[Leica] Re: Camera or photographer?

[firkin at ncable.net.au (Alastair Firkin)]

I think the equipment can make a difference. I remember Beaton (I  
think) finding that he could no longer use a Rolleiflex, as he was no  
longer communicating with his sitters. He found a larger format  
opened his eyes again. For me, buying a camera without a lightmeter  
made me think about light and try to "learn" more about it, when I  
had left my mind in neutral for so long with the TTL auto settings.  
Forcing myself to use the rangefinders the way HCB and Ted do during  
FOM2 has made me a better (not good, but better ;-) ) street  
photographer, and slowing down with George Lauterstein and a tripod  
has made my landscape work become more "cerebral" (again not good,  
just more cerebral ;-) )

There are horses for courses. 5 years ago, I was convinced that if I  
was left with only one camera it would be my M6 with 35 asph. Still a  
good choice, but perhaps the next few years will see me change course  
again.

Cheers
On 14/01/2007, at 15:03, Ted Grant wrote:

> Lawrence Zeitlin offered:
> Subject: [Leica] Re: Camera or photographer?
>>>> You mean to tell me that it is the camera that makes the  
>>>> photograph,
>> not the photographer. That any boob with a Leica, even me, can   
>> produce prize winning works.
>>
>> Come off it Ted. You are certainly such a competent cameraman  
>> that  you could take good pictures with any equipment, Canons,  
>> Nikons,  Argus C3s, or even Holgas. Don't perpetuate the myth that  
>> it is the  equipment, not the eye, imagination and judgment of the  
>> photographer  that determines the artistic quality of the image.  
>> Otherwise you  sound like a Leica flack.<<<
>
> Larry mon ami,
> I'm the last person in the world to be looking like a Leica flack!  
> Simply becasue the company per say has pissed me off no end on  
> occasions over the years and quite probably me them . That's life! :-)
>
> Now we have that established don't you think your interpretation of  
> what I wrote is a bit heavy? I didn't say the camera made the  
> photography look good because any idiot knows the equipment doesn't  
> see the moment the person holding the camera does! It's the  
> handling and comfort of machine in hand that makes a major  
> difference in the swiftness of handling without thinking and  
> reaction to the moment.
>
> I mean we have enough fools in the world who think just becasue  
> they made an exposure with a Leica they've now captured  the  
> greatest living moment in photographic history. Which of course we  
> all know is a rediculous assumption. Quite frankly let's be  
> honest....... it's bull shit!
>
>>> Come off it Ted. You are certainly such a competent cameraman that
>> you could take good pictures with any equipment, Canons, Nikons,   
>> Argus C3s, or even Holgas. <<<<
>
> Thank you for your compliment on my ability much appreciated. I  
> have used 3 of the mentioned pieces of equipment during my career  
> as well as my Leica's. You are quite correct, the equipment doesn't  
> make or break the moment.
>
> However, from the time I began using M type Leica's, my picture  
> taking improved amazingly. Simply because I was driven by the work  
> of HCB, Capa, Eisenstaedt as my heros and if they could do that  
> kind of photography why couldn't I?
>
> It became a driving force in how I appproached my assignments, sure  
> the above shooters didn't teach me word for word as I still had to  
> have the ablity to "see!" Even with only one eye! But I'll never be  
> convinced other wise that from the beginning of using Leica cameras  
> my ablity as a photographer improved. Why?
>
> Well I'm sure as hell not going to say it was the camera only! But  
> I feel very strongly because of it I paid far more attention to the  
> subjects actions and without question the light. Along with the  
> many variables that make or break an interesting photographic moment.
>
> Now that's a fair comment given I've shot with Speed Graphics,  
> Rollies, Nikon, Canons, Argus A2's and C3's. But I know without  
> question from daily experince and certainly without sounding like a  
> flack for Leica, the M cameras made a major difference during my  
> career and the results in my 50 year plus adventure as a  
> photojournalist.
>
> I trust this makes my earlier comments a small bit clearer.
>
> ted
>
>
>
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