Photo Walk – A One-shot story

By Art Meripol

19 February, 2026

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One Shot Story

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Leica M3 DS Portrait Photography
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There’s a strong welcoming film group here in Birmingham Alabama and one of the leaders, Nathan Watson, has invited me many times to join in for their monthly film walk. I did attend one a year or more ago. But I’ve never been much of a joiner or wanted to shoot with a crowd. That probably goes back to my early days as a news photographer where we never joined any groups to avoid accusations of conflict of interest. I guess that’s not part of the world today.

A couple weeks ago the group met at a local brewery to celebrate three years of monthly walks. They held a print-swap and even had a band playing. I wanted to be part of the shenanigans and to share (show off) my just-the-day-before acquired Leica M3.

I had wanted a M3 for a few years but wanted an early serial number, one that reflected its birth year of 1954, same as me. I also love a 50mm and the M3 is well known as a great one for the 50. The one I finally found was a good price and is in great shape. So I loaded its first roll of film Tri-X headed over to the event. It would be the first time I used the camera.

At the event there wasn’t much to shoot. But it was so fun to see the broad array of film gear everyone had in hand. And the print swap allowed people to see others work as prints instead of on line.

I wasn’t seeing much of interest to me to shoot until I spotted the young daughter of another photographer. She was leaning on a table with a calm cool expression, a been there, done that look. I asked her if she would let me take a photo and she said yes but backed up and stood. I asked her to resume the same stance as before. She did but gave me the smile a mom would demand for a photo. I asked her to just look at me but have a quiet face, not a big smile. She turned into a little Mona Lisa for me. That was the second frame in the new body and with an older summicron f.2.

I only shot 7 frames in total but this is the one that feels most compelling.

 

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About The Author

By Art Meripol
Journalism degree. 13 years as a news photographer with a sideline as a concert photographer before 24 years as a magazine travel photographer and the last 13 years freelance for editorial and corporate clients. Official photographer for the US Civil Rights Trail. Now moving away from client work and trying to figure out what's next by returning to film.
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Comments

Geoff Chaplin on Photo Walk – A One-shot story

Comment posted: 19/02/2026

Lovely shot and congratulations on getting the M3, you won't be disappointed!
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Art Meripol replied:

Comment posted: 19/02/2026

Thank you Geoff. Sadly, the camera is gone. I am heart-crushed as only someone here could understand. I decided to have it checked out for a minor shutter glitch and shipped it to DAG. It never made it. Local UPS store and UPS both blame the other. It was insured but I will never be able to replace that one. Now if I can just get them to honor the insurance I paid for.

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Erik Brammer replied:

Comment posted: 19/02/2026

What a disgrace, so sorry to hear that. Maybe it would comfort you to print this wonderful photograph twice, frame them, give one to the girl and hang the other one in your home as a nice memory.

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Erik Brammer replied:

Comment posted: 19/02/2026

Or boy, as I then read further down below.

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Art Meripol replied:

Comment posted: 19/02/2026

I definitely need to print it for the parents. Great idea! Thank you.

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DeeDee Yelverton on Photo Walk – A One-shot story

Comment posted: 19/02/2026

Absolute perfection! Love it! Great job to you both on this beautiful photo!
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Art Meripol replied:

Comment posted: 19/02/2026

Thank you DeeDee!

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Bradley Newman on Photo Walk – A One-shot story

Comment posted: 19/02/2026

What a great shot! And (as I read in your comments), what a total bummer about losing the camera. I hope you are made whole. I absolutely love my M3.
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Art Meripol replied:

Comment posted: 19/02/2026

Financially I hope to be made whole. But it will always be a bit of a gut punch. Thanks for your kind words.

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Bob Janes on Photo Walk – A One-shot story

Comment posted: 19/02/2026

Lovely photo.

