Stéphane Duroy spent nearly two years in the late 1980s photographing west African immigrants in Paris, in particular in the Îlot Chalon, a district behind the Gare de Lyon that had been home to different waves of arrivals in the city – Italian, Chinese, Moroccan – for two centuries. His series Harlem-sur-Seine – the title an ironic reference to the progressive jazz-age integration of the 1920s – won him a World Press Photographer award.
Revisiting that series now, in a new book of Duroy’s pictures, is to be cast into a place of extreme dereliction. From the early 1980s, when the Îlot Chalon had become notorious as the centre of the heroin trade in the city, the Parisian authorities had partly demolished the housing in the area, in an effort to make it unliveable, and prepare for urban renewal that involved a number of chain hotels and an extension of the station. Two drug-related murders in 1984 were used as the pretext to accelerate this policy. A New York Times report from that year suggested that the area, deliberately abandoned by the authorities, was home to 6,000 squatters, most of them Senegalese, who “coexisted with gangs and drug dealers”.
Duroy’s pictures got inside those precarious lives to suggest a whole language of desperation and survival. Children look out from bare rooms at bulldozers; washing is strung from windows of condemned blocks; men pound punchbags in improvised gyms; the cafes and the boucheries and the boulangeries are all boarded up. Sometimes, as in this picture, it is surreal detail that tells that story: the women’s improvised shower caps may protect them from Parisian rain, but the sodden phone book and the resignation in those eyes appear to render that day’s mission once again redundant.
Stéphane Duroy: Photo Pocheis published by Editions Actes Sud (€14.50); a retrospective of Duroy’s work is at Galerie Vu, Paris until 23 February
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on April 1, 2022. It has since been updated.
Giving birth is one of the most intense experiences and includes a rush of emotions ranging from anxiety and fear to exhaustion, relief and joy. Having a child is life-altering and it’s natural for people to document that event. When San Francisco photographer Lisa Robinson was giving birth to her second child, daughter Anora, she decided to take photos of the moments leading up to the birth as a means of coping with the intense event and to capture memories lasting a lifetime. She was both nervous and excited at the same time. She and her husband, Alec, already had a 9-year-old son and had been trying to get pregnant again for years. It was a frustrating and exhausting journey for the pair as she had suffered two miscarriages.
The pair had given up on having a second child and stopped trying after multiple failed attempts. However, they were pleasantly surprised when she got pregnant. It was a miracle as far as they were concerned. When it came to delivering the baby, they were both nervous. Robinson wanted to document the birth of her daughter and brought her camera along. It was also her way of calming her nerves. It started out as a joke between her and Alec, but then Robinson thought to herself, “Why not?” Alec was game and said it would be great if she could actually take pictures.
They asked the hospital staff if it would be okay and they all encouraged her. Her doctors and nurses felt it could serve as a nice distraction if she had trouble managing the pain or stress of giving birth. She soon realized that it wasn’t going to be easy to hold the camera steady as her body was shaking. She was in labor and she picked up the camera in between her contractions to take pictures from the room.
Robinson took pictures even when she started pushing. “Eventually, when it was time to push and I was able to take the photos as I was pushing, I focused on my daughter and my husband and not so much the camera,” she told Upworthy. Robinson photographed portraits and wedding events for a living, but turning the camera on herself and her family in such a moment was a surreal experience. “I didn’t know if I was in focus or capturing everything but it was amazing to do.” The pictures she ended up capturing were beautiful and captured the emotions of giving birth. “I couldn’t have had an easier birth,” said Robinson, reported TODAY.
After her daughter was born, she handed the camera off to her mother, who continued to take pictures. Of all the pictures Robinson took, the one of Alec breaking down on seeing the baby and of the baby alone really stood out. “Everybody was supportive and kind of surprised that I was able to capture things throughout. I even remember laughing along with them at one point as I was pushing,” recalled Robinson.
