Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/09/14

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Re:E. Adams & Vietnam Photo
From: Eric Welch <ewelch@ponyexpress.net>
Date: Tue, 14 Sep 1999 08:46:58 -0500

At 12:00 AM 9/14/99 -0400, Paul Schiemer wrote:
>Same event yes, same vantage point??

It was not the same vantage point. It was taken from quite a bit farther 
away than Eddie Adams' picture. You can see Gen. Loan full length. And the 
victim. And more people standing around. Or could it be I've seen a 
different film that you are mentioning?

Besides, what are the chances they were using the same focal length 
equivalent. I've been to many press events, and have seen many sets of 
pictures comparing what one photographer saw vs. what one next to them saw. 
Let along what a still vs. film photographer saw. In some cases, the 
pictures are virtually indistinguishable, unless there is a very close 
inspection. So even if I'm not remembering right that Adams' picture was 
tighter than the film version, unless you compare the background on the 
edge something in the foreground, you can't say for sure it's the same 
vantage point. Do you have a copy of the film you can stop and hold up a 
pictures next to it and make comparisons? That's the only way to know for sure.

Second of all, doesn't this question (which is why I'm probably reacting to 
it in such a manner) call into question Eddie Adams' integrity? He said it, 
he won a Pulitzer. It's his picture. Period. Ninety-nine percent of the 
photojournalists out there working on that level are trustworthy on such a 
topic.

Or for that matter the credibility, and competence, of editors at AP and 
the Pulitzer judges?

Eric Welch
St. Joseph, MO

http://www.ponyexpress.net/~ewelch

Be nice to people on your way up because you'll need them on your way down. 
- -W. Migner