[Leica] Leica technology, creative control

[Jim Brick <jim@brick.org>]

Thank you Eric, I suspect you and I think along the same lines on many
fronts. I do indeed go into the P&S mode at family gatherings and where I
only want record photographs. I don't want to work for those. And the Leica
gives me enough automation for that end.

I taught a Leica Workshop this past week. A couple of evenings and all day
Saturday photographing San Francisco. Even though most people had a
reasonable amount of Leica hardware (and Tom Brichta, the Leica rep,
supplied them with more stuff) it was evident that most of them did not
understand how depth of field is controlled, what hyperfocal distance is,
or how to use long lenses and slow shutter speeds. I didn't have time to
get into anything else. I spent a considerable amount of time teaching and
showing what the f/stop ring really does for you, and how to use it. How to
create Bokeh (no... I didn't use that word!) and how to create endless
depth of field. And how to use a 280 or 350 or longer lens at 1/15th sec (R
camera) without having mirror vibration ruin the photograph. It became
evident that the general photographing public have little (or no) knowledge
of how the science of photography works. Even though they have Leicas,
their mind set is P&S. Several participants had 35/1.4 ASPH lenses. But had
no idea (until I showed them) what you can do at f/1.4 . They usually used
ISO 200 or 400, outdoors, cranked all the way out to 1/500 @ f/16.
Basically against the stop. Like buying a BMW M5 as a car to run errands
around town. The true virtues of the equipment is neither conceived nor
used. If the M6 had a "P" mode, that's where they would be.

I got a lot of smiles and "thank you Jim" from the participants. I bet they
will be back for more. They really wanted to know how to take creative
control over their photographs. And they all wanted the little plastic
wallet size hyperfocal cards.

Jim


At 07:34 AM 6/29/98 -0500, Eric wrote:
>At 11:46 PM 6/28/98 -0700, Jim wrote:
>
>>The Leica is the proper tool to create that perception. A human endeavor.
>>
>>I'll take gray matter logic over fuzzy logic any day.
>
>Better than I have said it, for sure, Jim. I think people get caught up in
>having the latest technology like it will give them better pictures. It
>won't. It can contribute if it is used properly, but it depends on how
>involved in the process of photography one wants to get. I find my pictures
>are easier to get, better, with my Leicas than with my Nikon F5, for the
>simple reason that exposure is a breeze. I can, after all these years, pick
>the right exposure most of the time fast enough to not have to worry about
>it, thus spend time actually working on the important parts - composition,
>form, moments. And the way my R8, R4sP and M6 work, they get out of the way
>and let me concentrate. No fancy buttons to push to get the right mode,
>focusing priority, focusing can be cone on any part of the screen, etc.
>-- 
>
>Eric Welch
>St. Joseph, MO
>http://www.ponyexpress.net/~ewelch
>
>Capt'n! The spellchecker kinna take this abuse
>