

You can also visit my blog here: https://victoriaslight.blog

About Me: I live in Bristol, Rhode Island USA. I started making pictures in 2009 as a coping mechanism in the face of trauma. The beauty of film cameras as objects of art is candy for this photographer’s eye. I love experiencing the progression of film cameras from crude to complex. And most of all, I love making pictures of beautiful things.

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