From the Archive is a regular column that features one image from our archive and appears every Thursday. LUCEO Images has a thorough group archive (keyword search bar, top right) and it can be found here.

This week we are featuring a photo taken by Kevin German for a story he did on Con Dao Island in Vietnam.

Caption:

Phung Bui-Singer, 34, right front, and Julia Le, 35, of San Jose, Calif., snorkel at Bai Nhat beach on Con Son Island, part of the Con Dao Islands.The 16 mountainous islands and islets are situated about 143 miles southeast of Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, in the South China. Photo taken Thursday, May 5, 2010.

About the Image:

“The art of exactness leaves much to be desired when it comes to my personal photography.  I like the quality of the unknown.  I relate a digital camera to the moment when I found out Santa Claus wasn’t real.  Don’t get me wrong, I mean most of my work is done on a digital camera these days.  But I prefer the mistakes that I make when it comes to using film … especially expired film.  

This particular image was taken with just that.  Circa 2006 I believe.  It was shot on a Nikonos underwater camera.  It was my first time using the 1980’s camera and I instantly fell in love with it.  Not so much for it’s ability to shoot underwater, but for it’s ability to shoot above.  The rangefinder is simple and straight-forward.  You set the aperture and the focus distance and let the camera do the rest.  The smoothness of the film advance lever puts a smile on my face every time I pull it.

I was on assignment for the New York Times when I shot this image.  I had spent two intense days with my digital cameras working and when I finally saw tourists snorkeling I felt it was time to do something for myself.  I highly recommend this camera to anyone … or any old film camera for that matter.  Photography is meant to be explored through the unknown.” -Kevin German