Author: Randy Wells

LEICA Q MIRRORLESS CAMERA

This announcement seems more intriguing to me than the Leica T camera (16 MP) introduced last year. The Q does not take interchangeable lenses, but the fixed aspherical 28mm f1.7 lens is mated to a superior 24 MP full frame sensor that has the ability to crop to 35mm (15 MP) or 50mm (8 MP). 3.68 MP EVF viewfinder, video at 60 fps, macro mode availability, 10 FPS in DNG, image stabilizing, autofocus, autoexposure – all switchable to off. Ingenious. Continue reading “”

PORSCHE WINS LE MANS

Today, Porsche claimed its 17th overall Le Mans victory. The team’s 919 Hybrid #19 won the world’s greatest endurance race with Nico Hulkenberg, Nick Tandy, and Earl Bamber driving.

Porsche Team’s 919 #17, which was on pole with Mark Weber, finished second. Audi had to settle for 3rd after dominating this French event for years. Continue reading “”

INSPIRATION

The photographers I admire most are always striving to improve themselves. It’s possible to become complacent, once you have reached a certain level of accomplishment. But it’s imperative that you keep pushing the edge, to continue sharpening your critical facility and to immerse yourself in new ideas and techniques.

Becoming a better photographer is a life long journey. More photo tips on this site.

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MARY ELLEN MARK R.I.P. (1940-2015)

Mary Ellen Mark was by far my favorite female photographer. She was legendary for her unstoppable and compassionate approach at Magnum. Melissa Harris, editor in chief of Aperture Foundation, says, “She got to know the subjects she photographed very well, and she was able to convey who they were and how they lived, as well as a sense of their interior lives. There are not that many photographers who can do that.” Continue reading “”

NEW LEAF ’72T

Thanks to editor Randy Leffingwell and Road Scholars Magazine for showcasing my article on this lightly modified 50K mile 1972 Porsche 911T. It was originally built to special order with Leaf Green paint, tan interior, 5-speed transmission, forged alloy Fuchs, ‘S’ appearance group, tinted glass, and sunroof. Continue reading “”

ROGER GRAGO’S RIDE

It was an honor to produce a feature for my dear friend and fellow early Porsche 911 enthusiast, Roger Grago, who passed away last fall. My heartfelt thanks go to everyone who made this possible, including Terrie Grago, Mike Sofka, Scott Hendry, Dan Reese, John Esposito, Dick Moran, and Jeff Zwart. Continue reading “”

FERDINAND PIECH RESIGNS

A grandson of Ferdinand Porsche, Ferdinand Piech became chairman and CEO of Volkswagen in 1993. He turned the company around and added top marques like Lamborghini, Bentley and Bugatti. Under Piech’s direction, VW bought Porsche in 2012 and in the process became Europe’s biggest carmaker – just four years after Porsche made a failed attempt to buy VW. Continue reading “”

ON THE ROAD TO HWY 61 REVISITED

When Bob Dylan was growing up in the 1950s, Highway 61 stretched from Duluth, Minnesota (his birthplace) down to St. Louis, through Memphis, into the Mississippi Delta, and eventually ending in New Orleans. Along the way, the route passed the home towns of influential musicians like Muddy Waters, Son House, Elvis Presley, and Charley Patton. Blues legend Robert Johnson allegedly sold his soul to the devil for mastery of the blues. The location? Where Route 61 (now known as the “Blues Highway”) crosses Route 49 in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Continue reading “”

MECHANICAL CAMERAS IN A DIGITAL AGE?

“At a very fundamental level, humans are defined and shaped by their use of tools. Tool use is the basis of human culture, and the tactile experience provided by using a tool is profoundly significant for human flourishing. Ironically, now that people spend so much time in a two-dimensional universe there’s a renewed acknowledgment of the pleasure to be found in the aesthetics and use of beautiful three-dimensional objects. The mechanical camera underlines the quirky, humanistic qualities of instruments created by hand. Continue reading “”