About one year ago, I made a decision in my life that would set a precedent in my creativity. It reignited a passion I once had when I first got started in photography. My first camera was my Mother’s Minolta X-370 with a 50mm f/1.8 lens. This was the camera she used in college and traveled around New York City and London carrying this camera around. I first started carrying it around in Grade 7 when we went on field trips for Wind Ensemble competitions. Many questioned why I brought such and old piece of tech. I had found something I enjoyed doing, I would tell them.

Around 2008, I got my next camera: The Canon Rebel XTi. I quickly got out of the analog film world and into the digital revolution. Everyone did. Film cameras were just not that popular anymore, and only a niche market thanks to companies like Lomography kept that style alive. The XTi is what jump started my career. I shot with so many clients using that camera system. At the time, this camera was spectacular with it’s 10mp sensor and EF mount. I remember renting large lenses and attaching them to the XTi. Or using an Elinchrom EL Speed Skyport system and triggering a Vivitar Thyristor flash with them. Good times, simple times. I miss that.

In college, I purchased a Minolta X-700. At the time I didn’t appreciate it because I was so distracted with school and schoolwork that I lost my passion. I was confused and unable to focus in my schoolwork. I knew school just wasn’t for me. In 2012 I dropped out to focus on freelancing. Eventually I purchased the Canon 5D MKIII. At the time, this camera was an absolute game changer. Simplicity at it’s finest. It got the shot when you pressed the button. I still use this camera to this day as a backup alongside my Canon EOS R.

Fast forward to this past year. I had just been furloughed from my job. I felt lost and unmotivated. Going from 9-5 to just sitting around doing nothing can take a toll on you if you don’t find things to do. It wasn’t until I started researching different cameras that I got curious. I knew that Leica was a brand that would practically outlive you if you take good care of it with a CLA (Clean, Lube, Adjust) every couple of years. I knew that it was a brand people are incredibly loyal to and it was a status symbol. Albeit it has some crazy fanboys, that didn’t scare me off. Then it hit me. I saw how many random camera systems I owned and I saw that they were just sitting there on the shelf, gathering dust. It was time to purge. I basically sold all of my cameras (tried to at least) and pulled the trigger.

The reason I chose the Leica M4-P was mainly because I wanted a fully mechanical system, but I wanted something that was within my price range as well as something that was built in the last 30 years. Now I know Leica’s can last forever, but for the price you pay, the M4-P is an incredible deal. Some may argue it uses cheaper parts because it was built in Canada and not Germany. But this is simply not true. The M4-P is built like a tank, and features a brass top plate and brass fittings inside to be able to use a motorized grip. Many people are just now catching on to this version and the prices have been exponentially growing since my purchase.

So with that story in mind, I am proud to present my TOP 10 images taken with the Leica M4-P. All taken within the last year during the COVID-19 Pandemic from May of 2020 to May of 2021.

For more of my analog film photography work, check out my instagram page: @Street__Grain

You can also check out my new YouTube channel here. A video featuring all these images is now live!