Although I am also, by nature, a solo photographer, I have sometimes benefited by joining with others and observing how they treat the same subjects. There is a lot to be learned from observation (and seeing how others observe).
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Art Meripol replied:

Comment posted: 19/02/2026

You're right. Back in my newspaper days I worked at a place in the middle of a newspaper war. It was always fun to shoot with the competitions photographer. Both trying to outdo the other knowing our editors would compare us with the other in the morning. I miss newspapers. Now a newspaper war is just one surviving.

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Jeffery Luhn on Photo Walk – A One-shot story

Comment posted: 19/02/2026

Art,
Great portrait! Sad story!
Maybe, just maybe, the camera will materialize. If not, I hope insurance helps you to get another!
Jeffery
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Art Meripol replied:

Comment posted: 19/02/2026

I keep thinking it could reappear. But afraid to have much hope.

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Gary Smith on Photo Walk – A One-shot story

Comment posted: 19/02/2026

I guess we're the same age although my M3 is slightly younger than yours. The Rollei that just arrived yesterday is also approximately the same age as I am but it looks a lot better than I do. Cute portrait!
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Art Meripol replied:

Comment posted: 19/02/2026

I think I said the same about the M3, that it looked better at my age than I do. Thanks Gary.

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Gary Smith replied:

Comment posted: 19/02/2026

I didn't know you were in Birmingham. I used to live up the road in Huntsville.

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Walter Reumkens on Photo Walk – A One-shot story

Comment posted: 19/02/2026

Fantastic shot, a great model, plus your photographic skills. Congratulations!
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Art Meripol replied:

Comment posted: 19/02/2026

thanks Walter. Wasn't she a great model? She took direction very well too. I think you can almost see the face she'll have as an adult.

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Walter Reumkens replied:

Comment posted: 19/02/2026

That's true, but you're belittling your own achievement. It doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the M3 either.

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Art Meripol replied:

Comment posted: 19/02/2026

And I was just corrected by my friend Nathan I mentioned in the story. That's not a little girl but a young boy. My mistaken assumption. I should have asked.

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Tony Warren on Photo Walk – A One-shot story

Comment posted: 19/02/2026

What a knowing look. Lovely portrait. If I can ever afford a Leica it would be the M3 I think. Good find.
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Art Meripol replied:

Comment posted: 19/02/2026

definitely was a good find. Hope I can find another.

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David Pauley on Photo Walk – A One-shot story

Comment posted: 20/02/2026

Hi Art, echoing others, I really love this portrait. There's a combination of innocence and wisdom in that calm expression that draws one in. Beautiful work! I'm also very sorry to hear about the loss of the camera, which is crazy. In Brooklyn the USPS is regrettably bad and often uses things (they didn't used to but this has changed the last 5-10 years), but UPS and FedEx are usually reliable. Scary to think of them messing up like this. I hope they'll be able to track it down for you.
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Art Meripol replied:

Comment posted: 20/02/2026

Thanks David. I'd heard of this happening only one time from another photographer but sure didn't expect it from a store I've been in for over 15 years and where they know me by name. I really do doubt it'll ever show up, as much as I wish for it. It'll be back to a search for replacement sooner or later. Just hope they come through with the insurance I paid for.

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David Brancaleone on Photo Walk – A One-shot story

Comment posted: 22/02/2026

Art, fantastic photograph!
Before the mechanical click, there's all your lived, embodied, experience of judging, checking, choice when not to: condensed into that single choice of yours.
But there's more. There's the special way you related to this child who heeded your art direction because of how it was guided. The result? That conscious look that is not self-conscious, not contrived.
That's what I see.
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Scott Ferguson on Photo Walk – A One-shot story

Comment posted: 22/02/2026

Terrific Photo!
Sad news about that M3, but it will either turn up or the insurance will help fund another one! I put Apple Air Tags on my cameras now after having a nice one disappear a few years ago. Not sure I would have included it while shipping for repairs, but I think I will in the future.
But the photo is a wonderful portrait that has soul, maybe the hardest thing to capture on film. Really good image!
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