Re: [Leica] Erwin, photographic technique

["Bob Stack" <ticino@earthlink.net>]

Hi Bill:
Hope I are a better photographer than I are a speller, even when using spell
check :>).  My intent was to point out there are many ways to use both M's
and R's successfully.  Your comment about Leica's potential for quality
equivalent to many MF systems has been verified to my satisfaction at
several large format printing workshops.  The Leica photographs were thought
to be made with MF, until we did a little field work.
Bob Stack

Bill Satterfield wrote:


> You ought to see Sam Abel's book,  Stay This Moment. I understand these
were taken
> on a tripod with a cable release and many were taken with a Leica. You can
use
> these two tools, along with good film and processing to produce images as
good as
> MF cameras
>
> Walter S Delesandri wrote:
>
> > Very well put, Bob.....and I too, use the 35mm camera as a "little 4x5",
> > at times....but if my MAIN subject interests were both readily
approachable
> > and static, I'd opt for at least a MF neg...but I'd still not leave home
> > without my Ms.....:) :) :)
> > Walt
> >
> > On Mon, 2 Oct 2000 12:23:06 -0500 Bob Stack <ticino@earthlink.net>
> > 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
> > >
>
>