Re: [Leica] Erwin, photographic technique

[Bill Satterfield <cwsat@cyberhighway.net>]

Speller either

Bob Stack wrote:

> Hi Tina, Ted, Guy, Martin, Walter, Doug, et.al.
> On the sound advice of a Lugger of long standing, I have enjoyed reading the
> LUG for several months before venturing a comment or two.  For background, I
> use an M-6 with 21, 35, 50 and 90mm lenses, and an R-8 with,24, 50, 100 APO
> Macro and 180 APO lenses.  I use B&W film almost exclusively (sad about APX
> 25) and do all my own printing in a wet darkroom.  And, I am a zone system
> disciple.
> One of the great attractions to me of Leica is the wonderful versatility of
> the system.  If I want to be unobtrusive, the M is often the best solution,
> ala Ted, Tina, etc.  If I want to photograph wildlife that can kill me if I
> get as close as Johnny does with people in his Human Traffic photos, there
> is the R ala Doug.  Both systems adapt beautifully to zone system work, or
> to any other method you might choose to employ.
> I have also found that on many occasions that the only way to capture a
> particular image was to treat my Leica 35mm as a small 4x5, and that certain
> images could not be readily captured in large format.  Example;  an
> electrified train emerging out of white-out snow and fog conditions.  The
> image required a tripod for the exact composition I wanted, slow speed film
> and N+2 development to acheive acceptabe grain and contrast for printing,
> and a 35mm camera to take multiple exposures to position the fast moving
> train exactly where I wanted it within the complex of electric line towers.
> I have used both the M and the R in ways similar to this, depending on how I
> wanted the final print to feel.
>
> While I find the Leica system to be highly versitle, I have seen in this
> thread is a bit of dogma creeping that suggests the system can be only be
> used successfully in a only a few, restricted ways. Some paraphrased
> examples: "the M is only for hand held photography"; "if you are using a
> tripod, you might as well be photographing with a 4x5, or at least 2 1/4";
> "photographers who use the zone system lose the impact of the image while
> they fiddle with their techniques"; to pick just a few.  I can see many
> different ways to successfully use these cameras, and would hope we would
> encourage the exploration of may different approaches and techniques that
> can help expand the usefullness of the Leica system to the widest range
> possible.
>
> Sorry for the longish reply, but Sheakspear I ain't.
> Bob Stack