[Leica] Dr. ted meets Philip Marlow [[ ! :-) ]]

[passaro.vince at gmail.com (Vince Passaro)]

Good Doctor:

Canada? Well that's completely different. How can you possibly understand
our savage southern folkways? We stick a big whirring plastic Japanese (made
in China) DSLR in your face and ask questions later, and each citizen is
issued a laminated pocket document that explains why for us the Geneva
Conventions don't count.

OK so it's 1963 and you and Mordechai Richler and Robert Goulet put on your
straw boaters and take your Brownies....

I offer this from the great Raymond Chandler (author of *The Big Sleep, The
Long Goodbye, Farewell My Lovely) *in a later and lesser know novel, *The
Little Sister, *which I happen to be re-reading this weekend as I'm teaching
it along with some other noir-ish prose on Monday, and which passage I came
upon last night, when I was still rosy and overheated from these arguments:

     * ....."Aren't you silly," she said. "He studies a lot and he as a very
expensive camera he likes to snap peoplw with when they don't know.
Sometimes it makes them mad. But Orrin says people ought to see themselves
as they really are."
           "Let's hope it never happens to him," I said. "What kind of
camera is it?" *
            *"One of those little cameras with a very fine lens. You can
take snaps in almost any kind of light. A Leica."
*
The novel was published in 1949 so that's a IIIc I guess she's referring to.
Or IIIf?

I already knew your fine work sir. The lamentations that followed on your
premature retirement from the LUG were such that one had to look it up to
determine who be this sainted fellow.  Thank you for the link in any case. I
am, as you might well imagine, a rank amateur equipped only with a Bessa, a
micro four/thirds digital, and whatever cheap Leica lenses have been hit by
cars and left to die on the sides of the road.

Vince

On Sat, Mar 20, 2010 at 11:22 AM, <tedgrant at shaw.ca> wrote:

> G'day Mr. Passaro,
> As we have not had the opportunity of being properly introduced I can not
> imagine being asked such an impertenant question regarding my teeth, sir!
> Paricularly when this is a list about photography using the Leica camera of
> choice. :-)
>
> Your attempt at humour writing is wantng of a sharper wit and mind to make
> it worth while, Sir.
>
>  So were these the same polite old days with you and Will Geer and whatnot
>>>>
>>> walking around tipping your staw boaters at the decorous ladies the same
>> polite old days when folks used to use firehoses on Negroes and openly
>> poison earth and water and accuse dissidents of being communists and
>> basically tolerate or treat fairly not a single soul who didn't walk and
>> talk and look like themselves and you and old Will there?<<<
>>
>
> Not at all, a mere 60 years ago when as a young man, Sir. These were the
> days of a country by the name of CANADA where politness was first and
> foremost. And only a police officer carried a gun. We never induged in the
> nefraious activities you mention above. And still to this day a 
> photographer
> can very easily be recognized by the mark of a gentleman. However, I admit
> quite freely we have some loosers as you do in your country.
>
>  Whadda load of horse crap.<<<<
>>>>
>>>
> With this comment, I'm not sure whether you are refering to my writing or
> your own? You show your poor manners of response to a simple truthful
> comment of times long gone. When we as photographers quietly did our thing
> as part of our love of life and everyday activities, without fear of some
> paranoid klutz alertng the police. Actually in Canada the "Klutz's" are
> still very few and far between. Thank goodness. On your side? No comment!
>
> Thank you for your "welcome back!" So let us not have this first encounter
> become a barb in each others hide! As I'd much rather be talking 
> photography
> than having to respond as we see here. Thank you.
>
> And in the event you have no idea of my career, may I suggest a quick
> glance at tedgrantphoto.com . Thank you.
>
> cheers mate,
> Dr. ted
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Vince Passaro" <
> passaro.vince at gmail.com>
> To: "Leica Users Group" <lug at leica-users.org>
> Sent: Friday, March 19, 2010 10:58 PM
> Subject: Re: [Leica] Beware HCB Wannabes
>
>
>  Dr. Ted they said you'd retired. Now one types in fear.... How often you
>> got
>> to go in and have the calcium shards pulled out from between your teeth?
>> You
>> bite straight through the bone man.
>>
>> So were these the same polite old days with you and Will Geer and whatnot
>> walking around tipping your staw boaters at the decorous ladies the same
>> polite old days when folks used to use firehoses on Negroes and openly
>> poison earth and water and accuse dissidents of being communists and
>> basically tolerate or treat fairly not a single soul who didn't walk and
>> talk and look like themselves and you and old Will there?
>>
>> Whadda load of horse crap.
>>
>> Nice to meet you though. Welcome back etc.
>>
>> Vince P
>>
>> On Sat, Mar 20, 2010 at 1:05 AM, <tedgrant at shaw.ca> wrote:
>>
>>  Yet, the issue of whether or not "we" can photograph
>>>
>>>>
>>>>>>  on the public streets does interest me quite a bit.<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>
>>>>
>>> Hello George,
>>> As it does mine. Because I still receive assignments to "document certain
>>> open air subjects on the streets and parks."
>>>
>>> Throughout the 60's and early '70's I shot a great number of documentary
>>> assignments, some months on end for the National Film Board of Canada as
>>> I
>>> travelled across the country. Throughout rural areas, towns, villages and
>>> cities candidly photographing the day to day life ...... no permission
>>> asked. But when and if questioned? I replied politely what I was doing
>>> and
>>> who for! Never had a problem any where, nor anytime. Rarely, if ever was
>>> I
>>> challenged in a miserable gruff manner and certainly never with any
>>> threats
>>> of.. "Calling the cops or police!"
>>>
>>> However, that is a time long past. Sadly! Today due to the weirdo's in
>>> our
>>> societies and unfortunately the attitudes of many people in our society,
>>> along with some of the so called "street photographers" who believe
>>> without
>>> question, they can barge around the cities and country side shooting
>>> whatever the hell they want, even when questioned! Sure they can!
>>> However,
>>> if they are disrupting or making a bloody nuisance of themselves
>>> interfering
>>> with people, then they deserve what they require! A damn good boot in the
>>> ass and sent along the way out of town before sunset!
>>>
>>> Unfortunately when challenged, they don't even have the manners to
>>> respond
>>> politely! So right there is part of the problem for those of us who
>>> quietly
>>> go about doing our thing. However, due to these uneducated illiterate
>>> SOB's
>>> with no manners of a verbal fight " that they can do whatever they want
>>> because it's a free country!" They of course in their dimwit minds make
>>> it a
>>> major difficulty for folks like us who have legitimate assignments to
>>> document the many aspects in the life of our Nation these days!
>>>
>>> Yes I travelled the open country side without asking permission to
>>> photograph anything. If challenged I explained politely whom I was and
>>> who I
>>> was shooting for and never had a problem. On the odd occasion I was
>>> asked, I
>>> immediately responded with courtesy and generally courtesy was given
>>> in-return. I believe a major difference in society then and today! :-( A
>>> very sad loss in communicating with each other. Polite begets polite!
>>>
>>> ted
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>>
>>>
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>
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