[Leica] Was "Come On" now Chairman Oddmund

["John McLeod" <johnmcleod@worldnet.att.net>]

Oddmund's good John, but I nominate you for Chairman.  Excellent post.

OK, Oddmund can be Chairman, but you run the LUG company and keep everyone
clicking happily.

John McLeod
- ----------
>From: "John Poirier" <MJ.Patterson@nt.sympatico.ca>
>To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
>Subject: Re: [Leica] Come on guys
>Date: Wed, Dec 2, 1998, 11:43 PM
>

>Henning wrote:
>
>>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.
>
>I think Henning is correct about the political relevance of Leicas in the
>sense that they, like any other cameras, are tools that can be turned to a
>number of purposes.  I imagine  there are some on the list who would say
>that certain Leicas are still the best tools for some applications.
>
>The mind of the photographer is a lot more important than the brand name of
>the camera being used.   The emotional association of pieces of machinery-
>Leica cameras- with grand social causes is really nothing but a weird piece
>of consumerism.  It is the photographers and the people they have portrayed
>who matter.
>
>I think Oddmund's political postings are probably prompted by a somewhat
>mischievous desire to stir up Leicaphiles- particularly collectors- whose
>involvement with cameras he views as being somewhat narcissistic given the
>terrible state the world is in, etc, etc. I think he has a point- but it's
>not enough of a point for me to get very excited about it.  I do find his
>postings and the responses entertaining, though.
>
>I'm something of a left-winger by American political standards (just on my
>way out as a Union Local president, left-of-center political party
>activist), but I don't see anything wrong with a bit of harmless narcissism.
>I use an old Leica sometimes because I like the visual qualities of the old
>lenses and really enjoy a well-made piece of machinery.  I don't feel any
>compulsion to make political photographs when using a Leica- it's just a
>nice break from the tupperware I shoot with professionally.
>
>It would be fun if Oddmund (or others) could come forward with some ideas
>for socially constructive projects in which LUG members might become
>involved.
>
>I think, as someone else (Was it that plutocrat Tim Atherton?) said,
>photography and politics are very much intertwined.
>
>As a compromise, maybe we could set up something called "The Sayings of
>Chairman Oddmund".  I'll contribute the first one- "Peace springs from the
>barrel of a Noctilux." :-)
>
>John Poirier
>Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
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