[Leica] PESO: Carver

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (tedgrant at shaw.ca)]

Oh no our approach is somewhat similar in being motivated by the first 
moment, usually the "gut reaction" is the one that in most cases is the 
magical one.
But I look at this particular scene situation with so many picture 
possiblities as a kind of photo essay because of his hat, the beard, his 
hands, the carvings, the tools, the light and certainly an over all as the 
lead photo into the story.

Now that doesn't mean you shoot a picture of only his hat without his face, 
you might, but it probably would be the hat and face when just the right 
expression and light all work together! Same with his hands as he's carving 
because of his age, nicks, wrinkles and time worn with just the right light, 
I'm sure they would be beautiful in their own charcter of life.

It's dissecting of the whole scene creating a photo story of this elderly 
gentleman. That's why I would spend the extra time working the over all 
scene in finding magical moments to catch each item of the whole. This 
doesn't mean they'd just be grab record pictures of mere recordings of 
nothing without meaning. But if one has the right gut feeling, each and 
everyone of the pictures will be a stand alone wonderful photo to be shown 
alone or as a group supporting each other in telling and showing a bigger 
picture.

And yep sometimes there aren't any extra photos beyond the first motivating 
overall. So one just moves on.

And yes you can do this all with one camera and one lens! Film or digital. 
:-)
cheers,
ted


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim Shulman" <jshul at comcast.net>
To: "'Leica Users Group'" <lug at leica-users.org>
Sent: Monday, November 30, 2009 3:06 PM
Subject: Re: [Leica] PESO: Carver


> Maybe that's where I differ in approach.
>
> One reason that I adore using RF cameras is the ability to see life on
> parade.  When I consider a subject such as the wood carver, I might spend
> several minutes observing him through the viewfinder.  When I feel right, 
> I
> push the shutter button.
>
> On those occasions when I've shot multiple images of the same subject, 
> I've
> found that my initial instinct of the best shot was almost always right. 
> It
> is also almost always the first picture!  When it isn't the first picture,
> it's usually one when I've moved in closer.  Years ago I remember reading
> about some photographer who said that if your pictures aren't good enough,
> you're not close enough.  He was right, so far as my stuff's concerned.
>
> I usually only like wider angle lenses when I'm shooting a "ballet" of
> activity--with many things happening within a frame.  Sometimes a 50 
> doesn't
> allow enough flexibility.  However, this year I've fallen in love again 
> with
> the basics: my M3, Summilux 50 (gad, what a lens!), and b/w film.
>
> On most days I wind up with about ten really nice shots per 36-exposure 
> roll
> (or at least shots that I'd like to share with others).  In fact, I have a
> backlog of about 300 images from the past year (which is why my PESOs are
> more like PADs!)  A single event will yield quite a few decent shots.
>
> The other day I photographed a friend's three year old son, during the
> intermission of a Thanksgiving dinner production (we were both a little
> bored).  I only shot seven images; two were screwed-up exposures, one was 
> of
> a wall (misfire), but all the others were keepers (at least acc'd to the
> parents.)
>
> In the case of the wood carver I was far more interested in the complete
> scene--the hat, the tent, the carving, the boots and the way the light was
> slanting into the enclosure. When I had the shot I wanted, I was 
> satisfied.
>
> About the only portrait session this year that didn't work involved an old
> friend and his wife.  The pictures all showed him smiling--but missing 
> about
> eight teeth on his upper jaw!  After the implants go in next year we 
> should
> be fine <g>.
> Jim
-----Original Message-----
> From: lug-bounces+jshul=comcast.net at leica-users.org
> [mailto:lug-bounces+jshul=comcast.net at leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
> tedgrant at shaw.ca
> Sent: Monday, November 30, 2009 5:49 PM
> To: Leica Users Group
> Subject: Re: [Leica] PESO: Carver
>
> Jim Shulman offered
> Subject: Re: [Leica] PESO: Carver
>> Easy for you digital guys to say <g>.
>> For a film devotee, it was one shot and done.  Sometimes two if I screw 
>> up
>> focus or exposure.<<<<<,
>
> Oh no no don't say that as I shrivel and die! Particularly when you have
> such an incredible subject sitting there not going anywhere!!! That's part
> of the reason he makes for a great subject... "HE IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE!" 
> We
>
> are going to have a discussion behind the wood shed on this one young man!
> :-( :-)
>
> Film or digital, Jim I'd have sat there for an hour, if not more, clicking
> at every little motivating moment of the scene. However I must say with 
> film
>
> all the dang darkroom work would've been a big pain in the butt along with
> cutting the film, sleeving, contact printing, editing for selection. Back
> into darkroom for print making.
>
> Right there is reason alone to go digital! :-)
>
> When I lived the life of a film photographer I never let the amount of 
> film
> deter me from shooting everything that I felt in my heart or soul!  Yeah 
> it
> got dangerously low in rolls at times, but I always kept a couple of extra
> rolls in other pockets as a kind of insurance.
>
> Of course now I've gone digital it's a living piece of cake with a couple 
> of
>
> cards, a spare battery and one can blow their brains out snapping away! 
> :-)
>
> So back to this incredible carving subject? Man you can't just shoot one 
> or
> two frames when you have such great picture potential before you. 
> Obviously
> from your answer it would be... "Yes you can shoot just one" :-( :-(
>
> So let's say the next time you run into something like this you will make 
> a
> major effort to shoot more than one, maybe two or go whole hog and shoot 
> it
> to the last possible interesting story telling photograph you can possibly
> squeeze out of it! Like man, everyday you find some of the most 
> interesting
> characters for your photos it's quite amazing. And yes many wouldn't give
> you two seconds of extra time for more pictures.
>
> But a situation like this complete with such a visual character to go with
> it. Hell if you run out of film I've got some film lying around in the
> cupboards here I'll mail to you. But you have to shoot more! OK so we have 
> a
>
> deal? Right?:-)
>
> cheers,
> Dr. ted :-)
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: lug-bounces+jshul=comcast.net at leica-users.org
>> [mailto:lug-bounces+jshul=comcast.net at leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
>> tedgrant at shaw.ca
>> Sent: Monday, November 30, 2009 5:13 PM
>> To: Leica Users Group
>> Subject: Re: [Leica] PESO: Carver
>>
>> Jim Shulman showed:
>> Subject: [Leica] PESO: Carver
>>> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/focusit/carver+sm.jpg.html
>>
>> Hi Jim,
>> What a great subject character to photograph! I'm sure you must have
>> pumped
>> a few dozen images of him covering all the aspects of doing his carving,
>> hat, face, his hands at his age must be incredible to shoot after all the
>> years of carving.
>>
>> And the face for expressions? Must be dozens of images. Like you could
>> just
>> sit back with maybe 90 or an f4 80-200 zoom and blow yer brains out as 
>> his
>> expressions changed. :-) And as the light changed on the scene. Endless
>> photo options!
>>
>> Please tell me you did work him for every picture possibility possible?
>> You
>> did , didn't you? I knew you would! Good on you!
>> cheers,
>> Dr. ted :-)