Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/04/22
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]LUGnuts: A quick synopsis of slide show/ talk by Bill Allard last night as part of "PhotoNight," a photojournalism get together that has become a major event in LA. He showed work from his entire career. Started at 8pm and went to 10:30. I finally left at midnight and he was still going strong talking to people. Quick points: 1. WOW! If you don't know his work: get to know his work. 2. Just signed back onto staff at NG. 3. Back to using mostly Ms. Recently completed story on the Blues with 1100 rolls all on 2 M6s. (Ex-LUGger Robert Burrough's showed him Tom's Rapidwinder which he handled like a kid with new toy) 3. Mostly still Kodachrome, especially 25 and 200 and increasing amounts of E200. 4. The most important thing is time--time for your subjects to get to know you and to gain access to important moments. 5. Wishing for small, very controllable strobe (minus-level flash compensation for Noctilux at F/1, for instance). 6. He often finds places with good graphic potential (shadows, shapes, etc.) and spends time, waiting for things to develop. Sometimes hours or even days. 7. Occasionally does what he calls "produced" photos where he sets things up--but usually only for points otherwise not doable, but important to a story. 8. "Why Leica?" someone asked before the show pointing to the camera hanging off his shoulder. "the lenses. I don't know how, I don't know why, but the lenses." nothing else, he said, works as well in the low light levels he inhabits. Said he tried Canon AF "for my middle aged eyes" but is back to Leica. 9. His story "Faulkner's Mississippi" is really "Allard's Mississippi." 10. Peru changed his life--the most intense, deepest photographic experience. 11. He was given a choise of Russia or minor league baseball. He figured there would be only one chance to shoot the minor leagues for NG, but more opportunities to work in Russia. And the baseball was soooo accessible and not filled with egos. donal - -- Donal Philby San Diego http://www.donalphilby.com