Re: [Leica] Fun with my M6

["A.H.SCHMIDT" <horsts@primus.com.au>]

Aubin wrote:

> Greetings all,
>
> Just to add to the fun stories I thought I'd relay this vignette into my latest use of my
> M6.  Over the last two months business trips have allowed me to detour through Denver
> and visit family.
>
> While enjoying the all too rare opportunity to visit with mother and siblings, I also took
> a time out to photograph my grandmother, who is neigh on to 86 now.  She has flat
> refused to allow anyone to photograph her in decades, being a prim and proper
> woman of Spanish descent.  She no longer is beautiful in her own mind, and thus
> will not allow this.
>
> I have the advantage of being the only grandson, and of having been out of reach
> for the better part of 25 years.  I managed to take many surreptitious pictures,
> candids of her interacting with the great-grandchildren, and of her just relaxing
> and enjoying the vibrancy that was flowing around her.
>
> Later, after seeing some of the candids (thank you one hour labs!), she sat for
> portraits with her daughter, granddaughter, and great grand-daughter.  While
> not photostudio work, using the M with 160 speed portrait film and available light,
> I was able to capture some wonderful environmental images, and damn good family
> pictures.
>
> Not having to use flash, and being able to work the camera silently and smoothly
> went a long way to eliminating any camera phobia, and of getting before, during
> and after the pose shots.
>
> Frankly, I could never have done this with anything other than the M6, as all other
> gear is too obtrusive.
>
> I was using the M6, a pre-asph 35mm occasionally, mostly the latest 50mm/f:2, and
> sometimes my new 90mm/f:2.8.
>
> Non of this was great art, and of no interest to most others, except that I was
> able to make some pictures that my whole family enjoys (a little) for the technical
> excellence the Leica allows, but really for the fact that grandma actually sat for the
> pictures.  For me, the ability to get these pictures makes the cost of Leica as nothing.
> I'd pay twice to get this opportunity.
>
> Yeah, I know, grandma didn't care what camera I used, she was allowing ME to
> take her pictures, but the Leica allowed me to do it in a way that she was comfortable
> with.
>
> Not an adventure story, and no cow feces on my sleeves, but thats okay, I'm way happy!
>
> walk in light,
>
> Norm Aubin

Norm,

what a lovely and most interesting story, Isn't it great how, by just pushing a button, you
can make others and yourself happy. And as a bonus, you have a record of events that you can
enjoy forever.

For me there are 2 things which continue to amaze and fascinate me. They are
Photographing. and listening to Radio.
Photographing, because the amazing thing what is happening to a few grains of silver, when the
light falls on to them, and you can hold a perfect copy of what you saw, not long ago with
your own 2 eyes
The radio, because, isn't it fantastic, you sit in your living room, or in the car, or
wherever and someone hundreds or thousands of miles away talks in to a microphone or plays
some music and you can hear it.

Regards, Horst Schmidt

.