OFFICERS

Richard Chalfan

(Bellevue, Washington) LSI member since 2013. Richard is the LHSA “Ask the Expert” for Using Vintage Lenses and Film Cameras and for Shooting Infrared with the Leica M8. He started photography with his father’s 616 Kodak in 1955. He was 10 years a Navy Officer, then a Boeing Engineer. He acquired his first Leica in 1972. He shot some professionally in the 80’s, including being an official photographer for Regan’s inaugurations. He currently shoots mostly with an M10 and a Leica A, but occasionally with 22 different Leica models and many other antique and classic cameras.

Amitava (Chats) Chatterjee

(Manassas, VA) (LSI Member since 2018). Chats is a management consultant and global CMO of his consulting and systems integration firm. He has been taking photos since 1978 when his father gifted him a Nikon F1. He is an active Leicaphile, enjoys street photography and extensively uses his M6, M9, M Monochrom, M10, M10-R, M10 Monochrom and SL2. He wants an M8.

Michael Crutcher

of Seattle and Prospect, KY, is a retired lawyer and business executive. His first 35mm camera was a Leica IIIa, which he purchased for $60 (Elmar lens included) in 1962 after graduating from high school. He now shoots with an M-10, a CL and a Q.

Peter Dooling

was born in Philadelphia, PA and received degrees in Geography and Philosophy from the Pennsylvania State University. He fell in love with photography as he traveled the world while working for United Airlines and it has been his passion ever since. Peter has worked as a Leica Specialist at Leica Store Miami since 2012 and runs their Photo Workshops program. He loves travel photography and taking pictures of musicians and artists and ordinary people doing what they love to do. Peter currently lives in Carrboro, NC with his wife, two daughters and two dogs.

David Farkas

David Farkas is a self-admitted Leica junkie and an avid photographer since he was seven years old. He also owns and operates leading Leica dealer Leica Store Miami in beautiful Coral Gables, Florida with his wife Juliana. David has years of experience shooting with just about every Leica camera and lens made within the last few decades.

Tom Fey

(Oxford OH) (LSI member since 2016). Tom is an independent insurance agent involved in photography since the 1960’s. His first “good” camera was a Pentax he used while serving as a US Army Infantry officer in Vietnam from 1970-1971. He photographed professional tennis for over 30 years including 15 years at the US Open in NYC servicing as the assistant to the Russ Adams, Chief Photographer of the USTA and US Open. He once had a photo published in Sports Illustrated while doing the tennis photography. Presently specializing in “grandkids” sports. Currently he is using the Leica Q2, Leica M10-P and Leica M10 Monochrom.

Ian Hamilton*

(Lake Oswego, Oregon) I’ve been in the Sports Marketing business all of my life and spent most of it working at Nike. I’ve been taking pictures ever since high school and have always been interested in the process as well as the result. The first camera I bought was in the summer of 1979. I was running a tennis camp at Lake Tahoe and I bought it over the phone from a dealer in Chicago (Shutan Camera). It was an Olympus OM-1 and I remember how anxious I was for that package to arrive…. until I learned about Leica. It quickly became my aspiration and my first purchase was the first D-LUX. I now carry a D-LUX5, a CL and recently reached my goal of purchasing the M10-R. From the first photo on the M-10, I was amazed at the difference in the image quality from anything I had ever seen before. I’ve enjoyed my membership in the LSI as it has provided me the opportunity to engage in the various webinars which as an amateur photographer, I find incredibly educational and useful. *Note: We owe a debt to Ian for inspiring us to create the Sustaining Member program.

Andy Godlewski

(Middletown, RI) (LSI Member since 2009) (Member - Board of Directors) Andrew has been involved in photography since the age of 13. He currently uses an M-240 and a M2.

