Re: [Leica] Leica-More Jim, less BS

[Jim Brick <jim@brick.org>]

- ---------------------------------------------
> >One would hope that in general, people would
> >know something about photography
> >before moving to a Leica system.
> >
> >Tom Shea
- ---------------------------------------------

At 09:30 AM 7/2/98 +0800, Adrian wrote:
>Jim,
>
>If you are still lurking - just let me say that you are missed and I am 
>sure I speak for many when I say that your contributions to LUG were one 
>of its main attractions. Please get back in the fray - 'nil carborundum' 
>and all that!
>
>I for one am still keen to learn more about photography and Leicas and 
>don't mind admitting that I make stupid elementary mistakes quite often, 
>despite being a professional. So I never look down upon other 
>photographers' efforts, even if they have just picked up a camera for the 
>first time. There are after all many people who could not tell you the 
>difference between and f-stop and a shutter speed who have taken great 
>photos because their eyes told them to snap away and plenty of technical 
>wizards who could not take an interesting picture if their life depended 
>on it: look at some of the photo magazines or books for example - how 
>many of the photos are any good at all?? Funny who gets the best jobs - 
>in photography as in everything else! Still, I like to set my standards 
>high.
>
>Just lest we get too caught up in the non-photographic charm of Leicas!
>
>By the way - I would love to hear more about the large prints you have 
>mentioned: where and how are they made? I am always looking for great 
>labs and so far have not found one in this part of the world - not 
>surprising for mainland China but neither Singapore nor Hong Kong have 
>quality R-prints IME. Best I have found is an outfit called Green Rhino 
>in New York which is superb but also fabulously expensive.

>
>Come back!
>
>Adrian
>
>Adrian Bradshaw
>Photojournalist
>Shanghai, China
> 

Two and a half years ago, my daughter turned 15-1/2. Time for her to learn
to drive. I have a BMW station wagon (Touring for those on the other side
of the A pond). My wife has a BMW sedan, as do my two oldest sons. They are
Internet/network engineers. One son still lives at home. Nothing but BMW's
available. Should I have rented a Chevy so that I could teach my daughter
how to drive? I apologized to her about the fact that she HAD to learn in a
BMW. Funny thing, she got a job at 16 (waitress in a local restaurant),
saved her money, and bought a BMW herself.

Five months ago, she said that she really liked some of my photographs and
would like to learn about photography. Just this month she graduated from
high school and is going to college next year, as a music major. Community
college first, then Santa Clara University for the last two years. Anyway,
she makes a lot of money as a waitress in a local restaurant. So she bought
a new Leica R7 from Jeff at K&S. One of the last they had. She also bought
a new (one of the last) 70-210 zoom. I gave her my 35-70 E67 as I don't use
it much. I'll borrow it if I need to. Remember, she knows nothing about
photography. Should I have discouraged her? And made her buy a, uh, let's
see now, just what is it that someone who doesn't know anything about
photography is supposed to buy? Oh yeah, one of those "do everything for
you up to date not 15 year old technology" cameras. So she would have no
chance to learn photography. Just point and push. She is very happy with
her R7 and is learning photography in spite of her Leica handicap. She
attended the workshop that I taught and did very well. She will be at
Photokina with me and would like to meet you LUGgers that can meet at 11am,
September 19th in front of the Leica booth.

More information. Tom Brichta, our local Leica Rep, used the new Minilux
zoom on the workshop. He took pictures of the participants as well as some
great artsy fartsy stuff. I have to tell you that the Minilux Zoom camera
performed beautifully. Now I also have to tell you that Tom is a hellova
good photographer and I'm sure that that fact played a very important role
in the success of the Minilux Zoom pictures. But the pictures (in and
around San Francisco) were all perfectly exposed, sharp, just plain
beautiful. Slide film.

Adrian, I'll post something about large Ciba's in the near future. Good
mail order lab in Berkeley CA. Go to:

http://www.lightroom.com/

Jim