Leicaphilia

["Jeff Segawa" <segawa@netone.com>]

A number of years ago, I got to wondering why it was that I could be such
an enthusiastic photographer while travelling, yet my gear could remain
idle for months at a time when home. The answer, as I discovered was this:
As I travelled, everything I saw was new, a source of wonder and well worth
chasing after. Why not, I reasoned, learn to view even the most mundane
scenes in a similar light? It made sense to me that if I learned to see
fantastic jungles in a nearby vacant lot, or abstract sculpture in the fire
hose connections of office buildings, I might be that much more attuned to
recognizing, and exploiting, a great photo opportunity.

One of my first memorable shots of mundane objects happened mostly by
accident: I had been downtown early one Sunday morning, in the vicinity of
a new office building. I was fascinated by how the rising sun played across
the the manicured lawn. Not having any real composition in mind, I simply
pointed the camera downwards at the grass and fired away. The results were
amazing: The image all but glows with a warm, green and gold light, and the
low angle of the sun was such that one can almost feel the texture of the
grass. I took a number of rather good-but-ordinary cityscapes that morning,
none as powerful as that shot of grass! In such a state of mind, photo
opportunities abound in everyday life, hence the desireability of carrying
a camera just about everywhere.

What does this have to do with the Leica? Nothing. And Everything:
Particularly in the case of the Leica, it's too easy to be seduced by the
hardware, rather than the craft of photography, and this is an expensive
way to entertain one's self, though there seems to be no end of collector's
guides and all manner of books catering to this market. One collectable
that I highly recommend are photographs! Superb photos on one's walls are a
constant reminder of what's possible, and why one purchased a camera in the
first place. I was delighted to find that The Ansel Adams Gallery continues
to offer modestly priced Yosemite "Souvenir Edition" 8x10 silver gelatin
prints of many of Adams' best-known works, at modest cost, printed from
original negatives. Though mass produced, the quality far exceeds that
which you will find in books or poster prints. Also in California, I found
Friends of Photography (San Francisco) and Mountain Light Photography
(Emeryville) to be highly accessible, though expect to pay $600+ for a
signed print by Galen Rowell, and somewhat more for one by Cindy Sherman.
Here in Colorado, one can also see works by the likes of John Fielder and
Andy Katz, with the occasional Halsman or Weston print turning up
periodically, along with occasional works by gifted, not-yet-famous
photographers. No doubt, some of you have many more galleries to visit in
your area. Anyone know where I might view works by John Sexton and Judy
Holmes? Please let me know.

Just my opinions, brought to light by one-too-many messages regarding lens
stacking caps!

Jeff