Re: Joys of spring

[Eric Welch <ewelch@ponyexpress.net>]

At 02:18 AM 10/17/97 -0700, you wrote:

>and culture, but because the M was an upstart in itself. The
>Lei(tz)ca(mera) is an evolution and we are lucky that it has held onto so
>much of its teutonic background. I am learning so much about the use of
>light, the values of differing lenses, (not just their focal lengths and
>speed,) the differing techniques employed to capture "decisive moments" and
>assorted ancilliary topics of film, chemistry, filters, bags, vests, vets,

Alastair,

Good observation. I really appreciate the M6 and what hasn't changed to
keep up with the times. I cruised with a police officer most of last night
looking for a picture for a story on domestic violence. I only photographed
two situations all night, but got the privilege of listening to an ER staff
pump the stomach of an overdose - rather combative for having a tube down
his throat - and meeting a cute nurse at the same time! :-)

But then just before midnight a call came in that a battered woman was
threatening suicide. We got there, and this woman was surrounded by police
trying to diffuse the situation. A woman from the neighborhood was helping
calm her down. I did not want to identify her, so I stood behind her (she
only noticed me for a second) and took pictures of her silhouetted against
a bright light and included side-lit cops from headlights. The M6's
focusing was perfect for this. And the 35 Summilux ASPH 1.4 aperture with
Fuji 800 pushed to 3200 made shooting a breeze. Not to mention that it
being flare free makes me confident I'll get good pictures in a horrible
lighting situation. This camera has no competition for this kind of
shooting. Quiet, unobtrusive, focusing that makes you absolutely sure you
are dead-on. 

An SLR of any kind (R or non-R, AF and non-AF) could never compete with the
M6 in this situation.

Of course, I could have used my Nikon F5 and 20-35 2.8 AF zoom and SB-26
flash, but boy, guess who they're paying attention to now? Guess who is
going to go ballistic? I even followed the police all the way into the
detox center where they signed her in and searched her purse (and found
marijuana smell in a container) and nobody on the staff of the detox center
even questioned me taking pictures. (Again, no identifiable people but the
police).  That's the M6. The F5 wouldn't have a chance with a 2.8 lens.
That would require flash.

The story ends with her saying she's going to file charges against her
husband. The police said she was covered with bruises. I didn't get close
enough to really look at her face. Sad story, but the M6 made my life much
easier, and my unobtrusive approach made life easier for the police and
less stressful for the victim. Hooray for Leica Luddites!

=============
Eric Welch
St. Joseph, MO


The distinction between past, present and future is only an illusion, even
if a stubborn one. - Albert Einstein