New book

[Donal Philby <donalphilby@earthlink.net>]

LUGnuts, 

All this discussion of 2 1/4 versus 35mm etc. I've followed and
basically agreed with Duane.  I have Pentax 67 system and it is
absolutely sharp and wonderful--if shot on tripod and with adequate
depth of field.  Mostly I use for corporate work, but because you need
to shoot it at f/11 minimum for any depth of field, the amount of strobe
light needed is quadupled.  5.6 to 11--two stops, four times the light.

Last week found myself (not by chance) at Powell's Bookstore in Portland
Oregon and discovered a fairly recent book called "Delta," written and
photographed by Daniel Schwartz of Switzerland.  It is a book that
explores life on the rivers and deltas of the great rivers in South and
Southeast Asia.  In beautiful black and white.  It is shot in the great
tradition of documentary photography, down in the mud, with the people,
in the middle of events.  Powerful work.  The kind that brings tear to
my eyes--sometimes from joy, sometimes from the pathos of life on the
edge of survival.  A book of decisive moments.

And almost all shot with a Hasselblad.  To which I want to add, "as if
that mattered."  It is not the technical quality--the images span the
wonderfully clear to the woefully blurry--just like work shot with
Leicas or any other machines.  It is not a celebration of technical
acumen, but a look at life itself.  

Introduction by Tim Page (of Viet Nam fame).  Translated from the
German.  US$50.

Buy it.  Support him.  Keep him shooting.

Donal Philby
San Diego