Gary Hough

(Seattle, WA) LSI President 2016-2018, joined LSI in 2009. Gary is a retired real estate developer. His first camera was a 1971 Nikon Nikormat with a 50mm 1.4 lens, which he still has. He spent years plying the coastal seascapes of WA, OR, CA, using medium format gear, and bought his first (of many) Leicas, a M7 .72 in 2007-also which he still has, and uses today. Gary has a large darkroom and needs time to return to those dark room environments, playing KZOK 102.5FM classic rock, and printing using B&W and alternative processes. He loves to travel to the LSI events for comradery with many LSI friends.

Brad Husick

(Medina WA) Brad Husick is the LSI President, serial entrepreneur, and 4th generation professional photographer with more than 30 years of experience as a 4th generation photographer. Brad's photos have been published in several magazines and in the New York Times. He was the mission photographer for the first private spaceflight - Space Ship One, and for the launch of the first Ocean Cleanup system in the Pacific and first river plastic cleanup system. Brad was also a professional sports photographer for three years. He taught for Leica Akademie. Brad would like to thank his late friend Ed Furia for introducing him to the world of Leica.

David Knoble

A CPA by trade, photography is David’s true passion. After teaching black and white film photography in the late 1980's at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he began to mix digital images with negatives in the mid-2000's. He still enjoys shooting 35mm film in two a-la-carte Leica MP's (0.58 and 0.85) as well as the Leica R system. His favorite work, however, are landscapes with the Leica S system and SL system. David’s focus is on the interaction of humans in the environment and the evidence we leave behind. He has also done some work in Bayonnais, Haiti to further educational efforts there. While Leica has become his tool of choice, the LSI has been a great personal experience to learn, to share and to meet others around the world.

Albert Knapp

Albert B. Knapp MD is a clinical Professor of Medicine (Gastroenterology) at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine in New York City. Albert graduated from both Columbia College and its College of Physicians & Surgeons and did his post-graduate training at the Brigham & Women's Hospital and the Harvard Medical School. He is also a fellow in Virology at the Pasteur Institute in Paris and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations in New York.

Albert is also an avid photographer and was a longstanding S/S2 user but recently made the switch to the SL2.

Bob Levite

Bob is a lifelong photographer currently living and traveling from Miami, Florida. He switched from Nikon to Leica M's in the early 1990's, currently shooting with an M10, M6, and Q. He considers himself a "people and travel" photographer with an emphasis on "Street Photography." He is a retired Marketing Executive and studied with Ansel Adams, Mary Ellen Mark, Peter Turnley, and Craig Semetko. His wife Joanne and he have traveled to all 7 continents and to 75 countries...so far! Please visit him at www.boblevitephotography.com

Lars Netopil

(Wetzlar, Germany) (LSI member since 1986). Lars is a Leica enthusiast since he was 14 years old. His first Leica was a Leica R4 mot electronic which he bought new then and which became the first piece of his collection. Lars is vice president of "Leica Historica e.V." in Germany, has published a number of books on the history of Leica, latest the “MUSEUM LEICA“ book about the items in the Factory Museum Collection (2018), which was awarded by the Germany Photo Book Prize in gold. Lars is owner of Lars Netopil Classic Cameras (the Leica Store in old town Wetzlar), as well as co-founder and -owner of “Wetzlar Camera Auctions”.

Ritu Raj

(San Francisco, CA) (LSI member since 2019) Ritu is a senior executive and an entrepreneur (founded companies like Avasta, WagHotels and SideCar), his dad gave him his first camera at the age of 8, a Topcon with 3 lenses, Wide/ Normal and Tele, and setup a darkroom in the house... in teens he drifted away from his passion of photography, and 5 years ago is back at it renewed passion. He now shoots with M10M/ M10R/ S3 and SL2...

Jim Rice

is an Indiana-based photographer whose roots in photography go back to the days of black and white film in the late 1950's. His mother was an aspiring artist who introduced him to photography when he was 6 years old. His goal is to document the ordinary moments of life that are often taken for granted that are simply part of the human condition. James uses a Q2 Monochrom and M10 Monochrom as his primary cameras, along with an SL2 when color is a necessary element in a photograph. James has published three books, "Second Look", "Chicago Avenue", and "Real Cuba".

