Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/11/21
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At 06:07 PM 20/11/98 -0600, you wrote:
>>I honestly don't understand how a photojournalist who publishes in
>>newspapers or weekly magzines such as Time or Newsweek can benefit from the
>>superior optics of a Leica. The differences, though they may exist, simply
Eric wrote:
>
>Optically isn't the only reason I use Leica, but that is a good reason.
>Yep, this newspaper photographer has converted several of my colleagues to
>Leica just by letting them use one and they see it for themselves in the
>negatives. We don't all aspire to only see our work on recycled toilet
>paper. We are creators of "history on the run." Why not use the best?
>--
You won't get much better advice on working with Leicas on a daily
basis then from Eric... so I'll just add the following...
As a photojournalist who does work for Time and Newsweek... there are many
reasons a photojournalist will choose Leica over the others besides
resolving power of the lens.
For me, low light performance is why I chose Leica. I can work in
low light environments, unobtrusively, no flash and still get sharp
pictures at wide open apertures. I have even been known to handhold (GASP!)
at 1/8 of a second and, yes it was a usable image.
This is the advantage I get with Leica. When your job is to capture
the image regardless of light or working conditions then the end result is
ALL that matters. The people who pay you don't know squat about resolution
charts, all they want is a good picture for their publication.
My Leica's allow me to "push the limits" a little further.
The engineering and mathematics of it all is wonderful and amazing but, in
the end, photography is about pictures. Engineering is just a means to an end.
If the "end result" is successful to the viewer or purchaser, then the
process worked. I offer many thanks to the engineers for building such fine
tools but unless someone actually puts that technology to good use, what's
the point.
regards,
Greg Locke <locke@straylight.ca>
St. John's, Newfoundland.
<http://www.straylight.ca/locke/>
- ----------------------------------
"I've finally figured out what's wrong with photography.
It's a one-eyed man looking through a little 'ole.
Now, how much reality can there be in that?" -- David Hockney