Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/05/20

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Subject: Re: [Leica] street photography
From: Johnny Deadman <deadman@jukebox.demon.co.uk>
Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 20:01:10 +0100

on 20/5/00 3:59 pm, rnkramer@mindspring.com at rnkramer@mindspring.com
wrote:

> But some of
> the most powerful photos of the twentieth century would not exist if
> *everyone* followed your suggestion

Helen Levitt's Harlem shots for example, shot with a rightangle finder. So I
believe  were quite a lot of Humphrey Spender's magnificent Worktown
(mass-observation) photographs. Then there's Walker Evans on the subway...
Robert Frank was a compulsive hipshooter I think... at least according to
Robert Delpire (I think that's where I read the story).

I do hipshoot quite a lot in some circumstances but it has rather more to do
with liking to change the perspective... I am taller than a lot of people,
for example, and I get really bored with that downward angle.

The best advice I've seen came from the person who said carry the camera in
both hands, lens pointed down. Dead right, if you're concerned about
people's reaactions. Gives your subject a chance to get the hell out of the
way or yell at you.

- --
Johnny Deadman

photos:      http://www.pinkheadedbug.com
music:       http://www.jukebox.demon.co.uk