waiting is playing

Today we went to Leipzig for an afternoon and I managed to shoot 5 rolls of film! It was particularly easy today, because we were walking around a packed Christmas market with lots of good opportunities to shoot. All of the film was pushed, because it remains rather gloomy and I wanted the ease of just walking and taking my pictures without worrying about shake. Now I’m really curious about the shots on all these rolls and as soon as we came back to our “base-camp” I prepared everything to develop at least two of them. The only problem was that I actually forgot my changing bag at home and had to improvise loading the rolls in a plastic bag under a blanket in the dark. We’ll see how successful that attempt was. I made sure only to develop the first two rolls taken with the Leica, where I was still trying to get the hang of the camera anyway. It’s unlikely that I’m going to ruin anything of importance on them, especially with the second roll where I accidentally opened the back without rewinding. Maybe I get at least a little glimpse of how I’m doing with the Leica. If loading the rolls in this lofi way worked, I might develop some more of the film too, because I’m not too sure how much trouble I might have getting my film hand checked on the flight back home.

The pictures I’m showing you today were taken last year when I still had quite some problems walking after my surgery. I wasn’t working on anything specific – I was just glad when I could walk a little without being in total agony -, so these are just the observations of someone who wasn’t really able to play all that much anymore. While shooting from the hip I tend to notice quite a number of things that happen in the world of the little ones, but in that period I seemed to notice them even a little more. There is nothing quite as mesmerising as the joy experienced in that world.

All pictures taken with: Olympus Pen E-PL3 and Panasonic Lumix 20mm f/1.7 ASPH.

© Lilly Schwartz 2013

© Lilly Schwartz 2013

Who says waiting for the luggage has to be boring?

© Lilly Schwartz 2013

© Lilly Schwartz 2013

So many different directions!

© Lilly Schwartz 2013

© Lilly Schwartz 2013

Again, all sorts of levels of experience.

© Lilly Schwartz 2013

© Lilly Schwartz 2013

Running is never again proper fun after this period. There is always a reason why adults run. Kids don’t need any reasons.

© Lilly Schwartz 2013

© Lilly Schwartz 2013

Nowadays people dress their kids like little adults. My generation might have looked awful in childhood pictures, but we at least were allowed to wear stuff in the silliest colours! These kids nowadays are too conscious of their appearance from a very early age.

© Lilly Schwartz 2013

© Lilly Schwartz 2013

Older brothers? I find that there is something gendered about this. In comparison she seems so much less confident.

Comments

  • Smashing pictures ! Your Olympus / 20mm Panny are practically an extension of your mind-body. It will take your filmic efforts time to catch up, Leica or no Leica — but I guess you love the fun of shooting film and processing it into scanned images. Good luck to you. I am so happy you have overcome physical constraints and can now walk miles; it speaks volumes for your determination. I’m in a similar bind myself, after suffering a slipped disc and sundry associated health problems, so I also see you as a role model in this respect. In fact, you look as fit and slim and agile as a 5000 meter Olympic runner — no jokes.

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