Re: [Leica] 50mm users more creative? Hardly so.

[Jeff Alford <alford@batnet.com>]

I think it is a good exercise to use just one lens occasionally. It sharpens
your photographic eye and gives you a better idea what each of your lenses
can do.

Jeff Alford

BIRKEY, DUANE wrote:

>  Stephen Gandy wrote:
>
> >the irony is that David Hamilton would achieve world wide fame by using
> the
> >simplest equipment, using what is usually considered an amateur's
> camera.   his
> >success makes for a good argument that most photographer's (including
> me)
> >pre-occupation with different lenses is really just a mental excuse for
> their own
> >lack of ability and imagination.   of course many will take exception,
> but think
> >about it.
>
> >if David Hamilton can achieve that level of success with only a 50, why
> can't the
> >rest of us?
>
> Let's see,  we've come up with 2 or three photographers in the world in
> recent history who have been successful with a camera and a 50mm lens.
> HCB did use more than the 50mm though.  How many thousands of thousands
> of successful photographers in world use more than one lens.  It's a
> statistically irrelevant argument IMHO and means your chance of doing is
> nill.
>
> I would argue that the more creative and imagination you have,  the more
> lenses you need to effectively record that vision.  But I shoot a lot of
> situations for my work that can't be done with a 50mm or the results are
> much better with a different lens.  Limiting yourself to one camera and
> one lens is a artistic gimmick IMHO.  But a lot of lenses in the hand of
> a fool isn't a recipe for success.
>
> World-wide success and recognition on the art side at least, is based on
> a lot more than pure talent.  It's more based on playing to and been
> taken in by the artistic community than actual talent.  It has little to
> do with equipment or technical quality in reality, shoot why do think the
> Diana and throw away Ilford BW cameras are so popular.
>
> Lastly, I'm reading one reason people state for going to one camera and
> one lens is because they are tired of carrying a large zoom or a
> motorized camera.  That's a fine argument for your back, but not a sound
> one photographic wise.  There are many situations where 20 or a 24,  a
> 200 or 300 will give you images unobtainable in any other way.  It's a
> matter of how much you want to limit yourself photographic wise.   I hate
> lugging around a lot of equipment too, but when I'm shooting, I don't
> feel a ounce of it.  I try to research as much as possible what I'm going
> to be shooting.  Add experience and that tells me what kind of EQ kit I
> should take.
>
> Duane Birkey
>
> HCJB World Radio
> Quito Ecuador