Re: [Leica] sneak thief photographers!

["James R. Nelon" <JNelon@netvigator.com>]

Kim,
Thanks very much for your helpful observations (and off-line kind comments.) Yes,
I was not far away. I was very visible to them, just not in their personal space.
The 250 let me put a lens up their nostril without appearing to do so. Try that
with a 35 mm lens! Just my opinion on the value of going long in these crowded
settings. Also, in a bazaar such as Ashkabad, there is not physical room to get in
close and compose something that is pleasing. You'd get trampled trying and the
person would probably hit you with something to clear you out of the way. They are
there to sell their wares in a fiercely competitive environment. The last thing in
the world they want is someone in front of them in the way of their selling. If
you step to their side to shoot them, then you're in front of someone else who
will likely bong you on the head to get you to move on.

Jim

ksherman wrote:

> jim,
> i think i might have mis-understood the posting below when i first read it.
>  i was taking it to mean that you were further away but that you could
> still capture the intimacy of the situation.  having re-read the posting,
> it seems you were not really that far away at all.  one row away and pretty
> darn invisible, weren't you?
> <G>
> kim
>
> At 10:51 PM 12/7/98 +0800, you wrote:
> >Here's one of the slides (1941_24). Can you give me your feedback on what you
> >think? Thanks.
> >
> >Jim
> >
> >ksherman wrote:
> >
> >> jim,
> >> i would love to see the image, if you don't mind sending a .jpg.
> >> thanks so much.
> >> kim
> >>
> >> At 09:48 PM 12/7/98 +0800, you wrote:
> >> >I have to disagree with your idea that you miss an intimacy with your
> >> subject by
> >> >shooting with a longer lens. You say that intimacy will "never" show
> when you
> >> >use a longer lens. Well, perhaps, never say never. I was at the Ashkabad,
> >> >Turkmenistan Sunday Bazaar about two months ago shooting in the early
> morning
> >> >(4:30) up until about 10 AM when the place got too incredibly crowded. The
> >> >bazaar had rows of sellers hawking everything imaginable. I stood a row
> away
> >> >from some women selling silk cloth shooting with an R250 f4 to isolate
> their
> >> >selling activities. The slides turned out to show them in their full
> >> intimacy of
> >> >wishing and hoping and praying for a sale (I can send a jpeg image if you
> >> would
> >> >like to see what I'm talking about). I would have had to have been on
> top of
> >> >them to have achieved the same shot with a R35 and then I would have been
> >> in not
> >> >only their personal space but their selling space as well. And been
> >> perhaps more
> >> >obvious as well.
> >> >
> >> >Jim Nelon
> >> >David Medley wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> -Original Message-----
> >> >> From: Michael Garmisa <elmar@nyct.net>
> >> >>
> >> >> >I would like to hear some the the ways fellow luggers "make themselves
> >> >> >invisible".
> >> >>
> >> >> Michael,
> >> >>
> >> >> This is as much of a mental game as anything. Your attitude and the
> way you
> >> >> deal with those around you makes you blend into your surroundings.
> >> >>
> >> >> Know your equipment - inside and out.
> >> >>
> >> >> Take a genuine interest in what is happening around you.
> >> >>
> >> >> Don't take everything you own, in a big bag and expect to be ignored.
> One
> >> >> body and a fast 35 mm lens is all you will need. There is an intimacy
> with
> >> >> your subject when using a short focal length lens that will never
> show when
> >> >> using a longer lens. And, that intimacy manifests itself in your
> attitude
> >> >> and how you interact with your subjects.
> >> >>
> >> >> ......and practice. Go out and do it on a regular basis.
> >> >>
> >> >> If you know a teacher, ask to spend a morning in the classroom. No
> one will
> >> >> be more interested in who and what you are than a classroom full of
> 12 year
> >> >> old kids. After a short time, if you are tuned in to the pulse of the
> >> class,
> >> >> you will find that you can work freely among these kids and they
> don't even
> >> >> know that you are around. It is a great confidence builder.
> >> >>
> >> >> Remember, the best accessory that you can possibly buy for you camera is
> >> >> film!
> >> >>
> >> >> Cheers,
> >> >> David Medley
> >> >> Whidbey Is.   WA
> >> >> USA
> >> >> dmedley@whidbey.net
> >> >
> >
> >
> >
> >