Budapest | District V

Posted: December 11th, 2012 | Author: doug | Filed under: Budapest, dougKIM photography, Leica

District V, Budapest, Hungary; Leica MP 0.58, 35mm Summicron, Kodak Tri-X © Doug Kim

Széchenyi Chain Bridge, Budapest, Hungary; Leica MP 0.58, 35mm Summicron, Kodak Tri-X © Doug Kim

District V, Budapest, Hungary; Leica MP 0.58, 35mm Summicron, Kodak Tri-X © Doug Kim

Klauzál utca, District V, Budapest, Hungary; Leica MP 0.58, 35mm Summicron, Kodak Tri-X © Doug Kim

District V, Budapest, Hungary; Leica MP 0.58, 35mm Summicron, Kodak Tri-X © Doug Kim

Centrál Kávéház, District V, Budapest, Hungary; Leica MP 0.58, 35mm Summicron, Kodak Tri-X © Doug Kim

District V, Budapest, Hungary; Leica MP 0.58, 35mm Summicron, Kodak Tri-X © Doug Kim

Kádár Étkezde, District V, Budapest, Hungary; Leica MP 0.58, 35mm Summicron, Kodak Tri-X © Doug Kim

Tunnel, District V, Budapest, Hungary; Leica MP 0.58, 35mm Summicron, Kodak Tri-X © Doug Kim

District V, Budapest, Hungary; Leica MP 0.58, 35mm Summicron, Kodak Tri-X © Doug Kim

Balázs, District V, Budapest, Hungary; Leica MP 0.58, 35mm Summicron, Kodak Tri-X © Doug Kim

Gerlóczy Kávéház, District V, Budapest, Hungary; Leica MP 0.58, 35mm Summicron, Kodak Tri-X © Doug Kim

District V, Budapest, Hungary; Leica MP 0.58, 35mm Summicron, Kodak Tri-X © Doug Kim

Tags: 35mm summicron, Budapest, Cafe, Centrál Kávéház, District V, Hungary, Kádár Étkezde, Klauzál utca, Kodak Tri-X, Leica MP 0.58, Street Photography, Tattoo, Women | No Comments »

West Village | Cafe Doma

Posted: December 12th, 2011 | Author: doug | Filed under: dougKIM photography, Film, Leica, New York City, Writing

Cafe Doma, West Village © Doug Kim, Leica MP 0.58, 35mm Summicron, Kodak Tri-X

I love this girl, reading “Ivan Ilyich” at the prime corner table in Doma, her plain, blond hair parted dead center, falling in clean sheaves to each side of her face onto her black turtleneck. Her eyebrows are so pale that they must disappear in certain light, sinking beneath her milk bred skin. She is alone and her posture is proud, the book held high to her face, bathed in Vermeer light. The cafe is packed and warmed by the breath of coffee, condensation on the windows behind her, fogging the view of Perry Street into a pleasant scrim, a soft diorama of pedestrian blurs and an occasional bolt of cab yellow.

My macchiato is really good, enough so that I order a second. I never drink macchiatos unless the establishment has that snobbish, curatorial attitude towards its coffee beans and service that make it worthwhile. This four dollar cup is exceptional with its perfect dollop of foam on top of the sharp earthy espresso. I can drink coffee that has been cooking on an office burner all day long or 36oz styrofoam cups from gas stations to slurp in a car with beef jerky, but I also enjoy the self-indulgence of a cup that costs as much as a meal. I stick my nose into my second cup, breath in and exhale to add to the warm, bitter, woolish flavor in the air.

I put my headphones in to drown out the “difference between LA and New York” conversation next to me. A speed metal riff explodes in my ears and I forward to something more languid as I sip my macchiato, scribble in my book and occasionally check on the Vermeer girl by the window. My boots are almost dry and I will have to leave soon.

Tags: 35mm summicron, Cafe, Cafe Doma, Coffee, Kodak Tri-X, Leica MP 0.58, New York City, Street Photography, West Village, Window | 2 Comments »

Cafe Doma | Ploy

Posted: December 2nd, 2011 | Author: doug | Filed under: dougKIM photography, Film, New York City, Nikon

Ploy, Cafe Doma © Doug Kim, Nikon F5, Zeiss 85mm f1.4, Kodak Tri-X

Tags: Cafe, Cafe Doma, Kodak Tri-X, New York City, Nikon F5, Portraits, West Village, Women, Zeiss 85mm f1.4 | No Comments »

Egypt | Cairo, Feb 26 – March 5, Part VI

Posted: April 3rd, 2011 | Author: doug | Filed under: dougKIM photography, Egypt, Film, Leica

This shot below was taking on a Friday. Spreading their prayer mats out in the street, these men took over this busy thoroughfare blocking all traffic. Some of the muezzin or calls to prayers that I heard blaring throughout the city were absolutely captivating, these strong voices, a plaintive wail calling out through the din.

Cairo, Egypt, February 2011; Leica MP 0.58, 35mm Summicron, Kodak Tri-X

Life in Cairo means days spent at the cafe, smoking sheesha and drinking chai. I was welcomed at all of these places and spent hours each day, chatting with the men, sharing cigarettes, laughing at their games.