Re: [Leica] Street photography

[Krechtz@aol.com]

I recently saw a televised lengthy interview of Cartier-Bresson (Charlie Rose 
on PBS).  He said that he doubted that he would be permitted these days to 
photograph in public places the same way he did decades ago.  People, in the 
age of the paparazzi, have become too aware of the presence of photographers 
on the streets and elsewhere.  
There you have it, straight from the mouth of one the greatest champions of 
Leica "candid" photography and spontaneous and more formal portraiture - and 
every bit of it with a 50mm lens.
I have had some luck using gear that people have difficulty recognizing as 
photo equipment, including a beat-up IIIb with Summitar and Rolleiflex 2.8E, 
also well-used.  They even have occasionally become conversation pieces.  
The square format is far more useful than users of rectagonal formats expect, 
but it may take some mental adjustment on the part of the photographer.  For 
very effective use of the Rolleiflex to make square compositions, just look 
at the work of Fritz Henle.

Joe Sobel