Tony Rose

Tony Rose has been in the retail photographic industry since 1969 and has full knowledge of all photographic equipment with an emphasis on Leica, Hasselblad, Zeiss, Ricoh and Pentax. Popflash's reputation has always been based on providing the best customer service possible and at Popflash Photo we maintain that philosophy with our motto "questions and answers are always free.”

Bill Royce

LSI member since 2007, living in Prescott, AZ. Retired Boeing test pilot and former Air Force pilot. Photographing since the early 1960s when I was given a Yashica twin lens reflex. My primary interest is street photography and also enjoy scenic photography. I have won several awards at local art shows and have published several books. My web site is williamfroyce.zenfolio.com. I currently shoot with an M10 Monochrom, SL2 and occasionally a Q2. I also own an M3 and M6J and occasionally shoot with film. I teach classes in Lightroom, Adobe Camera Raw, Street Photography and Silver Efex Pro II.

Dan Tamarkin

is a second-generation Leica aficionado and auctioneer, and lead curator of Tamarkin Auctions and lead maven at Tamarkin Camera, both based in Chicago. An avid outdoorsman, Dan is also a collector of tenor guitars and Leica ephemera. Trained as a writer and linguistic ethnographer at the University of Illinois Chicago, Dan has worked extensively as a theatrical lighting & scenic designer, teacher, performer and writer. He also takes pictures, has adventures, and tells funny stories.

Kirsten Vignes

Kirsten is the resident graphic designer and email marketing specialist at Leica Store Miami. Since 2015, she’s also laid out LSI’s quarterly journal, Viewfinder. She's originally from Minnesota, but much prefers the sunshine and warmth of Florida where she’s lived for nearly a decade. She loves photography, which she studied at Rochester Institute of Technology; getting lost in new countries; climbing, hiking, cycling or pretty much anything outdoorsy; movies with mythical creatures; and, of course, coffee.

Alan Weinschel

(Roslyn Heights NY)  (President, 2018-2020)   (LSI member since 2002). Alan is a retired antitrust attorney, and has been involved in photography since 1959, when he was given a Samoca 35. His photography has won awards over the years and one of his images is in the archives of the Baseball Hall of Fame.   He now uses an M10-R and a SL2.

Henry Berman

(Washington, D.C. and LSI member since 2019) After a long career in television/film/multimedia production, primarily as a writer/director of non-broadcast programs, Henry transitioned into the world of organized philanthropy, currently serving as a foundation trustee as well as CEO of a national association of foundations. His love of photography began with a Brownie Starflash followed quickly by an Argus C-3, as well as his dad’s Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta. He is a founding board member of the Museum of Broadcast Technology and serves on other nonprofit boards. He currently shoots with an M10 most of the time and an X-U for wilderness and whitewater adventures.

Bobby Abrahamson

(Portland, Oregon) has worked as a photojournalist, documentary photographer and photo educator since 1988. His clients include TIME, Fortune, US News & World Report, The New York Times, VICE and Wieden & Kennedy. His photographs have been featured in 6 monographs, 17 solo shows and numerous group exhibits in the US and Europe. His prints are in the permanent collections of the Portland Art Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, the Museum of Contemporary Art Belgrade, the Harry Ransom Center and the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia. He shoots with an M3 and an M4P.

Stephen Butzlaff

(Lake Bluff, IL) Steve is a retired from the Banking Wealth Sector and has been active in photography since High School when he was awarded a First Place in the National Kodak Scholastic Arts Competition. While his father used a Leica III F, the fever nor ability didn’t start until retirement. He currently uses various X, M digital and SL family of equipment.

Kelly Dempster

(Texas, Virginia) is a retired geologist, but remains an avid lifelong photographer. He has exhibited photographs on the topics of international travel, New Orleans masked ball portraiture, and Gulf Coast wetlands vulnerable to rising sea level. He uses current models of the M, SL, CL, and Q.

