[Leica] There really is a Santa Claus! ;-)

[Ted <tedgrant@home.com>]

Well guys and gals,

A year ago I acquired a 15 mm Voigtlander lens for an M6 Leica, it
became a real fun tinker toy lens to work with. Not that I didn't have
experience with a 15 mm before, lots of it. However, on an R whatever,
it's a whole different ball game, as you automatically begin to focus!

But on a range finder where you can't focus, no need to anyway, as heck
at wide open, it seems like everything from inches beyond your nose to
Mars is in focus.  So now my picture taking took on a whole new look as
I was so impressed with the re-birth of enthusiasm of seeing "wide
angle" I started on a "Where I live and how I see it" project that began
to have some quite neat looking images.

To shorten this!    The on going project became even more interesting as
the 15 mm images evolved,  I decided to give the whole thing another
twist.  I began to shoot the town using a 400 and a 15!   WOW!  Nothing
in between. It sure beat using the same tripod holes other guys around
town had been doing for years!

So now,  an innocent meeting this morning to show some images, maybe a
spread in a major tourist magazine, who the publisher also does "BOOKS!"
:;-) Ok you know already what's coming, right? ;-)

We have a little chat, editor and assistant. begin looking at stuff.
Now I always keep my mouth shut when an editor is looking at images, you
don't want them distracted with babbling in the background. Editor
begins making remarks:

" Oh my!  Wonderful!  Look at this!   Never seen it look like that!
Incredible! Beautiful capture of light! Gorgeous! Oh my oh my!"   Then!

"These are incredibly so different a perspective and we have just been
discussing a new book on Victoria and you come in with a Christmas gift
like this,  with at least half the pictures done!  Would you like to
complete this and we'll do the book around your pictures?"     Cool !
:-)  Like wow! I smiled, thanked him, we shook hands. And in my mind I
finally knew there really is a Santa Claus after all! ;-)

So there you go eh? :-)

ted Grant