Re: [Leica] Leica Camera-Handling

[Ted Grant <tedgrant@home.com>]

>Mike Johnston wrote:

> >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...........>>>>>>>>>>


Gee Mike,

There was a scuffle after a football game, some obviously "well into
their cups" fans were pushing and pummeling field security chaps around.
 I put the M4 to my eye to shoot when my attacker, thinking I'd taken
his picture came flying at me face on fists flying.

Unlike Cartier-Bresson,  when I used an M4 on my drunken attacker I
didn't pull it back!!!!!!!

I had a choice of getting roundly punched out as I had equipment bag on
left shoulder,  a Nikon with a motor plus 500 mirror lens hanging around
my neck,  the M4 hanging by the neck strap wrapped around my right wrist.

No matter how much I tried to persuade this guy I hadn't taken his
picture, he was hell bent for blood.

I didn't have much choice but to swing the camera,  as at the moment
this guy was getting the better of me.  I slipped the camera bag to the
ground and swung the M4 plus Noctilux at the side of the guy's head. 
The fight was over!!!   I thought!

Two of his inebriated buddies saw him holding his head and obviously in
pain and they both jumped me face down to the ground. This in turn
snapped the Nikon lens mount and 500 mm lens out of the body. Then they
proceeded to punch the hell out of my head and back until  the
"renta-cops" pulled them off.

The drunken dummy had a large headache for awhile.  Me? Walnut sized
lumpies on my head where knuckles and skull came to-gether!  The M4 and
Noctilux? Hell they survived to fight another day! :):)

Now that's M camera handling! :)

ted