Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2012/06/18
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Well said. Just because HCB done it with Barnack, doesn't mean he wouldn't have wished he has a Leica M Monochrom :-) On Mon, Jun 18, 2012 at 7:53 PM, Jayanand Govindaraj <jayanand at gmail.com>wrote: > Jim, > For every shot of HCB, there are millions of instantly forgettable ones > taken with the same equipment. HCB was also using cutting edge equipment of > his time, he was not fooling around with a pre war Leica or Contax either! > It only feels like outdated equipment because 50-60 years have passed > Cheers > Jayanand > > > On Tue, Jun 19, 2012 at 8:19 AM, James Laird <digiratidoc at gmail.com> > wrote: > > > Jayanand, > > > > I agree with your sentiments but I cannot agree with your conclusions, > > sorry. Why was HCB able to take such timeless photographs with > > equipment we would all consider 'outdated'. He is most often known for > > using an M4 with a collapsible summicron, but I'm sure he used all > > manner of equipment over his lifetime. And I'm sure he peered at his > > negatives with a loupe like we peer at our pixels on our laptop or our > > iPad. > > > > But I have a feeling, and I'll be the first to admit that I could be > > wrong, that it was not the 'sharpness' of the image he cared most > > about, but rather the composition and the beauty of the image, not > > whether or not he could see the Truman Capote's eyelashes or the > > shoestrings on the 'puddle jumper's' brogues. We have all been > > 'fascinated' with images taken with 'outdated equipment', because they > > are good photographs. They may not technically be 'state of the art' > > but they're great images nonetheless. > > > > I just think that obsessing about equipment 'for it's own sake' can be > > in the end counterproductive. We should all be out taking pictures, > > not worrying about whether or not our cameras and lenses are the > > latest and greatest. After all it can get totally ludicrous at > > times...I mean $7195 for a Summicron? Really? I think even HCB might > > balk at that! ;) > > > > Jim Laird > > > > On Mon, Jun 18, 2012 at 9:12 PM, Jayanand Govindaraj <jayanand at > > gmail.com > > > > wrote: > > > Jim, > > > Actually, I do care. At any time, you buy the best tools that fit your > > need, within your range of affordability. This rubbish about "Who cares" > is > > misleading, as every top pro I know personally is very up to date with > his > > equipment. The fact that they can take better photographs than I can with > > outdated equipment does not preclude the fact that they are, in effect, > > always kitted out in the latest and greatest. This fascination with > > outdated equipment, is, I am afraid, an obsession with amateurs and > > luddites. > > > Cheers > > > Jayanand > > > > > > > > > Sent from my iPad > > > > > > On 19-Jun-2012, at 1:22 AM, James Laird <digiratidoc at gmail.com> > > > wrote: > > > > > >> George, > > >> > > >> Of course he cared about his tools. He chose them well and they served > > >> him well. What I was talking about is this infernal pixel-peeping that > > >> we see so much of on the LUG (and elsewhere) every day. Do you really > > >> think HCB would really care if the Nikon 800E could resolve just a > > >> whisker finer than the 800? Really? That's what I meant by WHO CARES. > > >> OF COURSE we all choose the tools that we think are best for us. But > > >> it's the picture that counts, not the camera or the lens. > > >> > > >> Jim Laird > > >> > > >> On Mon, Jun 18, 2012 at 11:50 AM, George Lottermoser < > imagist3 at mac.com> > > wrote: > > >>> > > >>> On Jun 17, 2012, at 3:24 PM, James Laird wrote: > > >>> > > >>>> WHO CARES? > > >>> > > >>> The artists and craftsmen and women care. > > >>> > > >>> Art and craft objects evolve out of countless choices. > > >>> Choices of tools and materials among them. > > >>> Every painter I've known has cared about his tools and materials. > > >>> Every sculptor I've known has cared about his tools and materials. > > >>> Every musician I've known has cared about his tools and materials. > > >>> Every writer I've known has cared about his tools and materials. > > >>> Every photographer I've known has cared about his tools and > materials. > > >>> > > >>> HCB (and every other great or not-so-great) > > >>> chose his tools, film, location, composition, focus, and moments of > > exposure. > > >>> They (we) choose our printers (whether humans or machines), > > >>> papers, inks, developers, et al. > > >>> Each choice is important, organic, fluid and subject to change; > > >>> for aesthetic, conceptual, economic or other reasons. > > >>> > > >>> Regards, > > >>> George Lottermoser > > >>> george at imagist.com > > >>> http://www.imagist.com > > >>> http://www.imagist.com/blog > > >>> http://www.linkedin.com/in/imagist > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> _______________________________________________ > > >>> 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 > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > 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 > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > -- // richard <http://www.richardmanphoto.com>