Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/04/22

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Subject: [Leica] Allard
From: Donal Philby <donalphilby@earthlink.net>
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 11:47:58 -0800

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