[Leica] It doesn't matter

[Mike Johnston <michaeljohnston@ameritech.net>]

Look, friends, the black-and-white film you use DOESN'T MATTER. (Neither
does the camera or lens you choose, but let's not go there). What
matters is what you do with it--and whether you like it. A good
photographic craftsman, of which I certainly am one, can make most any
film behave tolerably--and no matter what film you want to name, it is
possible to screw it up royally and make horrible-looking results.

Whoever this benighted character "Bernard" might be, power to him. He
can go right ahead and congratulate himself for using the films he
himself approves of. If he breaks his arm patting himself on the back,
it's all the same to me. Whatever film he approves of or doesn't approve
of is absolutely immaterial to anybody but himself. The Deltas are fine
films, capable of excellent results.

Insults are immaterial, too. Over the years I've been insulted,
occasionally even villified, for using the "wrong" papers; for liking
warm-tone papers; for using the "wrong" developer; for not liking
amidol; for not using pyro; for not advocating techniques I think are
stupid and for advocating things I like; for stating the results of
tests honestly, and for not going along with various cults that seek to
canonize everything from particular formats to particular processes to
particular photo-Gods to particular chemicals. Believe me, in my job,
I've been there and done that--or had that done to me--so many times
I've lost track.

You do know, don't you all, that there are whole groups of fanatical
photographers who think it's not even possible to make remotely valid
work in 35mm?!? They'd dismiss ALL OF US on this list. The more esoteric
photographic craft gets, the more extreme the passions seem to run.

It doesn't matter. The camera you use, the lens you choose, the film you
like, the films you hate; craft, or anti-craft; your particular
prejudices and preferences with regard to the darkroom, digital output,
format, or this or that style and subject matter; it just simply doesn't
matter. People can't even agree on who the best photographers are. Name
the one photographer you think is absolutely, undisputably great, and
chances are somebody will STILL be willing to badmouth that person's
work.

One of my favorite photographers is a travel writer named Eric Newby. I
wish I had more of his books; I only know of one, called _What the
Traveller Saw_. He photographed simply, honestly, and basically, with a
rudimentary Pentax and a standard lens, and either Tri-X or some close
equivalent. But he saw lots, and he saw well. I love his work. I wish I
had the confidence to work as simply and directly.

Two-thirds of the photographers I personally admire used Tri-X. I love
Tri-X. Don't like the same photographers I do? Fine. Understood. Like a
different film? Fine, fine. I don't get any extra credit with anybody
for using Tri-X. Your work doesn't earn any extra credit from anybody
but yourself because you use YOUR favorite film.

_It_doesn't_matter_.

What matters is the print on the wall...or wherever your photographs end
up in whatever form you choose to realize them. Your prejudices won't
help you. Your preferences won't save you. What matters is your taste,
craft, vision, honesty, understanding, intelligence, skill, and
judgement; what you care about, and how _much_ you care about it; and
how hard you are willing to work.

- --Mike