Robinson was glad she went through with it, especially considering all the memories she managed to capture of Anora’s birth. It also helped her through labor. When asked if she would recommend the idea to other moms-to-be, she said it was very subjective. One of the main reasons it worked for her was that it was centered around her profession, which is also her hobby—photography. It need not be the same for everyone else. Some might find it more taxing or tiring to take pictures while giving birth. But, if you’re into photography and want to capture those moments, then why not. Give it a shot. The only advice she had for those who wanted to try it was: “Don’t put pressure on yourself to get ‘the shot.'” She also said it was important to “enjoy the moment as much as you can.”
Summary:
The Leica Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 ASPH is a high-performance, ultra-compact wide-angle lens designed for Leica’s M-series rangefinder cameras. Known for its superior optical quality and portable design, this lens is favored by street, landscape, and documentary photographers. Its aspherical elements ensure sharp images with minimal distortion, while the lens’s small form factor makes it a favored choice for photographers on the go.
Introduction to the Elmarit 28mm ASPH
The Elmarit 28mm ASPH is an acclaimed piece of photography equipment developed by Leica Camera AG. As one of the most respected names in the industry, Leica is synonymous with quality, craftsmanship, and optical excellence. The Elmarit name is designated for lenses with a maximum aperture of f/2.8, while ASPH indicates that the lens incorporates aspherical elements to improve image quality.
Optical Design and Performance
This lens features a sophisticated optical design with several aspherical elements, which serve to correct spherical aberrations and other optical imperfections. The result is images with exceptional clarity, contrast, and minimal distortion. The use of special glass types also contributes to the suppression of chromatic aberrations, leading to images with true-to-life color rendering.
Compact Form Factor and Build Quality
Leica lenses are renowned for their precise engineering and durable construction. The Elmarit 28mm ASPH is no exception, being made of high-quality materials that can withstand the demands of professional use. Its compact form factors make it an excellent choice for photographers who require a lightweight setup without sacrificing optical performance.
Usage and Versatility
The 28mm focal length is versatile, perfect for capturing expansive landscapes, tight urban scenes, and dynamic reportage shots alike. The relatively wide field of view, combined with the lens’s compact size, makes it ideal for candid photography where discretion is key.
Comparisons and Market Position
In the market of high-quality lenses, the Elmarit 28mm ASPH holds its place as a lens that offers a balance of performance and portability. Its fast f/2.8 aperture isn’t the widest among wide-angle options, but it provides a good balance between low-light capability and maintaining a compact size. The lens competes with offerings from other manufacturers, such as Zeiss and Voigtlander, which produce lenses with similar focal lengths for the M-mount system.
FAQs:
What does ASPH mean on a Leica lens?
ASPH refers to ‘aspherical lens design’ which means the lens has one or more aspherical elements. These elements help reduce aberrations and improve overall image clarity and sharpness.
Is the Leica Elmarit 28mm f/2.8 lens suitable for low-light photography?
While an aperture of f/2.8 is not the widest available, it allows a good amount of light to enter, making the lens relatively suitable for low-light photography. However, there are other lenses with larger apertures that might perform better in dim conditions.
What type of photography is the Elmarit 28mm ASPH best for?
This lens is well-suited for street, landscape, architecture, and documentary photography due to its wide-angle perspective and high-quality optics.
Can the Elmarit 28mm ASPH be used on non-Leica cameras?
It is designed for the M-mount system, but adapters can often enable use on different camera systems, though functionality and performance might vary.
How does the build quality of the Elmarit 28mm ASPH compare to other lenses?
Leica lenses are known for exceptional build quality, precision engineering, and use of premium materials. The Elmarit 28mm ASPH lens is typically considered among the best in its class for construction and durability.
For further reading and research on the Elmarit 28mm ASPH, one can visit the official Leica website at www.leica-camera.com. Additional reviews and user experiences can be found on photography forums and communities dedicated to Leica and rangefinder cameras.
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Leokadia Głogulska is an emerging figure in the field of environmental technology, known for her groundbreaking work in developing sustainable urban infrastructure solutions. Her research focuses on integrating green technologies in urban planning, aiming to reduce environmental impact while enhancing livability in cities. Głogulska’s innovative approaches to renewable energy usage, waste management, and eco-friendly transportation systems have garnered attention for their practicality and effectiveness. Her contributions are increasingly influential in shaping policies and practices towards more sustainable and resilient urban environments.
