Hey Paul., thanks for the vids. Am starting to do my own Platinum Printing and I found them helpful. As to what way to print, I would just tell people to follow their hearts, view the different types of prints and make a choice. If you really love something, cost should not be a factor, make scarifies to get the work printed the way you want to. For decades I was a silver gelatin printer, but now I believe like you Platinum is the way to go, there is a surreal beauty there. Also check out Salt, worth a look. I am currently in the process of printing the best photographs of my lifetime in Platinum. A great retirment project!

Condolences to you. In those portraits, your girlfriend looks like a film star from a bygone era. She's beautiful.

Which is not true. Taking a picture of a green bottle with the Fuji Monochrome setting …the picture will show you greens in the color of the bottles glass. I bet this is not the case with a Leica Monochrome sensor….?

Great video! I just recently bought a Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome camera and it's a fun camera. Still a learning curve going to a DLSR from mirrorless.

6:07 Better Looking Half, no offense Paul but that’s the understatement of the year. 😊

Hey, I just discovered this channel. I like your photos and monochrome/black and white is also my favorite style, especially when I shot street photography. I'll check the monochrome madness, that sounds like fun. 😁 Greetings from Berlin!

Very subtle comment here but I love that you are in colour, and the images in black and white. I know it's a little thing, but for me, it mattered.

Great video! I need to pick one of these up

I came across this site by accident. Thank you Paul. You talk a lot of sense and have reinvigorated my approach.

Hi Paul ,do you shoot on film when you are Platinum printing.

Do you know... does he shoot direct to jpg in black and white? Or, perhaps in raw then moves to color in editing? I have been curious what is the ideal way to obtain such depth of tone and crispness in my B&W's.

Not sure if it’s just me? Whilst I personally always thought you and your Q2M would see old age together, I am honestly gobsmacked that people are ‘angry with you’ because they bought one based upon YOUR images .. that’s a bit like me saying I want a Rolleiflex 2.8F because it will make me shoot like Viven Mayer or a Nikon F 35mm because it will make my images as good as if not better than Sir Don McCullin 🤦🏽‍♂️…. That’s madness!! Anyway old friend get yourself down the gym, pump that bicep, and enjoy your new camera .. 😂 -

Lovely photos! I struggle sometimes with extreme lighting conditions, like with snow, with my Q2M

Nueva supcritora,

Hi Paul, great channel and loving your wonderful imagery. Phil here from Ripon. Inspiring words, gonna get back in the darkroom lith printing . Also finally going to learn platinum printing at RJ Printing. Happy New Year, wishing you all the best for 2025

Paul thank you for this i am now a regular subscriber.

Havin worked security and dealing with a lot of homeless, ive always thought street portraits of the homeless would be nice. When you talk to them as much as i have, you hear so many stories and so much pain.

Ya, sorry mate .. fuck people. I'm not deleting shit off my camera. Ever.

Hey Paul, would it be possible for you to do an episode about business portraits? They're usually totally boring and unimaginative and there's certainly a way to do it in a more charismatic way and outside of the usual office locations. Thank you so much for your inspiing videos!

Why are you wet printing if you shoot digital?

Inspiring content indeed. I have been printing my photos in Gum Bichromate for the last 2 years or so now and I simply love the process and the end product.

Beautiful

Could not agree more with you but to achieve your mastery takes also a degree of genius to digest your inspirations and transfer them to photography. Great compositions and superb editing.

Very Impressive, Thanks

Hi Paul, thanks for the inspirational videos. Does your online course cover editing in mono? Cheers

Yep, I even find inspiration from paintings. 👍📸

Great photos. Great Video!

A delight seeing your photographs. Thank you

As young drummer I became absolutely obsessed with technical proficiency, it took me 50 years to realise that this is not necessarily the best way to develop, so whilst I’ve learnt my camera gear, I’m most definitely not hung up about technical obsession!. Happy New year to you and yours mate … thanks for your help on my journey to date … 😊 📷

Excellent video with great advice. You monochrome work is exceptional... great tones. Thank you.

I've seen many reviews of this camera, praising the look, the dynamic range etc. This is the first review I saw, someone actually knows how to shoot. Great images, great sense of direction and a pure style. I am impressed, and I am a professional.

