Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/01/26

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Subject: Limitations of having 50mm as my only lens.
From: jdrouin@islandnet.com (Jamie Drouin)
Date: Sun, 26 Jan 1997 20:23:38 -0800

>> This, and the fact that every documentary photographer whose work I
>>admire, happens to use (or have used in case dead) Leicas and a 35 mm as
>>the "almost-only-lens-used".

       There is NO rule anywhere stating that to be a documentary
photographer you must use a 35mm lens.  This is only a convention made
popular by a large number of late-20th century photojournalists (such as
the people you admire, I presume).  My suggestion is to keep using the 50mm
and develop your own style based on this 'limitation'.  I would find this
much more interesting than yet another 'in-the-style-of...' photographer.
You might sense a bit of bias on my part...and you'd be correct.  My
favorite lens is the 50mm and I think I have made some very good work with
it...work that would have been quite different with a 35mm lens.  In fact,
people usually think I've used several different lenses, which goes to show
that I have a good control over it by now.

       Fellow list-member, Ted Grant, might have something to say about
that. Ted?


                                                 :-)jamie.




Jamie Drouin (jdrouin@islandnet.com)
______________..___________________
    Photographer & collector of
     Stereophotographic items
______________..___________________
 http://www.islandnet.com/~jdrouin