Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/03/13
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]In this medieval town of Chinon where I am living, between the Castle and the Vienne River, I am walking with a camera in the pocket, and my youngest son on the back. Far away from my native mountains of Telemark, Norway, far away from Himalaya, drowned in this quiet landscape so full of History. This is 'Le Jardin de France', picturesque, full of harmony and good things, and with wine yards as far as you can see. It's getting warm. Spring is here, green and new. Winter is gone. We smile and look at the sun. I took away my beard a couple of days ago, and bought 50 liters of red wine in the nearest village. I cleaned up my cave, and started pouring wine into, nice, green bottles. My wife came back from a walk that day, with beautiful flowers from the fields. The children were playing just outside the house. I didn't take any pictures. We have enough to eat, plenty of books and memories, and we love each other. What more can we ask for? I woke up early this morning, and the light was magic. I went off trying to collect this magic on tiny strips and sleeves of Tri-X. I brought the "new" 4x5 in. pinhole camera. It's so simple, and it captures the light without bothering me. It has become my favorite camera, for landscapes. Then I always have the Contax in the pocket, for images of life. This one never betrayed me either. Leica or Contax, they are good both of them. All cameras are "good", when your eyes and your soul are humble, when your brain is clear, and your heart is clean. When you love life and have faith in humanity. I came home and picked up the e-mail. In the morning light I had forgotten about the LUG and all the stories these days. Spring makes you flee from it. I have been wondering what I am actually doing at the LUG, subscribing, unsubscribing, subscribing again. Most of you are fine people, but there are a few who keeps yakking about the same darn stuff all the time. My presence at the LUG and my ideas seem to 'offend' them, and it's turning round and round like this without much progress. It's sad when you can't enjoy the good aspects because they are so far outshadowed by the bad. All the best! Oddmund Chinon, France - --- Oddmund Garvik - <garvik@i-t.fr> Today's topic - Chinon, where I'm living and making some of my images. http://www.virtual-france.com/chinon.htm