[Leica] Leica Camera-Handling

[Mike Johnston <michaeljohnston@ameritech.net>]

In response to C.E. Workman Jr.'s question and Stephen's followup, I'd
like to propose a topic. I'm of the opinion that Leica M camera-handling
is one of the things that really distinguishes it from other cameras.
Because it's inherently so responsive, you can use it more or less any
way you are capable of using it--slowly and ponderously, fast and slick,
or anywhere in between.

I've heard many stories over the years of Leica shooters improving their
camera-handling skills over a period of many years. We've all heard some
of the most famous stories, such as how Capa got his famous picture of
Leon Trotsky, or Henri Cartier-Bresson hurling his camera at an
attacker's face only to yank it back at the last second using a long
wrist-strap. I'm personally convinced that daily PRACTICE with the
camera--I often do it in my living room at night with no film in the
camera--is essential to good skills.

For instance, right now, with a (borrowed) M4, I'm experimenting with
trying to minimize the time the camera is up to my eye--set the focus
and exposure with the camera at belly-level on its strap, then raise,
look, shoot, and return the camera to the down position as quickly and
smoothly as possible (although I haven't tried it yet, I think an
unmetered Leica with an add-on Cosina meter may be ideal for this,
because it makes it easier to meter with the camera at waist-level). For
all my experience shooting Leicas, this particular skill is new to me.
So I'm finding I still have lots to learn about Leica camera-handling.

(One thing that's pretty amazing about this is that people expect you
have to look through the camera for a certain amount of time to take a
picture. If you quickly but casually raise the camera, fire it, and
lower it again, they assume you've decided not to take a picture.)

[[[name-dropping alert--apologies]]]

I interviewed Ralph Gibson for a magazine article in the early '90s and
he told me perhaps the best Leica camera-handling story I've ever heard.
He had travelled way up to Nova Scotia to visit Robert Frank, and the
two of them were swapping Leica-handling stories. Frank said, "I'll show
you a trick." He took Gibson's Leica, set the focus, set the exposure,
then set the self-timer--then clicked the shutter release and tossed the
camera gently into the air. According to Ralph, the camera reached its
apex, hung in the air briefly, pointing down, and went "click." Ralph
didn't show it to me, but he swears he has a frame on his contact sheets
somewhere, well enough exposed, well enough focused, and adequately
framed, showing himself and Robert Frank standing side-by-side on the
ground looking intently up into the air.

Anybody else have any good M-handling stories, either their own, or ones
they've heard? Or the opposite, examples of when your skills have let
you down?

- --Mike

_PHOTO Techniques_ magazine
www.phototechmag.com