Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/06/21
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I cannot understand why people seem to think Capa had to have good reactions to get this, and there is an undercurrent that, even if it was just a lucky shot, it was therefor not as good becauses it wasn't based on skill. Applying this standard, the only good photographer is an Ansel Adams type -- and all the great shots gotten by phtographers using auto-winders and motor drives would be eliminated since, obviously, they didn't use skill, just what amounts to a large format movie camera. And any news photographer who gets a great shot just because he happens to be on the scene of a great accident/shooting/presidential assasination, well, hell, he was just lucky. As far as that goes, so was Adams. He always said he had to work quick to catch the light which, he always admitted, was transient and surprising. Lucky guy -- guess he was a cheat too. Face it, luck is a big part of it. Always was, always will be. It's what you do with it, the brain stem reaction that makes you stick the camera up and push the button, the reflex that makes you grab tripod and film holders and camera and guess the perfect exposure in your head before the moon over that little new mexican village goes behind a cloud, that makes the difference. Capa had it, as demonstrated many, many times. ctrentelman ogden probably doesn't have it utah In a message dated 6/21/1 7:08:50 AM, you wrote: >Alan Hull writes: > >> I cannot see how anybody can have reactions >> quick enough to have captured that image ... > >I think he just got lucky, and I don't think he ever claimed otherwise.