I am very tired of ""I am a profe.." Why? Some non pros are way better!. I am retired. Pushing Leica is silly and expensive! I have them! My SLR film bodies are way better! A decent kit, body, some lenses, filters and backpack.Film can be more fun! BW the way! Price involved less than a lens shade, for that Leica-M!! developing tank next! If You Must go digital, buy the smallest and least expesive gear! I made lots of 20x30cm prints from 3,5mp ~5.6 mp!!Your images are good! But most are posed! You have your way.. me another.

what focal length u used for most of your pics ?

Happy New Year Paul! All the best to you and yours. A prediction - sometime this year you’ll revert to a Q3 43 albeit rewrapped in black leatherette🤔✌️🇦🇺

Wow! These photos are stunning!

Great video Paul - really motivating. Happy New Year!

Paul, what a wonderful inspiring video. I’m a retired guy in a small regional town in Australia and I have just joined the local photo club here. Your advice about keeping it simple and knowing your camera resonated so strongly with me. I’ve been jumping everywhere about getting a new camera and lens when in actual fact I already have a great little camera in the Leica D- Lux 109. It’s this strange wanting of something new that’s going to fix your shooting when in actual fact it’s how you see the shot that is the real focus. Thanks again.

Inspired indeed! Thank you.

Great photography

Great advice

Thanks a lot for your videos Paul. I’m working my way sedately through your Monochrome Masterclass and can honestly say that it’s inspiring and definitely worth much more than the asking price. The advice and encouragement, the example images and your thoughts and suggestions for homework are excellent. My first goal for 2025 is to put everything into practice and then print much more of my work. Thank you very much again!

Best wishes from The Netherlands.

Dear Paul, thank you for this inspiring video. I look forward to seeing you at the end of the month for another workshop!

You are one of the very few channels whose purpose is to promote good photography rather than photographic gear. In this day and age this is commendable. I hope that you could be make it work. Having said all these, I have heard that Sony have announced their latest 80 MP mirrorless camera which means that for the next two months we shall be bombarded with the usual annoying videos by all the usual suspects that why everyone has to ' upgrade ' and how the flagship camera of yesterday no longer can produce the goods, and no doubt all the others will follow suit. God help us all.

You made my day.... 🥰🥰🥰

Great advice. I shoot with a Fuji X-Pro3 and recently picked up the X100VI which I love. Fixed lens, small, discrete. Mastering the menu is key to simplify exposure triangle. I’ve set up both cameras to shoot in monochrome, and I use my images to illustrate and inspire my writing. Keep inspiring us, Paul, and best wishes for much success in 2025!

Dear Paul, I have given up the intention of trying to approach your mastery with my b&w photography. I enjoy your videos as if I were visiting a gallery. I will never master the gray scale so artfully that I could create such impressive skin tones - if not blank white! I love your artwork again since I've accepted my limitations.

👍👍📷📷B&W ,Bonne et Heureuse année 2025

When I shoot with a Monochrom Leica, I’m not looking to mimic a film shot. To my eye, the digital domain of my Q2M surpasses what a typical film photograph produces. The IQ is superior with excellent tones that match film. I can say the same about my previously owned Leica M9 Monochrom. I’ve journeyed with 4 film M cameras, the M2, M6, MP, and M7 (not to mention my Nikon cameras). None of these cameras produced better IQ than what I’ve gotten with my Leica Monochrom cameras. I shoot with modern digital Monochrom cameras because they generate superior image quality. My photography has evolved with the new technology. I understand the love of film, I’m an old timer, and I can say with all sincerity that the new Monochrom technology matches and surpasses what grainy 400 ISO film produces. With a Leica Monochroms (M9 and Q2M) you get cleaner images, with amazing tones every bit as good as properly exposed film. For those who wish to journey with film, there are tons of used cameras available for sale at a fraction of the cost of a Leica. I would suggest exploring and experimenting with these if you’re feeling an itch for film, and it’s a new experience for you.

When the days going to be longer I’m going to try to get out for a walk before work at least one time a week with my sl2s and the Summaron 28 and do some street photography in black and white. Happy new year Paul.