Re: The Leica Challenge Cup! Playoff!

[Eric Welch <ewelch@ponyexpress.net>]

At 08:58 AM 9/2/97 -0800, you wrote:
>> there is a book on it some day that really shows what an amazing
>> photographer he was.
>
>IS, IS!  The recent stories I mentioned are as good a work as he has
>accomplished.  I am most impressed by his lighting, espeically his use
>of strobe light on location that is both appropriate and seamlessly
>integrated with the available light.  Few journalists have the
>experience of the corporate shooters who have to do such lighting every
>day.  And few can handle lighting with such consumate skill.  I'd love
>to know what kind of kit he carries to both travel conveniently and have
>the power and flexibility to do sophisticated lighting.

Actually, there are quite a few journalists who are good at location
lighting. But newspaper reproduction is a problem. With the advent of
digital imaging, that's going to change. Digital cameras act more like
chrome film than negative film, so lighting is going to become more and
more important in the future as publications adapt to digital cameras.

But Jim is a master. His lighting kit is quite extensive. Small and large
flash, hot lights, and whatever else he can carry. Sometimes he has to rent
three taxis from the airport to his hotel to carry all his gear. And he
often uses assistants for the big jobs. His book on the Vatican was a major
job that took almost a year. For one picture - my favorite and he tells me
it's his too - is when the priests are being ordained and they are laying
prostate at the Pope's feet. Jim was up in the rafters of St. Peters and he
shot it with the 15mm lens, and the 16mm lens and the 19mm lens on three
different bodies holding Kodachrome 25, 40 and 64. Not bad for being high
up in the air.

The guy is simply amazing, and I think one of the most underestimated
photojournalists alive.

- ---------------------
Eric Welch
Grants Pass, OR

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