Re: Black or Chrome?

[Donal Philby <donalphilby@earthlink.net>]

ted grant wrote:
 The "amateur look" helps and if you kinda look like a bit
> fumbling goes along way also.

Ted and gang,

I really think it has more to do with attitude than camera.  Of course,
a small camera and right attitude together help.

I remember back when I started shooting and doing a lot of documentary,
that I trained myself (after reading about HCB "disappearing" when he
clicked the shutter) to pull in my energy, to suspend my judgements. 
When I did that I went places and shot things and felt invisible,
whether street shooting or inside a situation.  

Interestingly, when I changed careers to doing advertising copywriting,
I found that I had pulled in my energy so much, that I was invisible in
meetings.  So I had to learn to project energy and dominance to get
heard.  

Now I am somewhere in between, but starting to be able to bounce back
and forth more easily.

I read an interview with Eddie Adams in which he was asked how he could
photograph a "monster" like Saddam Hussein.  He said he liked Hussein
- ----while he photographed him-------otherwise it would be impossible. 
It was simply a professional need to adapt your attitude to the job at
hand, to suspend your judgement and be a journalist.  I'm sure Fred Ward
has similar experiences and ability.

I find that when I suspend judgements, that the discomfort is suddenly
gone--both mine and that of the people I may be around.

Donal Philby
San Diego