Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/11/05
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Thanks, Johnny, and yes, they have to make some shots on 4x5 in their second semester, not many, but enough to make 'em appreciate/despise the format!!! Walt On Sun, 5 Nov 2000, Johnny Deadman wrote: > I think that's all pretty sound advice, actually. I'd give them a meter for > a week and make them make notes of exposures, then I'd take it away from > them. I find myself shooting without a meter a LOT these days and haven't > noticed the slightest difference from my metered shots. On chrome I probably > would. > > You could steal all my lenses except the 35/1.4 and I wouldn't cry. > > The other thing that I would suggest (and I wish someone had done this to > me) is that they shoot one really good shot with a bigger camera. Nothing > gets you face to face with the nuts and bolts of photography than having to > expose a sheet of film, focus by moving the lens back and forth on the > track, remember to do things in the right sequence etc etc. Then tray > develop the negative!! Then contact print it!! Not only does this lay bare > all the mechanics of photography, it also gets you in touch with the maximum > possible achievable quality. After that you have something to judge the rest > of your efforts by. And it is a good corrective (the reason I've been doing > it) to spooling through film thoughtlessly. > > on 5/11/00 12:56 pm, Walter S Delesandri at walt@jove.acs.unt.edu wrote: > > > I have told students for years, and been universally ignored, > > that they should use a 35mm camera and a 50mm lens. Period. > > When they ask "what should I buy", I tell them that when they > > need something else, they WON'T have to ask...If they have > > to ask what they "need", they dont' "need" anything. > > > > I also believe that they should have NO meter for the first > > course or two...Not a TTL meter, not ANY meter...that they > > should master the ability to expose B&W, at least, in common > > shooting conditions, without a meter. > > > > Funny story:....I had a faculty friend a number of years back. > > Arrogant would not describe...it'd be an insult to arrogant > > people....this dimwit told a story of how he went on a trip > > out west photographing with Fuji RDP (100 ISO chrome). Because > > of his meter failing him, he trashed ALL his shots, by FOUR > > stops. Bear in mind, he was photographing in broad daylight, > > with a tripod, and was off FOUR stops?.....But he was teaching > > photography to your children. > > > > A camera, a lens (35 or 50 who cares?) lots of CHEAP film and > > lots of CHEAP paper....after a coupla years, they'll either > > be photogaphers, or not. The "nots" need to find something > > else to do. After they are good with B&W, they should NEXT > > shoot slow transparency film (100 asa or less)...AND they > > should look critically at color, at the same time....and learn > > to filter/correct/predict it....this will be a natural extension > > and refinement of their B&W skills, NOT a replacement for them. > > -- > Johnny Deadman > > http://www.pinkheadedbug.com > > >