[Leica] The Character

[Alex Brattell <alex@zetetic.co.uk>]

Oddmund, the man with the inexplicably wild reputation wrote:

>Cameras are not 
>important. The story is important, the message, your point of view. If you 
>have nothing to say, nothing to tell, it's dead even with the finest cameras. 

Well, yes and no. (Don't want to provoke anything! - insert ironic smiley)

The work is the most important thing for me, but I feel that I ignored the
importance of equipment for too long, and getting into gear has had a
positive effect on my work. I saw the camera as strictly a tool, and as long
as the lens was reasonably clean that was OK.

Since I got more interested in the tools of this strange trade, I have
learnt so much about the way the image gets onto the film, and how I can use
those properties to develop as an artist, artisan or whatever. It is
enriching 'the pallette' I have to work with - the recent discussion of the
importance of sharpness was a  taste of that. There's also the social and
design history - as an example of human ingenuity at its best the
development of the mechanics and chemistry of photography is hard to beat. 

Old Chinese saying; When you point at moon, look at moon not at finger.
It is so, but every so often you should check out your finger too.

On this list  we have people who are most concerned with cameras, or
photographs, or going out on weekends with a big bag, or whatever, it
doesn't matter. Cameras are important, lots of things are important.
Appreciating and engaging with a diversity of interests can create an
atmosphere amongst people that is a positive influence in the world. There's
been too much technical tittle tattle here recently for my taste but the
mood seems to be shifting now!

Alex