[Leica] Leicas and National Geographic

[manolito at videotron.ca (EPL)]

Geoff Hopkinson wrote:
> I just enjoyed a program here showcasing the top ten photos for 2009
> according to the NG magazine. Amazing work of course and their number one
> shot was a vertical panorama if you like of a magnificent Redwood tree. I
> think something like 84 shots from a bank of pro Canons hauled halfway into
> orbit. Naturally there were plenty of top level Nikons and Canons in
> evidence as the best tools for some of the applications (including
> underwater housings and banks of remotely controlled multiple cameras).
> 
> What was a pleasant surprise was to see that  at least two of the talented
> photographers were using M's. Film M's no less. One whole essay was done in
> a remoter part of China and the placing shot was taken while hanging upside
> down from a cable strung between two mountain tops. That is amazing
> dedication. I think that the photog's website says that he used two M's 
> with
> Provia. The one I saw was an MP with a Summicron 28 fwiw. The photographer
> was Fritz Hoffmann and the other (working in Africa) was Martin Schoeller.
> It was also very interesting to see the photogs and editor peering at small
> prints with loupes which isn't quite how I imagined their main method would
> go! Then their layout was all around 12x18 prints per spread sorted on a
> blarge wall. Only one photog was shown editing on I think two 30 inch
> screens. Another comment was that their photogs take I think one million
> photos annually of which one thousand make it into the magazine. Sheesh,
> Tina thought she had an editing challenge!
> 
> Anyway well worth a look at their site and the magazine of course.
> http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/12/top-ten-photography
> Cheers
> Geoff
> http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman

I worked for National Geographic Magazine in the early-mid 90s.  At that
time,  a photographer would shoot 500-800 rolls of 36 exposures for a story
that would run 10-15 images in the magazine.

A story assignment could last 3-5 months, not working every day (but many
days) but spread out to catch seasonal changes or events. Film was shipped
back to DC every week or so for processing and for review for technical
flaws, this on desk-mounted film reviewers. The techs who did this work
would report back to the photographer in the field via the editor assigned
to the story. Later, at the halfway point, the photographer himself had to
assemble a slideshow for the editors and did the same again at the end.

Technical flawlessness of every image was an absolute. Lighting, framing,
foreground/background relationship: a picture had to convey a great deal of
accurate, verifiable information, a story in itself but also function as
part of the larger story told by the total number of photos that ran under
the title. The pictures were not intended to illustrate the text at all.
They stood on their own.

The photographer -- an artist, really -- had a good deal of influence over
the rough cut of a story, although in the end the final selection had a lot
to do with design people and the editor. The final slideshow was done in a
very large room, like a movie theatre -- exciting stuff.

At that point many photographers still carried Leica M cameras in their bags
but I daresay the majority of pictures were actually taken with Canon and
Nikon SLRs (F4 Nikons were popular). Photographer could use any equipment or
film he/she preferred.

It was normal for a photographer to go to extreme lengths to get any single
shot. Just saying, "Hi, I'm on assignment for National Georgraphic Magazine"
opened any and every door. The sky was not any kind of limit.

At that time, a photographer might be paid about $40,000 for a story but the
standard of quality expected for that fee was very high indeed. Very long
hours, risk and danger were very much part of it all. Total cost of
photography per story was $100,000, all expenses included. At that time,
there was feeling at the top that the costs were too high and I expect there
have been significant reductions. In my opinion, quality too has declined
somewhat.

Emanuel Lowi
Montreal