Retro Prague 6 x 6

Oct 2, 2011 by Retrographer

Posted under: 6x6 Photography, Black & White, Photography, Prague

It seems like everyone is throwing back to the 80s these days. I keep running into photographs that pop simplicity, geometry, atmosphere, beauty, feel and fundamental abstractness. Beyond the lasting memory of the performance itself I want my images to remain long after the other things have faded. Personally, I prefer black & white photography because it does more to evoke an emotion and freeze a moment in time than any other medium.

I am not using any post-production techniques for such photography to keep its uniqueness. Enjoy my retro post!

Photographs below are dedicated to my ongoing love affair with a German lady. She needs a bit more clean up, but I ran some film through and I like the effect. In 1954 came the Weltaflex. A postwar German camera from Welta of Dresden. It’s a nice TLR* (twin-lens reflex), and just the kind of TLR I would recommend for a medium format photography. It’s reliable and quite pretty, but it adds into your weight when traveling.

A twin-lens reflex camera (TLR) is a type of camera with two objective lenses of the same focal length. One of the lenses is the photographic objective while the other is used for the waist-level viewfinder system. In addition to the objective, the viewfinder consists of a 45-degree reflex mirror. The two objectives are connected, so that the focus shown on the focusing screen will be exactly the same as on the film.

The content is of course based on my own personal collection. Only a very few photographs are currently available for public, but fewer is better than a never-ending slide show. Majority have been captured in my very favorite Prague quarter where I lived most of my time. Prague number 5 is located on the left bank of the river. An area that has gone through major changes in its lifetime. From the middle ages, when Smichov was comprised of vineyards, gardens, and hop fields. The late 18th century saw the beginnings of an industrial boom, which eventually led to the replacement of gardens with factories. In the 18th century the quarter was also known as a “hundred-chimney Manchester“. Now! Office buildings pushed out industrial complexes while modern residences replaced cheap working-class housing.

Having said that we all have to keep up with advanced gadgets and technologies, most of my works and equipment is therefore adapted accordingly to objective reality.

If you have question about any of the displayed photographs or purchase, please do drop me a line.