CONTENT
DIETER BLUM
4
Flying legs, flowing fabrics and the Digital-Modul-R –
photographer Dieter Blum stages movement in aesthetic imagery
R SYSTEM DIGITAL
6
The Digital-Modul-R turns Leica’s R system into a flexible solution
for those wanting to photograph both traditionally and digitally
UWE DÜRIGEN
16
The photojournalist shows inspiring pictures from a trip to India
and explains what he loves about the digital R
R LENSES
22
The lenses are at the heart of the Leica R system, regardless of
whether one uses them with film or the Digital-Modul-R
GARY FAYE
26
Immediate results and more time for experimentation: the American
landscape photographer is thrilled by the Digital-Modul-R
THE RAW WORKFLOW
28
After exposure, the sensor data has to be formed into a
presentable picture. We explain how it is done
BERNARD RICHEBÉ
36
The face of the suburbs – the Parisian photographer interprets it
in black and white and demonstrates his approach
IN THE STUDIO
42
The cover shot was of course taken with the Digital-Modul-R.
We show in great detail how the picture was prepared for print
TANGIBLE PICTURES
48
With a bit of preparatory work, photo printers and exposure
services can deliver high quality pictures on paper
JAMES VAN LEUVEN
52
Of large landscapes and small animals – the Dutch photographer
captures the wonders of nature in fascinating images
IMPRINT
58
Cover photo: Joerg
Schwalfenberg, Hair/Makeup:
Martin Schmid/Optics,
Model: Flavia Lang/
Modelwerk; special thanks
to Briese Studios, Hamburg
The Digital-Modul-R turns
the R9 into a professional
digital camera with brilliant
photo quality
DEAR READERS
In this special edition on the Digital-Modul-R
we present to you, in addition to an abundance
of information on Leica’s professional digital
system, the related digital work of several
prominent photographers. In asking them what
their impression was of the Digital-Modul-R
the answers we received were at times quite
astonishing. Our thinking was that most would be
drawing upon digital photography for sideline
projects, never actually believing that it could
facilitate expression just as effectively as with
the time-honoured medium of film.
It turns out that the majority have become
completely engrossed in digital photography.
Occasionally, it sounded as though they were
beginning to remember film as an old friend to
whom they had only little contact. French
photographer Bernard Richebé, for instance,
whose black and white work is featured starting
page 36, experienced digital technology as a
liberating kick, providing his creativity with new
impulses. German photographer Uwe Dürigen,
who at first had to be talked into giving the Digital-
Modul-R a try, is now so convinced by its quality
that he goes as far as to travel with a battery
charging emergency generator.
Now and again a sceptic will express how
digital pictures lack soul. But hand to heart:
both film and sensor are technical procedures
for image making, and technology itself does not
have a soul. Should one ascribe this quality to
film, then perhaps it refers to the aura that arises
due to the fact that our collective memory was
largely moulded by film. In the end, however,
it’s really up to the photographer, whose skill
ultimately defines the character of a picture.
In this sense, enjoy the read!
THE EDITORS
EDITORIAL
DMR /2006 LFI 3
21045_E_03_content.QXD 14.06.2006 18:34 Uhr Seite 3