When something is good it just keeps going
Your main camera doesn’t have to be a Leica, but it could be. Most people know I take a vacation to Croatia every year. This time I arrived a few days earlier than usual and ventured into an antique store where I found this Leica, a 1932 version, which I had no idea if it worked or not. Certainly it had not been serviced or cleaned in over ninety years. I bought it for a shocking 60 Euro and decided to use it for my entire vacation.
Me, happy inside after having found a 1932 version Leica IIIa for all of about 60 Euro!!! I used it everyday and only it.
I spent nine days in the other wise sleepy city of Rovinj, Croatia. It’s not the easiest place to get to. I had to take a train from Rome to Trieste, spend the night there and catch a bus from there to Rovinj. Flying in is really expensive. But when you get there it’s well worth the trip. The view from the land to the Adriatic Sea is breath taking. There are a lot of cool streets as well.
View from land onto the Adriatic Sea. Small sail boats litter the coast line.
Two young ladies pose and were happy to have been photographed by such an old camera… and old photographer.
Many side streets in Rovinj look like this, littered with old bikes and dirty laundry hanging out side after having been washed.
Two ladies are reviewing Instagram posts…
I didn’t just walk around taking random pictures. I choose to mingle a bit with the people at the Salsa Fest which was taking place in the same city. It was an opportunity to see how the camera and lens combination behaved while taking portraits. I expected the worst of this over 90 year old camera… BUT that 90 year old camera is a LEICA. I was impressed with the out of focus points and the clear shots of the individuals faces.
This Spanish dancer didn’t even ask me to dance. She asked to be photographed. She could speak English, so through a translator she asked no less then fifty questions about the camera. I obliged her.
I approached this gentlemen from the UK who reluctantly gave me a portrait. I appreciate his kindness.
Annamaria was by far the happiest soul I met from the festival. She is an awesome dancer and very positive spirited.
Angela is a beautiful soul I met while dancing. She politely posed for a portrait with my old camera. She liked it enough to ask for it to be emailed to her.
Last but not least, this is the shop owner whom I bought the camera from. She thought I was joking when I told her I was going to use it. She doesn’t know much about me, haha.
Anybody can take a picture of a person sitting or standing still. It was then time for me to move on to some action photos which I did. Most people are so tuned into the relationship they have with their dance partners that they didn’t even know I was photographing. Thats how you should be when you dance. Thats how you must be.
Free Palestine. I’m unapologetic about that and so is the DJ.
Unsure if she is smiling because she is having so much fun or because of how old the Leica IIIa is?
Cuban DJs going hard.
This gentleman was the best dressed during the nine days I was there. Every day was something different, no repeat outfits. He could dance too. Of course he is from Italy.
By far one of the best dancers I saw during the nine days I was there.
Nothing but passion and smiles on the dance floor at Villa Rubin.
Even bodybuilders on the beach couldn’t resists dancing for my new (old) Leica.
Now I sit in a cafe in th city center of Rovinj waiting for my bus to arrive in an hour to take me back to Trieste. Tomorrow I’ll catch a train from there to Rome. I’m writing a few words in a book trying to come up with a name for this blog posts. A group of four sit behind me and discuss their week of dancing in Rovinj. Apparently one of them, who is the one talking primarily, has been to the salsa fest multiple times. he said to one of them, “When something is good it just keeps going”… I know the feeling too.
Peace…. Rovinj, It was awesome!!! See you next year.