Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/10/30
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Harrison wrote: <<<<When I am shooting I am so involved in the experience of creating the image that I literally feel like I am reaching out and grabbing the exact image I want. The camera and lens is simply an extension of my mind allowing me to grab the moment, light, and mood>>>>> Hi Harrison, That is what capturing the picture is all about! The light, moment and mood! Some photographers have no idea what the hell we are talking about! Simply because they are so technically oriented in their thinking! I fully believe and even though I maybe judged totally off the wall with this comment but; " my picture taking feelings are completely different with a Leica in my hands and have been right from the day I started to use a Leica". Part of that comes from my early photography learning and experience of, "well if HCB, Capa, Eisanstdate, David Douglas Duncan and others whose work I worshipped, could take pictures like that with a Leica and "No light" other than what was shining on the subject!" Why can't I? It was their ability so shoot everywhere, anywhere, any time and still have those wonderful, "real looking" pictures that became the driving force throughout my career. And quite frankly still is today! I love shooting where others fear to tread or have to use a zillion gigawatts of light to make an exposure. Certainly in a situation when I walk in and with the Noctilux, some 800 film, colour or B&W and go click, click walk out I'm done! Then have an image that leaves me feeling really good and hummmming when I see the projected slide or enlarged print. That is what excitment and satisfaction of shooting with a Leica is all about! :) It is in this order: "Light, Content, Mood: or any order you wish to use, but the most important part is "THE LIGHT!" Mood and everything else just fall in place and the Leica allows you to capture that moment! The Leica / glass makes the difference in how you capture that and sorts out your images from everyone elses, unless they are using Leica, then it comes down to individual talent and ability to see! <<<I also think this is why I prefer the manual features of the R6 over my former Canon EOS stuff.>>>> I don't have any doubt that the "auto everything" camera puts aside some of the thought process of "action" in taking pictures. But it also takes your mind concentration off the moment as you say, of keeping the "AF" marker on the mark! Sure there are manual focus situations where it is a tough call in the success of in or out of focus. But experience and flexibility of fingers and hands do make a difference in the manual ability to "get it sharp!" that is more important at times than hearing the "huuuuuummmmmmm" of in focus auto equipment. I will offer right off the top I'm the first to admit that I have "missed the sharp moment" due to not having A/F! But I'll not conceed that A/F is the be all to end all when you have to use some of your inner thought process for, "getting the little bright red lined square" in the right place at the right moment just to get the image sharp! <<<Doing this can teach you to look at the world from more than standing up and straight on.>>>> I can never understand why so many photographers cover football games all standing with monopod and lens at their grown eyelevel height! It seems they have all forgotten that the knees bend for a lower angle! Therefore making the ball players look bigger, more powerfull and the play far more dramatic. <<<I really believe there is something to that old Right brain/Left brain thing and you have to allow the creative side dominance over the analytical side.>>>>>> I truly believe so! It is a necessity that we know some "analytical/technical" things and there isn't any argument with that. But I truly believe when you shoot with feeling and emotion, you can in many cases blow all the "analytical/technical things" right out of the water! OK so endth the lesson for this evening! :) We know what we are doing!:) Leica says and does it all! :) ted