[Leica] Re: No digital comments?

[Peter Klein <pklein@2alpha.net>]

At 02:25 PM 8/14/03 -0700, David Young wrote:
>Also, if someone wishes to post a PAW taken with another camera, from what I
>understand (and I hope I understand correctly), that is within the rules,
>and that's fine.  Some interesting PAWs have been taken with many types of
>cameras.

But some people are saying that pictures taken with equipment other that 
Leica ought not to be welcome here.  I say that if a person shoots a 
significant part of their photography with Leica, they are a Leica User, 
this is their Group, and anything they shoot ought to be welcome here.

Using Leica is something that gets into your bones, into your soul.  It 
affects your photographic outlook.  It often speaks of some connection to a 
photojournalistic tradition I find very precious.  I also consider the LUG 
my photographic community.  As such, I'm interested in what people here are 
shooting.  I want to see their work.

Sure, I want to see Leica shots and discuss Leicas, but I am also 
interested in our collective photographic growth.  Which these days 
includes digital.  And in the digital arena, Leica is a very minor player.

We have a treasure trove of talented people on this list.  Censoring their 
photos by brand simply deprives us of part of the treasure.  Rest assured, 
when Tina comes back from Guatemala, I will be happy to see anything she 
cares to show.  If possible, I would like to know what equipment she used, 
because this I'll be interested to see how the camera and lens affected the 
image, or the choice of content.

But I'll be damned if I am going to tell Tina she can't post a photo here 
just because at the decisive moment she happened to have a Canon lens on 
her 10D instead of an R lens.  Nor will I refuse to look at a GeeBee 
picture just because he used his OM-1 for it, or a B.D. if he shot with his 
E-20.  And when Phong does beautiful Noctilux-ish available light with a 
D30, I want to see it.   Why give ourselves a voluntary lobotomy?

The logic of Karen's slippery-slope argument about our being able to 
rationalize discussing any camera is inescapable, but I think it ignores 
the cultural context of the LUG.  We've always been a rather freewheeling 
group, with a lot of topics of conversation that fold, spindle and mutilate 
rigid, one-dimensional rules.  The humor and character of the group often 
transcends the subjects.  I am not interested in Scotch, fancy cars, Swiss 
watches or the esoterica of fountain pens.  But I'll happily put up with a 
certain level of it all of it to be on the LUG.  It's all part of the mix 
that makes the LUG.

So, I stand firmly with B.D. and Phong and George on this one.  As long as 
you're a Leica photographer, I'm happy to see your work as a whole.  Let's 
use subject lines and the initial sentences of our posts to indicate 
non-Leica content.  Me, I'm happy to compare and contrast.  Those who 
aren't, don't.

- --Peter Klein
Seattle

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