RE: [Leica] Come on guys

["Tim Atherton" <timphoto@nt.sympatico.ca>]

But Henning,

Almost all architecture, good or bad makes some political statement, either
intentionally or unintentionally - about government spending policies, the
free market economy, socio-political conditions or movements etc. etc...

I would say that by using your Leica to photograph those projects or models,
you are also part of the process and undertaking something which is, to some
extent a political act, conscious or unconscious. Those (superb Leica)
photographs help sell the architects work,  help build more projects -
funded by private enterprise (the free market economy - which surely is a
political theory) or by government (more obviously political choices).

I don't think your Leica is being apolitical at all....


Tim A  :-)

- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
[mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of Henning J.
Wulff
Sent: December 1, 1998 11:15 PM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: [Leica] Come on guys


Oddmund wrote:

>>  Come on guys.  This is not a political forum nor is it a managment
>>forum.  This is the "Leica Photography" forum.  Can we please somehow
>>resist the temptation of posting to the world our political, management
>>and financial views of Leica.  Unless I am wrong we do photography to
>>get away from that bs so I don't want to read about it here.  Maybe you
>>could personally e-mail each other with your views and save the rest of
>>us from these "non-topics".
>
>In my case you are wrong. In the case of photographers who made Leica
>famous, you are wrong as well. If they did "photography to get away from
>that bs", we would never have Leicas today, or just some prototypes in
>museums. Leica is a part of contemporary history, having witnessed, and
>still witnessing, showing the diversity of life, human situations,
suffering,
>dignity, sorry and happiness, smile and tears. This is "politics", and this
>will always be "politics". Politics and economy, and moral if you want.
>There is nothing wrong about it, as there is nothing wrong about this being
>discussed in the Leica Users Group.

Leicas are also capable of taking non-political pictures, and even some
with few social statements.

About half my income is from photography, and it happens to be
architectural photography. My Leicas fit in because an M camera with a
Super Angulon or Hologon is superb for photographing architectural models.
Other uses for my Leicas and lenses are for taking personal pictures.

Other than that the architectural photos document part of humanities built
or to-be-built environment, and that since I work for pay for clients who
have or run businesses, there is no further social or political overtone to
those photos. My personal stuff ranges the usual gamut, and it is social
commentary to the extent that it documents moments of my life.

If my camera turns political, I will not vote for it, and it will be turfed
come the next camera election. Leicas included.

Leicas were used to document social and political conditions (as were
Contaxes) because they were available and it was possible. Now lots of
Nikons and Canons are used because they are available and resposive and
more affordable. Now we can also easily take pictures of sports and news
events far away, because now we have 600/4 AF lenses. This is what now
makes cameras famous. Leicas happened to be the best tool available for a
certain period. They have no further connection with politics or social
change, and due to their small numbers, are now a lot less relevant.

Everything any human does or thinks can be discussed in a social context,
but that does not mean that we have to make that the full time focus. There
is more to human existance (...said while slipping into some comfy Nomex).


   *            Henning J. Wulff
  /|\      Wulff Photography & Design
 /###\   mailto:henningw@archiphoto.com
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