Re: [Leica] Some history

[Guy Bennett <guybnt@idt.net>]

while i do find the 'pictorialist/realist' analogy more than a little
specious (certainly none of the photographers participating or mentioned in
this thread [hcb & johnny, just to name two] could be described as
pictorialists), i'd like to make the following comments.


>I have no dispute with, nor objection to photographers who wish to foster
>their personal expression by whatever means and tools.


then there would seem to be no debate, as the challenge came from those who
rejected the positive evaluation of the earlier lenses, seeing them chiefly
as older, flawed tools.


>I do object however to the assertion that a Realist approach, that is using
>the tools to represent reality with unblinking realism, should be
>considered a banal way of using the Leica.


i agree, and do not believe anyone has yet espoused this notion. the
arguement, as i've followed it, was whether or not imperfections in earlier
lens technologies yielded results that should be considered merely as
defects (and thus imply that the old lenses were only capable of producing
'inferior' images in comparison with the current models), or whether those
'imperfections' could be considered desirable by photographers, realists or
not.


>I also do object to the notion that the Leica is the proper instrument for
>pictorialist photography and may only be used to reach that goal.
>So maybe the Pictorialists will allow that Realists do exist and can proceed
>with their goals without being deplored and ridiculed at every step. And
>maybe they will even accept that the Leica is a tool that can be used for
>both types of Photography and that neither type is superior in itself.
>
>Erwin

this last statement represents a change in position. no one decried the
'realist approach' nor the fact (and it is a fact) that the newer leica
lenses are sharper, contrastier, less flare prone, coma stricken, etc.,
than the old ones. the issue was whether the older lenses were 'inferior'
to the new ones, and, refused any subjective criteria in making that
judgement.

guy