🔴 Monthly Recap – Aug25
Newsletter: Photography related posts, videos and hopefully a source of inspiration!
Flickr portrait of the month (Most liked)
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Founded in 2013, I share my experiences and reviews of Leica, film cameras, lenses + more. View the last 100 blog posts and search 400+ articles. Photos? See Flickr and Instagram.
Last month
July kicked off with a European road trip with Patreons, Tobi and Thomas. Our first destination was Leica Wetzlar (see video), then multi-day photoshoots in the Czech Republic and finishing in Prague before flying home. During the month I was then trying to get the YouTube videos posted from the lenses I tested on the trip. The last week of July I had an annual family getaway, this year to Wales so I packed a pile of lenses to test.
Leica SL2 + SL2-S presets
If you missed it, I developed a Leica SL2 preset pack when I owned that camera. When I then changed to the Leica SL2-S it was time to develop new presets. I’m currently shortlisting my favourites from presets I’ve developed for the SL2-S and I’ll make the best ones available in August as a full SL2-S preset pack. Check all MrLeica presets available here.
Leica Owner? Join the Leica Club
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Leica Wetzlar Photoshoot
If you are a regular reader you might remember my trip to Wetzlar last year. We accidentally bumped into Kim and did a few photos. This time I wrote to Kim and asked if she’d like to arrange a car shoot again during our brief visit. You might have seen these already but here are a few samples. See the road trip YouTube video for lots more photos.
Czech Republic photoshoots
If you photograph models like me, you may often get nice photos but sometimes everything just clicks and you capture some real favourites. I kept my camera setup really simple by using just one autofocus lens for all images. If you read the last blog post you’ll know that lens was the TTArtisan 75mm f2. See the video or check out the full blog post that covers autofocus portrait lenses for L mount cameras. Here are a few of my favourites from the mentioned video/ blog.
Model photography eBooks
If model photography is always something you’ve wanted to try but you just don’t know where to start check out my eBooks. The Model Photography Handbook is the book I wish I had when I was starting out. It answers all your common questions (I collected 1000s of questions from you guys for over 12 months while writing the book) and provides an easy to follow step-by-step framework to follow.
Leica workshops
Most of my Leica workshops are in London but I have been doing more teaching in Europe this year too. Get in touchif you want to meet me in London, Budapest or Gdansk. (I’m teaching in Poland in September and probably October too as photographers reached out to me).
I seem to be known as that guy that flies to Eastern Europe to photograph the local beauties after doing so regularly for over a decade. If you’d like to learn how you can do the same, join me! (For workshops I arrange our models, the studios if required and can help you with finding your accommodation).
https://www.flickr.com/photos/32681588@N03/10059533264Ukraine, 2013 (I’ll go back once things settle down)
MrLeica 1:1 workshops
The beauty of 1:1 teaching vs. groups is I can meet your individual needs –
- Lightroom+Photoshop editing
- Film and digital cameras
- Portfolio reviews + Instagram
- Vintage lens/ camera help
- 1 or 2 professional models
- Available light, LED or flash
- Try before you buy (lenses)
- Indoor spaces or outside
- Leica gear shopping (old&new)
Remote tuition via Zoom
My Zoom calls are like the face to face workshops that I teach in London. Some weeks are really busy then others are quieter. Recently I’ve had quite a few overseas photographers reach out requesting a Zoom call. Often I’m guiding photographers when they are buying a new camera or lens, or helping them learn how to master their latest camera.
If you need help feel free to get in touch and check out some of the Zoom testimonials.
Complete the survey
Use the survey to register your interest in a MrLeica workshop near you.
Future travel plans
Contact me to book a workshop. Here are my travel plans so far –
AUGUST 2025
- Brighton – Photoshoots/ Making content (See this video)
- Prague – 1:1 Photoshoots (Example video)
SEPTEMBER 2025
- Poland, GdaÅ„sk – 1:1 Leica Workshop (Trip to GdaÅ„sk video)
- Netherlands – Leica Workshop (Netherlands workshop video)
- Czech Republic – Photoshoots (Example video)
OCTOBER 2025
- Poland, GdaÅ„sk – 1:1 Leica Workshop (TBC)
- Budapest – TBCÂ (See last trip on YouTube)
Private 1:1 Tuition
Visiting London? Message me to request a private 1:1 workshop (see prices and testimonials)
Leica+Model Workshops
Digital photographers
If you follow me you know I love Leica cameras and my preference for film vs digital.
- Digital cameras – Leica CL (travel), SL, SL2S (portraits+video), M262, M10P
- Lenses – See all lens reviews. I’m testing a few I can’t mention yet
- Editing with presets – All my images are RAW + LR preset
Download Leica presets
View GearList for recommended products & discount codes
Film photographers
- Film – Fallen behind again for 2025 and still need to develop 120 film from 2024
- Cameras – Leica M7 (See video + Follow to see the blog to come)
- Lenses – As above, multiple new lenses in the pipeline
- Film Processing – See old newsletters for details on developing, scanning and prints
Directory: Leica Repairs + Leica YouTubers
Have feedback following a Leica service, repair or CLA? See the Leica Repair Directory page. What are your favourite Leica YouTuber channels?
Latest YouTube videos
Catch up on YouTube videos (Last 30 days) –
My first music video attempt (and comparing to model photography)
Is this the perfect analogue-digital camera? Epson R-D1
YouTubers are lying. Am I part of the problem?
Easy portraits for Leica fans – Autofocus 75mm f2 lens
2025 Roadtrip to Wetzlar + Testing the new Blazar Mantis 35mm lens
Simple Lightroom trick that removes unwanted lens flare
Latest blog posts
400+ written posts (+ full res images) to supplement my YT videos. Sorry not many articles written in June but more coming soon.
Patreon post (shared)
Join over 1000 members to see more of my content. Here are some Patreon article you might have missed (Join us today!)(Patreon testimonials) –
- “A change of scenery can re-inspire your photography” Sign up to view (free)
- “Don’t show everything!” Sign up to view (members)
- “Czech girls – 6 photoshoots BTS” Sign up to view (members)
Coming up next month..
Coming up in August, I’ve arranged a 2-day shoot in Prague with a model I met on my last visit to the Czech Republic. The plan is to shoot more film and hopefully capture some portfolio-worthy images (to go in a photo book at some stage). Patreon Tobi (see Tobi’s Substack) is also visiting me from Germany so we’re heading to Brighton to shoot some content for YouTube.
As I was away with family for the last week of July, I used the UK getaway as an excuse to test lots of lenses. Like all my trips, now I’m back I need to lock myself away to go through the footage and photos so I can make the YouTube videos.
YouTube video – spotlight
Talking of videos, coming up in August are YouTube videos for the new Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 28mm f2 VM and Brightin Star 28mm f2.8 (plus a few other videos I’ve been working on).
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