[Leica] The Grant-Johnston Proposal

[imx <imxputs@knoware.nl>]

The case against the tripod as a tool to enhance the image quality of
photographs taken with a Leica M, has been argued recently eloquently. But
eloquence cannot be equated with truth, even if many debaters in a discourse
may assume that the use of phrases like " familiar fascistic overtones" (Mr
Johnston) or "esoteric theorists" (Mr Grant) can qualify as statements of
fact, from which valid conclusions may be drawn.
Let me first propose a simple excercise in logic. You need premisses, from
with logical conlusions can be drawn. Like: A: all humans are fearherless
bipeds and B: Mr X is a human and thus C: Mr X is a featherless biped.
The Grant-Johnston Proposal (GJP) runs like this:
A: The M camera is not a tripod camera and may be used only for quick
snapshots
B: Tripod cameras must be made of wood and use a negative format of at least
8x10 inch
C: you do not pay money for Leica lens quality, only for the ability to take
snapshots
D: for real picture taking, any ideas about improving on image quality are
anathema for the real time shooting photographer.
E: only esoteric theorists insist that the only way to achieve photographic
perfection is using a tripod.
Based on premises A to E, the GJP concludes, that real Leica potographers
shoot snapshots and do not use a tripod and do not care for image quality
beyond what is given handheld photography.
Based on the GJP, any photographer who uses an M camera to shoot portraits
or fashion or nature or food or whatever, that is not defined as a snapshot
(a handheld picture that enables one to grab a shot), even if (s)he uses the
camera without a tripod, is not a Real Leica Photographer. (RLP). Evidently
anyone using a Leica on a tripod and a 135mm lens to capture a fleeting
moment in the time-space continuum, is not a RLP. So If I use my Leica on a
tripod in a situation in a graveyard, where I assume I can capture some
shots of wild cats, I am not a RLP.
Premiss E states that esoteric theorists insist that a tripod is needed for
photographic perfection. This a evidently false, as the concept of
"photographic perfection" is much broader and encompasses more aspects than
the more narrow and tchnically correct definition of "image quality" that
states (see Mr Williams) that best image quality implies seeking the
greatest possible sharpness and detail in the picture. It might be that a
tripod wil be helpful sometimes, but is not part of the definition, If one
shoots handheld with 1/1000 of a second, the use of a tripod is not
required. Now handheld photography is not defined in the GJP. I must assume
that a snapshot taken with 1/1000 with an M camera,is legitimate use of the
M camera within the GJP. But I am not allowed within this same Law to aspire
for highest image quality at this shutterspeed, as this is not part of the
snapshot definition and an esoteric theorist is per definition not a RLP.
It is not clear to me why anyone would uphold the GJP as a valid way of
defining true Leica photography. What the GJP if fact states is this simple
truth: I like to take pictures with my leica in a certain way. That is for
me true Leica photography. Anyone who disagrees or uses the Leica in another
way, is not a true Leica photographer as I have defined him. True but
trivial in the extreme.
Now let me add this.
I would propose the following premisses.
A: the Leica M is an excellent instrument for handheld photography in order
to capture the fleeting everyday moments of interest to the photographer.
B: Leica M cameras can be used for almost any potographic asignment,
including landscape and fashion, portrait handheld or on tripod, on location
and in the studio 
C: Leica lenses for the M camera deliver outstanding optical performance.
D: This optical performance can be exploited if the imaging chain is
controlled in such a way that imaging degrading effects are minimised, which
implies that in some situations a tripod is necessary.
E: any person who uses a Leica M camera is by definition a true Leica
photographer (true because (s)he uses a leica.
From A to E I infer that a true Leica photographer is anyone who uses a
Leica to capture fleeting moments, do a portait, a landscape or whatever
topic is of interest,  handheld or not, who may or may not additionally wish
to maximise image quality by minimising degrading effects.
Corollary to this I would state that anyone who wishes to define his own
limited style of photography as the only True Leica Photography has every
right in the world to do so, as I have the right to define it in my way
without being called fascist or an esoteric theorist, qualifications that
should be banned from any rational discourse.

Erwin