My favourite kit
Leica user and low-light specialist Pravin Tamang reveals his go-to prime lens for everyday shooting
Pravin Tamang has been a photographer for 18 years and lives in Darjeeling, India. To view more of his work visit www.pravintamang. com. He can also be followed on Instagram @pravin_tamang, where he currently has 10.6k followers
AP: Tell us a little about your photography background.
PT: I started taking pictures 18 years ago with a gap of four years when I didn’t shoot at all. I started off with a used Vivitar film camera and I’m completely self-taught, learning from reading and looking at great photographers’ works from the past. I tend to shoot all sorts of images and do not like to be boxed into any genres. Saying that, I love the streets and have an undying passion for the ordinary and shooting in bad weather. I am inspired by photographers across a variety of genres: Fan Ho, Sebastiáo Salgado, Michael Kenna, Don McCullin, Harry Gruyaert and many more.
AP: If we were to peek in your camera bag, what would we find inside?
PT: In my tiny camera bag, you will find a Leica M10, a 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit, a 35-year-old Leica 50mm Summicron and a 90mm f/2.8 Elmarit. Sometimes I swap the body and use my old Leica M9P, which acts as my back-up camera. Most of the time I don’t even carry a bag and use an external lens holder that locks into the tripod mount to have one lens attached as a grip (most often the 50mm) while the 28mm is on my body.
AP: If you could pick one item of kit you couldn’t live without, what would it be?
PT: For me it’s my Leica Elmarit 28mm f/2.8 lens. I could never bring myself to part with it. I simply love it.
AP: Did you buy it from new?
PT: Yes, I bought it new. At the time I was only shooting with a 50mm and needed something wider. But I didn’t know I would fall in love with the 28mm focal length, and this particular Leica lens.
AP: Can you tell us how you find the lens performs in use?
PT: For a start, it is a highly robustlens. This allows me to use it in any conditions and I know it’ll perform well. We all know how important it is for a photographer not to worry about their kit and instead focus on the creative process. Furthermore, it’s simple and ergonomically perfect. I don’t have to look at the controls, and that helps tremendously. It is absolutely tiny, discreet and most importantly versatile.
