Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/07/12

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Subject: [Leica] RE: Another Door Closed to Photography
From: jhnichols at bellsouth.net (Jim Nichols)
Date: Sat Jul 12 18:50:58 2008
References: <7247it$2m4ds@pd2mo1so-svcs.prod.shaw.ca> <E9C25EF5-E6A1-4C58-A292-E53ED036AB0A@mac.com>

George,

I knew that I would be touching a sore spot when I started this thread last 
night, but I had no idea how long it would persist.  As in many things, the 
old ways of handling things were often much more rewarding, except to the 
lawyers.

Jim Nichols
Tullahoma, TN USA
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lottermoser George" <imagist3@mac.com>
To: "Leica Users Group" <lug@leica-users.org>
Sent: Saturday, July 12, 2008 8:31 PM
Subject: Re: [Leica] RE: Another Door Closed to Photography


> A-a-h-h the good old days
> I remember them well
> and fondly
>
> ;~)
>
> Fond regards,
> George
>
> george@imagist.com
> http://www.imagist.com
> http://www.imagist.com/blog
> http://www.linkedin.com/in/imagist
>
>
>
> On Jul 12, 2008, at 6:52 PM, Ted Grant wrote:
>
>> It's too bad I can't find a story I wrote for one of the upcoming  books 
>> of
>> shooting on the "wild side!" :-) And I could just block, copy,  post! 
>> During
>> the 60's. Oh I'm so organized as you know, but it'll turn up one of 
>> these
>> days. :-)
>>
>> But to offer a tiny bit of what it was like I'll try to give you an  idea 
>> of
>> a few of the assignment photo projects I worked on without a piece  of 
>> paper
>> in my pocket confirming whom I was shooting for. If there ever was a
>> question my answer was simple. "Please phone this number in Ottawa  and 
>> it
>> will be confirmed. Thank you!" Truth as I type this. no one ever  called, 
>> but
>> took me at my word! That's when the world of photo-realism and  believing
>> people was at its best.
>>
>>
>>
>> Chinatown, Vancouver BC Canada. two weeks average 18 hours a day 
>> shooting
>> everything possible day after day and not one questioning comment. No
>> threats, no negativism at all!
>>
>> Hundreds of rolls of film. The Courts, hospitals, stores, street after
>> street of people  and never a negative look nor word.
>>
>> Steel mill: Hamilton Ontario Canada. Walked in talked to the Public
>> information office. this is who I am and this is what I'd like to  do. 
>> "OK
>> Mr. Grant we'll do a walk around with you so you know where to go  and 
>> we'll
>> assign a mill attendant for safety, but the place is yours! Would  it be
>> possible to get a few snaps later?"  Obviously the answer was  always. 
>> "For
>> sure!"
>>
>> A documentary on the automotive industry of Canada. a two month 
>> assignment:
>> Ford, GM, Chrysler the whole works, plant after plant. Same open  space 
>> the
>> place is yours! Never a question nor complaint!
>>
>> Some of my first medical documentary assignments: . open hospitals 
>> without
>> any problems. Not one single piece of paper or negative  questioning. It 
>> was
>> always positive. Damn it was such a beautiful simple caring society of
>> people!
>>
>> Laser weapon development. UK
>>
>> No problem. However in this case there was some diplomatic  organizing, 
>> but I
>> had the run of the place for a couple of weeks.
>>
>> Off shore oil exploration and in the far northwest Yukon areas of 
>> Canada. No
>> releases, no "you can't go here or do that or show this!" Two  months day
>> after day everything that went on and not one person said no,  because it 
>> was
>> a documentary of their work and lives as rough necks in the Oil  Patch! 
>> Or
>> off shore exploration from ships.
>>
>> It was truly a time like no other when people trusted each other and
>>
>> to be a photojournalist documenting the lives in almost every  imaginable
>> avenue of life was incredible.
>>
>> The documentaries of subjects housed in the collection of my  280,000 
>> images
>> held in the National Archive vaults of Canada is an amazing  collection 
>> that
>> today would be extremely hard to repeat, if at all possible.
>>
>> It's a shame the trust has been lost due to probably many factions of
>> society to blame any one situation.
>>
>> But it is a shame as the societies of the future are the losers and  that 
>> is
>> a shame.
>>
>> This merely touches a few photo projects and I trust it gives you a 
>> slight
>> look through the window of time at a world when it was simple,  honest 
>> and
>> caring. A beautiful time to be a photojournalist. God I loved it so!!
>>
>>
>>
>> ted
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Leica Users Group.
>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> 



Replies: Reply from imagist3 at mac.com (Lottermoser George) ([Leica] RE: Another Door Closed to Photography)
In reply to: Message from tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant) ([Leica] RE: Another Door Closed to Photography)
Message from imagist3 at mac.com (Lottermoser George) ([Leica] RE: Another Door Closed to Photography)