Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/11/22

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Subject: Re: OK, the results
From: dlevy@worldy.com
Date: Fri, 22 Nov 1996 12:22:14 -0500

Maybe the group should consider these threads like the weather: if you don't
like wait 20 minutes and it will change. Since Leica photography evokes and
envolves emotion, non-technical issues are relavent. I am currently reading
Freeman Patterson's Photography and the Art of Seeing it is recharging my
creative juices. He goes through a series of exercises which at first seemed
too simple and almost silly, but I tried some dry runs, and it works.
Without feeling the subject, whether you have a Leica or a ?, you don't have
anything that really is other than some exposed film.

One can buy the best/most expensive equip., know all the technical aspects
and NEVER produce a good photograph. I had a student who just knew which end
of the camera to point towards the subject. Her photography was great. She
knew how to elicit whatever emotion she felt when she made the exposure. 

We tried to teach her to use the Cokin system she had (I think she had 1 of
every filter they make) and how to use her zooms and other accys. All we did
was destroy her ability. We got her back on track when we took all the toys
away and just let her do her thing. Oh, she ended up with the system as the
result of a divorce. She got his system and he got her stereo - go figure.
Brian Levy, J.D.
Agincourt Ont.
dlevy@worldy.com