One photo a day: "To the Light"

For some time, I post regularly on Google+ Photographic Society. Preferably in the category: "One photo a day". There you can upload your current favorite picture of today. I think the idea is so good, that I will post here on my website also now and then my current favorite picture. Today something from the spring: a dandelion flower that has grown in the midst of on a large concrete parking area. Taken with a Sony NEX and the fantastic Canon FD 100mm f/4.0 Macro at open aperture.

Frank Stella - monotonous controversies and views from Jena

Jena houses since 1996, five sculptures of the 76-year old cigar smoker and world-renowned painter and sculptor Frank Stella. Contrary else experienced subtle restraint which stands against everything related to the Jena Zeiss factories, the natives are across all intellectual and age groups not quite unanimous in their assessment of these works of art. Some would like to see if the garbage disposal would rapidly create irreversible facts, others raving with joy that  especially in the Thuringian province the entire Hudson River Valley Series of the New Yorker artist Stella on Ernst-Abbe-Platz was screwed.

Students between the cafeteria and auditorium take it kindly left. They waste no unnecessary look at it: the artworks are just part of the urban environment of Jena.

Stella is itself highly honored: his works are all really important museums of the world. 

Recently, U.S. President Barack Obama has honored the artist for his life's work with the "National Medal of Arts". This is the accolade for an American artist.

At the moment, his recent art works are on display in the old Jena tram depot in a special exhibition.Because Stella is a generous patron in contrast to the greedy personal or communal descendants of various old masters, the visit of the show is free.

While the contrast agent for computed tomography unfolded its effect, I had a freetime of half an hour for me to look at the sculptures and all around at the Abbe-Platz. In this time i snap some fotos with my old little Canon- camera.

Meeting of horror in the gas engine

Today some pictures for fun and technically minded people. My friends and I have visited a few days ago an ancient gas machine that already since the 19th century provides the energy for a nearby steel mill and the people of the neighborhood. That part is really antique and worth a visit. Guys, if you are somewhere nearby, you have a look at that ! We were only a little more than an hour in there but we had a lot of fun together. Here are the pictures. All with my Canon EOS-M and the Leica-like Voigtlaenders 15mm and 35mm.

Update on our neighboring planet Mars

Just sent from the Mars rover "Curiosity": A 4-Gigapixel panorama for any enlarge: Klick. 

The Leica/ Leitz Elmar-C 90mm f/4.0 adapted on the Canon EOS-M

For the classic short telephoto range between 85 mm and 135 mm, there is a variety of lenses that can be adapted to a system camera.

The ideal lens should have a good to very good optical quality with a wide aperture. And on top of that they should be as light and small. If it would have not to be too expensive, then the selection is reduced to a few lenses. A good decision is the Leitz Elmar-C 90mm with a maximum aperture of f/4.0.

It is only used to acquire and the price is significantly lower then 300, - Euro. For a Leica lens is a real bargain. The Elmar-C was made in the period between 1973 and 1978 for the Leica CL system. It weighs only 246 grams and has a length of 61 mm with a maximum diameter of 51 mm. The minimum focus distance is one meter. A collapsible rubber lens hood is usually included with the system. That does not look very nice, but it is very effective.

It is already at full aperture used very well. Stopping down to 5.6 or 8.0, the image quality and sharpness is just about perfect.

Aperture ring and focus ring can be operated very well. Focusing is easy and hassle free.

Note: you should not use a commercially available 39mm filters. The lens has a rare filter thread pitch of 0.75 instead of the normal 0.5 pitch. If you put on too tight, the thread is destroyed irrevocably.

Heading to the streets and squares of Erfurt

On Saturday we have made uncertain Erfurt. The air was cold and wet, but the atmosphere was good. Just before Easter, many locals and tourists on the road and have used their free time for shopping and strolling. Here are a few monotonous impressions from our walk along the tourist attractions of Erfurt.