Re: [Leica] The Grump rides again (on a cow this time)

[Dan Cardish <dcardish@microtec.net>]

Well said.  

I just hope you are not insinuating that his use of Leicas his somehow
related to the significance of his photography!

Dan C.

At 08:43 PM 16-02-00 +0000, Mike Johnston wrote:
>Why is it that we can discuss the minutiae of finders and serial numbers
>interminably, but as soon as we have a decent discussion going about
>art--or just about a photograph or two--it deteriorates into a series of
>woeful puns about cow udders? I knew this was going to happen. This, or
>something like this, always happens, and not just on the LUG. It's the
>internet equivalent of a collective nervous fit of the giggles.
>
>I really am puzzled about why it's so difficult for people to discuss
>aesthetics.
>
>It happens in the magazine, too. Every time we make a brief,
>responsible, and conservative foray into discussing actual
>accomplishment, the 'why' instead of the endless 'how,' we get letters
>from people pronouncing it 'fluff' or 'filler' and exhorting us to get
>back to 'solid technical information.'
>
>Well.
>
>Eggleston uses Leicas, not Hasselblads. He was born rich and continues
>to be rich and has many very beautiful and rare antique Leicas. He also,
>according to one essay about him, has two wives in two houses and often
>answers his doorbell holding a pistol. Another of his passions is
>building loudspeakers, and his son, also called William, owns a company
>called "Egglestonworks" that builds an extremely expensive speaker
>called the "Andra" that won an award from _Stereophile_ magazine a while
>back.
>
>Eggleston is a significant photographer. Some people even like his work.
>And if you don't, well, _you_ go try to sell your "bad snapshots" for
>$4,500 a pop. Better than having to dress toddlers as daisies any day.
>
>One day I'm going to start a newsletter that will discuss _only_
>aesthetics and accomplishment, and questions about what one's tripod
>legs should be made of will be the ones that elicit the hoots and
>raspberries.
>
>End of Eggleston discussion. Let's get back to something vital like
>frameline brightness, the durability of camera coverings, whether we
>should or should not use filters, or our preferred camera straps--i.e.,
>the important things about photography. In the meantime, I can enjoy
>these dazzlingly brilliant and creative bovine puns, which I find
>delightfully entertaining and so very worth my time.
>
>--Mike
>
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