All rights to this photograph is reserved the photographer

This photo was taken in the small city called Rättvik in the northern Sweden. It is taken on what is actually the worlds longest jetty. I watched these three boys climb upon the bathing cubicle and I awaited just the right moment. They stood there for a long while and gathered the courage to dare to plunge. It felt like something out of the movie Stand By Me. It was one of thoose precious moments when you know exactly when the camera goes click that that the photo will come out just as you imagined it. In the end there were only two of the boys that dared to jump.

This photo is one of the rare moments when I have managed to really capture a frozen moment. But a good photograph is not all about a perfect capture. I chose this one because I think that anyone can picture themself as either one of the three boys in this photo. You are perhaps the boy who just leaped out, surprised that you dared to do it, or you are the next boy who stands in line not certain if you really dare to do the same, or perhaps you are the third boy climbing the ladder, knowing beforehand that you will not be able to do the jump.

Why I use a Leica:

I have been shoting with film for about one and a half year and before that I was a DSLR user like most people, taking photos with crapy zoom lenses and playing around in Photoshop. Im an autodidact photographer, but my background is that I used to work with video art, skatevideos and musicvideos when I was younger.

The reason I started with film was that my local camera store had a lot of old Leicas for sale and I just couldn’t take my eyes of them. It was love at first sight.

I prefer film over digital because of the look and especially the pace when photographing and developing and printing in the darkroom. I really like the fact that I got 36 exposures instead of an 8gig memory card.

I also prefer black and white over color because I don’t see that color would add anything to my style of shooting.

I would describe my style of photography as straight and authentic. My style is very spontaneus, I don’t like when people pose in front of my camera. I’m searching for the everyday moment to photograph and when shooting people or animals (I really like dogs) I try to capture that exact moment that just can’t be reproduced by me or any other photographer. I do belive that great photography is more a reflection of the soul of photographer rather than what’s in front of the camera. A great portrait of someone needs to be just as much a self portrait of the photographer. I really love the portraits that Henri Cartier-Bresson took. They are just perfect!

The Leica is a wonderful tool for creating wonderful art. The camera got all the technology you ever need for photography – a compact, funtional and reliable design and fast, sharp lenses.

A Leica lasts a lifetime and the only thing one would ever miss is a light meter if the one you’ve got is an older model. They are also very fun to collect and to discuss with other Leica enthusiasts. I guess you can find a Leica friend wherever you go in the world. The best feature on the Leica is the frames, it really changes your style of shoting compared to an SLR.

I currently own two Leicas – the M2 and an M6 TTL and a Leica CL. They are all marvelous, but I mostly use my M6 TTL with a grip and a soft release equipped with either of my two Summicrons – a 50mm type III and the 40mm. Those lenses both give me just the old school look that I want. The look of the Summicron is just pure magic. The 50mm is just perfect for me, but sometimes I like the 40mm for more close up photos of people. Im not really into wider lenses than the 40mm.

Håkan Wramner is 30 years old, living in Stockholm, Sweden. Please visit his Flickr photostream where you will find many more great Leica shots.

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