Re: Leica photog now Magnum

[Gary Toop <gtoop@uoguelph.ca>]

On Tue, 21 Oct 1997, Eric Welch wrote:

> I had the privilege of meeting David Allen Harvey again today and he was
> gracious as always. He has just been inducted into Magnum as a full member
> in June of this year. He showed us the pictures he showed them that brought
> him the promotion from associate. Very nice set.  His work is maturing to
> be the equal of most any other photographer out there. The many layers to
> his work are like an onion. Just keep peeling away the layers, and more is
> in there as you dig down. I  hope some day I can produce such complex,
> interesting kinds of pictures.
SNIP

> Back to Mr. Harvey. His current style of shooting is almost exclusively
> with the M6 and 35mm Summilux. He didn't say which model. But he also
> sometimes shoots with the 28 Elmarit. He started his career with a IIIF and
> 50mm lens. No self-respecting student would dare try to start a career with
> such a simple kit. Yet he is one of the best in the world, and he's still
> pretty much using such a zen-like simple approach. He says such discipline
> helps free him to make the kinds of pictures that mean the most to him.
SNIP!

	Eric:

	Thanks for this account of your meeting with Mr. Harvey.  I have
long admired his work for NG and I have known for a while that he is a
Leica M user.  His work provides ample evidence that, at least for some 
people, less if more and simple means can be used to produce very
compelling results.  His work - and views - have been touched on more than
once in the articles that Pop Photo sometimes runs about NG photogs and
in the past, he did mention using the old, non ASPH, Summilux, if I
remember the article correctly.  I wonder whether he has continued to use
the same lens or has switched to the new ASPH.

	$10 for an nicely printed portfolio of his work.  I am envious!

Gary Toop