Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/04/08
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]GREG LORENZO pointed out: >> Even better is this gem from Ted's page: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/leicated/Israel+Prime+Minister+David +ben+Gurion.jpg.html<<<<< Brian Ampolsk responded:: Subject: Re: [Leica] EASTER FLOWERS FOR EVERYONE >> I agree with Greg Lorenzo about the remarkable shot of David Ben Gurion. BTW, I was in Israel in 1973 when he died. It was a very traumatic time, just after the Yom Kippur war. And, by luck of the draw, I was in Jerusalem then. The day following his death, his casket lay just outside the Knesset (parliament) building. The line of people passing the casket was enormous, and went on for blocks. Ben Gurion was a great man, and Ted's photo captures some of that.<<<< Geg & Brian, Thank you both for the kind words. This is a picture taken some years ago when Prime Minister ben Gurion visited Canada. It's quite a simple picture really, even if I feel it's one of the "best photojournalist type portraits" I've shot. OK so that's how I feel. ;-) Simple? Yep nothing more than walking into the room where an interview was taking place, look at light on subject... move to shadow side. Wait for journalist to ask question.... Prime Minister listens..... I go Click! And that ladies and gentlemen is just as easy as it was! ;-) It's all about understanding light and making use of it combined with one more crucial thing for successful pictures of people.... "We hear with our ears. But listen with our eyes!!!" And that is the tip of day! ;-) Look, if you are shooting people while they're talking the chances are you are going to end up with a screwed-up mouth or something unflattering! However, when your subject is...."LISTENING" it shows in their eyes. The subject's available light was beautiful shooting from the shadow side. So all I had to do was wait for a journalist to ask him a question when he was listening intently!! Eyes beautifully listening, BINGO! CLICK! Walk out after a couple more clicks. :-) No direction from me! And that's how simple it was. Quite frankly it's been referred to as a KARSH type portrait on more than one occasion. Even Yousuf himself complimented me at one time when I showed it to him in Ottawa. Sometimes we get lucky with the subject, right light & right eyes! Click!:-) Once again thank you for your kind words. ted