Monthly Recap 🔴 Mar26
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
February was set to be a busy month with 3 trips in 4 weeks! The month started in Fuerteventura where I was teaching a multi-day Leica workshop (1:1).
A few days later I was due to be in Lisbon but the weather forecast was heavy rain every day. I just couldn’t bring myself to pay to walk round in the rain for 4 days so I cancelled the trip. (I don’t like rain and the whole reason for going was in hope of some winter sun for photos).
Having a breather after Fuerteventura was a blessing as it gave me time to develop my colour film. Later in the month I was back in Budapest. Sample photos and more info below, together with the latest YouTube videos, blogs etc.
Still loving Substack
After joining Substack at the end of 2025 I continue my streak of daily posts. Mostly I share “notes” – a few words accompanied by images, then when I get time I write “articles” which are more in depth and perhaps similar to my older blog posts (when I used to write-up my model photography trips and share photos – scroll down on the model tab to see the articles).
Share your Leica images
Are you a passionate Leica user looking to reach a broader audience with your photos? I invite you to write a guest post for the Leica Club (Super easy – just answer a series of Leica related questions.  An easy way to grow your social media following and you can write as much or as little as you wish).
Share your Leica experience:Â Get in touch and I’ll send you the template.
Leica Club guest posts
Below are the new guest posts shared last month –
- 1 camera + 1 lens for professional work – Ondřej Trojan
- A slower approach to photography – Thomas van Zoggel
- My Journey to Leica – Raf Lopes
Leica Owner? Join the Leica Club
- See full info here or enter your details below:
Budapest
If you read my “How to travel the world taking photos” article or my Travel Guide eBook you’ll know I love Budapest (and have for many years). It was time to go back and my plan was to meet a few models and shoot colour film.
I’ve got multiple YouTube videos in the pipeline sharing images but here are a few photos from one of the photoshoots – Dori that I know from teaching Leica workshops in Budapest in 2025.
See Patreon for the latest Budapest BTS videos.
Model photography eBooks
Always wanted to try model photography? Start today with my eBooks!
Fuerteventura workshop
One of my students was staying in Fuerteventura and kindly invited me to join him and his partner for a few days. The goal was for him to see how I work with models and how I would photograph his partner.
Having your own “in-house” model is living the dream and makes things much easier when it comes to working towards improving your model photography!
Here are a few BTS photos from our workshop –
A big thanks to the guys for inviting me and making me feel so welcome. (I lived in with them but it was a huge place so I had my own “wing” of the building).
Note – We already knew each other from previous Netherlands and Spain workshops*
I highly recommend visiting the Canary Isles for out of season photoshoots (for a better chance of some winter sun).. but it’s often easier to take a model with you, especially if you are staying in a more remote area, like this trip. (I’ve done 5-6 such trips over the years – see my old model photography blog posts).
London Leica workshops
My Leica workshops and model photography days are usually held in London and I was teaching more of both in February. Get in touch if you are planning a trip to London and want to get together.
(I also run workshops in Europe and the US on request like the Fuerteventura trip + a student is flying me to Dallas for a week in April).
Help via Zoom
Zoom calls let me assist photographers around the world remotely. Whether it’s new cameras/ lenses, portrait lighting techniques or portfolio reviews (like I did yesterday for Scott in Canada), I can help!
Read the Zoom testimonials and check my availability if you’re struggling.
Workshop survey
Complete the survey to register your interest in a MrLeica workshop near you.
Future travel plans
Here are my provisional travel plans. Maybe I’m coming to a city near you or somewhere you’d like to visit. Feel free to contact me to organise a workshop.
MARCH 2026
- Lanzarote – Photoshoots (Lanzarote – YouTube)
- Tenerife – Client work (Paid photoshoots for a previous contact)
APRIL 2026
- Dallas – Private workshop (Student invited me to join her for 7 days)
- France – Boys cycling holiday (I’ll be taking my camera of course)
- TBC
MAY 2026
- Gdansk – TBC (It’s been a while so I might try to head back to Poland)
- TBC
- PhotoLondon – Not travel but in the diary to meet Patreon friends
Coming to London?
Check my availability if you’d like to meet up while you’re in London –
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, SL 601, SL2S, M262, M10P + Lumix S9
- 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
View GearList for recommended products & discount codes
Film photographers
- Film – I bought Kodak XX for 2026 but currently shooting colour
- Cameras – Really enjoying the Leica M4 and Leica MP 0.85 combo
- Film Developing – I use 1:3 Kodak Xtol + dash if Rodinal in 3 reel tanks
- Film Scanning – See this video for how I scan film using a Valoi Easy120
- Printing – Darkroom prints in my bathroom – Mostly 5×7 + some 8×10
- Photobooks – Check availability + Receive updates
2026 Colour film project
Since joining Substack I’ve been inspired to give colour film another chance (as a B&W guy). So far the colour film experiment is going mostly well – I’ve shot and developed 18 rolls (using Cinestill Cs41 Simple Color powder mix). More to come!
I’ll write a full article + record a YouTube video but here are a few recent film scans.
Mandler 35mm f2 – Instant sell out!
Apologies to you if you watched my recent Mandler 35mm f2 YouTube video only to find the lens had already sold out. The factory was closed for Chinese New Year but the lens will restock in the coming days all being well.
I will post a new blog post with lots of sample photos (and Instagram post) to update you once back in stock. (I’m in close communication with Mandler so they are going to message me).
Note – if demand is really high the lens may sell out again within 24hrs of restocking but they are working around the clock to replenish their inventory so more are coming*
Follow the blog and/ or follow me on Instagram so not to miss the restock notification as I can’t message you all individually via YouTube comments, thanks.
(Psst – Mandler tells me that they are working on a 50mm lens next. Super excited for that! Good times!!)
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) –
New 28mm for Leica M – Artralab 28mm f2.8
FORGOTTEN GEM – CANON 100MM F3.5 LTM
WORTH UPGRADING? NEW VERSION II NOKTON F1.2
GET THE LEICA LOOK FOR £254! mandler 35mm f2
trying autofocus CANON EF lenses on Leica!
Latest blog posts
400+ written posts (+ full res images) to supplement my YT videos –
Patreon post (shared)
Join over 1000 members to see more content. Here are some Patreon articles you may have missed (Join us today!)(Patreon testimonials) –
- “Has premium film become just too expensive?“-Â Free to view
- “Budapest photoshoots x3 BTS” –Â Members
Coming up next month..
March should mean hopefully more daylight, warmer temperatures and ideally less rain. To increase my chances of success I’ll be in Lanzarote and Tenerife for photoshoots so I’m already planning what film camera and film stocks to take.
I’ve got both videos and blog posts I’m holding back including Mandler and the Light Lens Lab 35mm f1.4 AA lens so those will finally come out in March.
YouTube video – spotlight
The first video in March will be a lens that means no more hours of retouching (if you do that – I certainly don’t have time so I try to shoot “clean”). Also coming is the mentioned LLL 35mm AA video and possibly the results from my colour film experiment!
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