Re: [Leica] Anthony ?

["Anthony Atkielski" <anthony@atkielski.com>]

From: Ted Grant <tedgrant@islandnet.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 1999 18:14
Subject: [Leica] Anthony ?


> I wonder if you wouldn't mind enlightening me to whom you are?

What do you wish to know?

With respect to photography, I have been photographing things on and off since I
was little, since my father is an avid amateur and sometimes-professional
photographer.  I vaguely remember the spat he got into with his wife when I was
very young and he went out and spent a then-huge amount of money buying a brand
new Nikon F.  I took pictures (or tried to) with his much older Pentax and
occasionally the sacred F (which was hard for me to lift), and was given a few
simple cameras of my own over the years (including, sort of, the Pentax, after
my father had enough other equipment), and finally when I was self-supporting
and had means of my own, I got an FG and a few lenses.  I used those until just
a few years ago, when I discovered digital photography and started spending a
lot more time taking digital photographs.  Ultimately this rekindled my interest
in film, and after getting a new AF zoom for the FG, I was inspired to upgrade
to an F5, which in turn inspired me to buy more lenses.  When I discovered the
astonishing image quality of a really good lens, the AF-S Nikkor 28-70/2.8D
IF-ED, and when I discovered how much unwanted attention the F5/28-70 attracted,
I began to look towards Leica for a broader experience and perhaps also a more
discreet way of getting photos without sacrificing quality.  And that brings me
up to last week, when I finally went out and bought a new M6 TTL with a
Summicron-M 1:2/35 ASPH.  I had to learn how to do manual things all over again
(even the FG incorporated a program mode), and so I decided to subscribe to this
group in order to learn more about the good and proper ways to use a Leica, and
to learn more about the myths and realities of the camera.

> Where you are on planet earth and when do you shoot and not
> sitting at the computer?

I live in Paris, France--a paradise for photographers if there ever was one.  On
nice days I am often tempted to go out and take pictures.  I maintain a Web site
with a large gallery of photos of Paris.  They are not art, nor are they meant
to be, but they are clear, properly exposed, reasonably focused, and large
enough to provide a very clean and clear picture of the city as it actually
appears in real life.  The site (essentially just this photo gallery--the rest
attracts few visitors) gets from 20,000 to 40,000 visitors a month, depending on
the season.  Few photographers find my photos to be interesting, but from the
documentary standpoint for which they are intended, they seem to fulfill their
purpose.  I was motivated to create the gallery because, although there are many
photos of Paris, they all tend to be too small, too blurry, too dark, too
"artsy," etc., or you have to pay to see them (as in stock photos).  I figured
I'd try to fill the gap.  For the same reason, I put wallpaper photos on the
site so that people can have free wallpaper images of the City of Light--they
may not be perfect, but they are pretty clean and they are free.

> As you see my quick introduction is: I'm and old fart of
> 70 who is still shooting as a full time pro ...

Good!  It reassures me to know that photography is something that can be
practiced for a lifetime.  I'm glad I don't like sprinting or speed skating or
anything like that, because eventually you have to stop doing that kind of
activity, often at a fairly young age.  I guess taking photographs is much more
universal in appeal, like sailing or painting or fishing or whatever.  At least
age never seems to be a factor among photographers, except that the older ones
have more experience, of course (I don't know of anyone whose photography has
_worsened_ with age).

> ... well published, books, wire service, TV, newspapers,
> medical books and International lecturer for Leica USA and
> Kodak Canada and many professional and amateur groups. I shoot
> international sports, Olympics, world cups etc., photo advisor to
> international sports committees, as well as recent  recipient of a Life
> Time Achievement Award along with Yousuf Karsh from the prestigious
> Canadian Association of Photographers and Illustrators in Communication.

I'm impressed.

> And a working pro for the past 49 1/2 years. However I love
> photography with such great passion that at it's a complete
> all consumming part of my life,

It's always best to work at something you love.

> So that when, what I perceive as a newby, I like to learn of
> their experience and aspirations in relation to taking pictures
> and having fun with this most wonderful medium.

I'm not sure how to describe what I like about photography, but I really like
it.  It is clear that different photographers have different motivations for
liking it.  In my case, I like to watch and observe people and things
(especially the former, although photographing them is exceedingly
problematic)--I like attractive images of all sorts.  Photography is a way of
recording the images that I like best, so that I can admire them or show them to
others.  As a result, I tend to strongly emphasize a documentary viewpoint in
anything I photograph.  I do not try to put a personal spin on photos; I just
try to photograph things in a way that shows what I noticed about the original
images, and then leave the rest as an exercise for the viewer.  I avoid
contriving abstracts or illusions with photography; I always try to approach
real life as closely as possible.

Since I am mostly a technician, having little in the way of talent, most people
find my photographs aesthetically worthless, although some will occasionally say
that they are technically adequate.  I suppose I place too much emphasis on an
image being "clean," but without more artistic talent, there isn't any other
emphasis that I can put on it.

  -- Anthony