Leica M6 Branding Studio Photos

USING THE LEICA M6 FOR STUDIO BRANDING PHOTOS

If you’ve been around for a minute you already know that I love using the Leica M6 for just about any type of photography work. I carry the Leica M6 with me on vacation, to weddings and into bathrooms for selfies. This type of Leica induced behavior is not a surprise to the average Leica Photographer whether you’re an amateur or have 57 years of experience. You probably love or hate the Leica and honestly, either way you’re welcome here and you’re in the right spot to see branding photos taken with the Leica M6.

Studio: Colorado Creative Collective
Camera: Leica M6
Film Stocks: Portra 800 and Portra 400
Lens: Leica M 50mm f1.4 Summilux-M Asph II
Flash: Godox

To kick things off I’ll give a little bit of the backstory here and purpose of this 35mm film only branding shoot on the Leica M6. The above image is a photograph of Katy who’s an extremely talented wedding florist and designer located in Colorado. She reached out interested in having a film only branding session that included floral arrangements, flash photography and the above ladder. Katy sent over inspiration for the film only shoot and I knew that we had to make it happen and I also knew that the Leica M6 would be the perfect camera for the job.

For some of you, you might be thinking a range finder style camera to do branding photos is the equivalent of using the Sony menu system, you know it just doesn’t make sense, it’s not practical, it’s confusing, it’s limiting, etc but in reality once you’ve used the Leica M6 for branding photos you’ll find out just how how amazing of a tool it is and how the simplicity of the camera can actually encourage the creative process - at least in my opinion!

Just look at the above 35mm photo taken with the Leica M6. It’s tack sharp, yet soft and colorful which also makes me think it’s worth mentioning that all of these photos were taken with the Leica M 50mm f1.4 Summilux-M Asph II which has a price tag as steep as Mt Everest but it’s worth the climb to get there.

For this specific branding session on the Leica M6 I chose to use two different film stocks. The first film stock is Kodak Portra 800 and the second film stock being Kodak Portra 400. In my opinion these are the cream of the crop when it comes to film stocks. Yes, there are plenty of other options and many that I like but if I’m going to use the Leica M6 I think it’s best paired with Portra Film from Kodak.

I’m a huge fan of 35mm film light leaks whether they happen intentionally or you’re weird like me and open the back of the camera to get some light. You don’t want to ruin an entire roll but done right you can slightly open the back of the Leica M6 and get some awesome light leaks like the above image.

Honestly just really loved the above layout and felt it fitting to share in this blog post.

Flash Photography with the Leica M6 couldn’t be any easier! For all of the flash photos I used the Godox Retro Flash that mounts right on the M6. I love the flash cause it’s easy to use, compact and very much non-intrusive which is crucial for my shooting style and approach.

Personally I’ve generally found that taking photos of people comes pretty naturally. I think using the M6 helps with that as it’s a smaller camera and helps you, as the photographer, come across as less intimidating and blend in a bit more.

If you’re interested in learning more about using the Leica M6 for branding photos or other professional photography work, I’d love to hear from you! Comment below or reach out to me on social media and I’m always down to have a chat. And if you’re here and looking for branding photos of your own, head over HERE to get in touch!