[Leica] Re: Read my lips - no new cameras (Ted Grant)

[rpalmier at depaul.edu (bob palmieri)]

On Aug 27, 2006, Ted Grant wrote:

>
> Gene DuPrey wrote
> Bob,
>>> I would caution the use of slide film in Hawaii, as you will  
>>> find  the
>>> lightscale very wide and slide film does not have the latitude  to
>>> capture it like print film.  My personnal opinion - I wasted  
>>> alot  \of
>>> shots on slide film and had much better results on print film.    
>>> Photo
>>> possibilities are vast and you will need lots of film.  Have  a  
>>> good time
>>> out there.  We are planning a trip for next July.<<<
>
> Bob Palmieri responded:
>> Gene -
>>
>> Thanks for the good wishes and advice.  Based on the early  
>> responses  of
>> you, Frank & Hoppy I'm beginning to think that this expedition   
>> would be
>> an ideal situation in which to try some of this "High  Dynamic Range
>> Photography" I've been reading about, in which you  shoot a few  
>> snaps of
>> the same scene on a 'pod at different exposures  and put them  
>> together in
>> the All-Powerful Computer.<<<
>
> Guys you see what's happening here?
>
> Way too much knowledge fussing and fiddling!
>
> What the hell do you think we did before computers and digi cameras  
> were
> born?  Screw all this nonsense just shoot away to your hearts  
> content and
> forget this techie "High Dynamic Range Photography" crap!
>
Me, I ain't gonna knock it 'till I try it.
> We shot slide film and came back with mind blowing images all the  
> time, sure
> we may have shot lots of frames, its called "bracketing!" And how  
> often do
> you hear that in digital?
>
> Digi makes for an atmosphere to blaze away because it doesn't cost  
> anything
> and we can adjust in the computer so it never occurs to me to  
> bracket where
> I'd have done it time after time in the light of Hawaii shooting  
> slide film!
> Simply because that's the way it was done.
>
> Hell digi and computers? There isn't any big deal because it can be  
> fixed
> like a spayed cat by computer keys and Photoshop, just shoot lots  
> and don't
> even think about it. ;-) Most important part?  Stop all the fussing  
> and
> thinking and just shoot away how you feel and have a hell of a good  
> time and
> forget the damn techie foolishness!
>
> ted

Ted -

Most of us do appreciate your oft-repeated and well-founded plea for  
the sanity of shooting from the hip and not getting distracted by  
technical issues.  However...

Film and digi sensors run out of headroom for highlights (or shadows,  
take your pick) way before our eyes do.  If this fussy shoot-three- 
frames-and-put-them-together thing allows me to get certain snaps to  
look more like the way I want them to look then that's what I'm gonna  
do.  Haven't tried it yet, mind you, but this seems like a good time  
to give it a shot.

Keep in mind we're talkin' landscape-type stuff here, and everything  
had better stay still or else.  These are situations (as opposed to  
most of the kindof shooting I do with my M's) where you have a little  
leniency in terms of split-second response-type snapping, which is  
more like your usual MO.

Experimentation (especially when it's not on a job) can be a good  
thing.  If I actually end up trying this thing I'll put up some  
results.  Of course, if I discover that the process of getting this  
anal about the whole thing is getting in the way of my abilities to  
get with the real program of getting beautiful images to stick to a  
medium then I'll pass that along as well.

Bob Palmieri