Roll Call

[Michael Goldbard <m@gbard.com>]

Jim et al,

Amid the many luminaries on this list a bit of shyness is perhaps
understandable.

I'm 47 years old and married to the mother of my two boys, ages nine and
thirteen.

I've been interested in photography since I can remember, but until two
years ago was just a serious snap-shooter (perhaps a contradiction in
terms).

Two years ago this month on a trip to China, I was struck by the beauty and
intrigue of the land and its people.  I had only a Pentax 928 with me (my
SLR was left at home to conserve on weight).  Although the point and shoot
was able to capture some of the essential qualities observed, the splendor
and interest, in particular, of the Li River and Guilin and its people
cried out for truer representation.

Back home, in the S.F. Bay Area, large format beckoned and 4x5 seemed the
most cost-effective way to learn.  Trading up through a succession of
cameras lead to my current Arca Swiss F-Line which is just a joy to use.
Perhaps in the future, before another excursion to Asia, I can follow Jim's
lead and acquire a Linhof Technika.  The Arca, although quite adaptable for
a monorail, wouldn't travel as well as the Linhof.  The lure of larger
formats, 11x14 and 12x20, may, however, intervene.

Lurking on the Photoforum on Compuserve and the rec.photo.* USENET groups
greatly facilitated my education.  Leitz cameras had always been of
interest, but the increasing recognition of their fine quality,
particularly for unstaged people photography lead to my purchase of an M6
earlier this year.  Now my SLR just sits on the shelf, although my trusty
Rolleiflex still gets quite a bit of use.

Discovery of the LUG has deepened my appreciation of the extraordinary
adaptability and fitness of Leica cameras and associated equipment.  Thank
you all for your generous help.

	Michael

>
>From: Jim Brick <jim@brick.org>
>Date: Thu, 06 Nov 1997 23:00:55 -0800
>Subject: Michael Goldbard
>
>Michael Goldbard seems to be missing from the Roll Call.
>
>Michael?
>
>Jim
>