Michael Clements

(LSI member since 2015): Michael is a former newspaper photographer (M4-P, M6, 35 Summicron and 90 Elmarit) and recovering freelance sports photographer (two DSLR bodies and a 400). He is currently a Sr Photographer at the University of North Texas (M10 and 35 Summilux FLE). Michael’s path to Leica started with a well-used 35 Summicron purchased on lay-away from a camera store near the newspaper office. 18 months later, he made the last lay-away payment on a gently used M4-P. Along the way Michael has learned a few lessons, earned a few awards and taught a few classes. He still thoroughly enjoys the ups/downs/triumphs/struggles that a life in photography offers…

Alan E Grate

(Mystic CT) is a retired tax accountant and a long-time photography afficionado. After a life-changing event a few years ago, Alan decided to move photography to the top of his list and pursue it as a serious hobby. A recent addition to the Leica family, Alan uses an M10 Monochrom, an M6 and a non-Leica SLR.

William (Bill) Kyburz

(Vienna, VA). LSI member since 2012. Bill is a recently retired IT/Telecommunications marketing executive and has pursued photography as a hobby since attending RIT in the mid-1970s. Although initially using medium and large format cameras as his tools of choice, he has now come home to Leica photography including Leica SL2, M10-M, Q, and CL cameras.

E. M. Maximilien

is a computer scientist and distinguished engineer based in Silicon Valley, California. Max’s day job is being a leader and contributor to various open source communities developing cloud software. Max has delivered numerous talks and keynotes on the subject and has published 70+ refereed papers with citations of 5000+ on GoogleScholar and hold 20 issued patents. Max spends a lot of his leisure time photographing places he has travelled to, along with many cities across California. He has visited over 33 countries and his goal is to reach 50 before he reaches that age and visit over 100 in the next 15 years.

Stephen W. Podrasky

(Aurora, Co - LSI Member 2020). Steve has his Bachelor’s degree in fine art photography from the Kansas City Art Institute (1990). He primarily works as a visual storyteller using a street style approach. His work has been published in magazines and journals and is held in private collections. He currently is using an SL2, M3, M4 and soon the M10 monochrom.

Subhash Roy

(Lexington, MA) (LSI member since 2018). Subhash is a serial entrepreneur, and currently runs product management for a startup semiconductor company and has been involved in photography since 1974, when he had a chance to learn using his mother's Petri 7S. He is an amateur photographer who enjoys travel, street, and sports photography. He now uses an M10-R, CL, and SL2.

Fred Stadler

attended DePauw University ’65 BA, Harvard University ’73 PMA. Stadler Packing Company from 1965 till 1984, management, then purchased M A Metal Stamping Company, Started Midwest Tube Mills Company, bought CL Tech tooling Company, sold everything and retired in 2017 at the age of 75. I have lived in Columbus, IN where I was born with my wife Jane Anne, married fifty years with four daughters. As for Leica, my sister bought and gave me a Leica 1F 40 years ago and that started me collecting, my favorite is the M6 developing my own film, color and black and white. I also use a Leica M 240 to appease the digital world but looking forward to a M 10-R. We also enjoy traveling and other interests. The Leica club and my past board membership has been huge experience for me through thru years.

Sean Sweeney

Lakeville, MA - On an impulse he bought the Leica X1. He became quickly hooked and soon after bought an M9 in 2010. He bought the M9 to take people photos, which was new to him. He updated with each new M model and is now waiting for an M10-R, and has the SL as well. His lens collection now includes the Noctilux 50 .95, APO 50 Summicron, Summilux 35, APO 75 Summicron and the 28 Summaron 5.6. He uses the Noctilux and APO 50 most of the time. Portraits are his favorite.

Keith Walker

(Ferndown, UK) LSI member since 2011. Retired Hospital Director, who has been keen on photography since my teenage years, starting with a Ilford Sportsman. Currently use a M2, M9 and M10. I have been fortunate to have had a number of 'Leica' images published and used as cover photographs for magazines and calendar, together with some competition success.