Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/06/28

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Subject: RE: [Leica] yesterday's technolgy at retired dentists prices!
From: "Rodgers, David" <david.rodgers@xo.com>
Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2001 13:48:15 -0500

John,

I have a friend who used to set up his Wisner Field camera on a street
corner. He got some fantastic shots. Not with the Wisner, but with a Leica
M. The Wisner was just a conversation piece. People would stop and asked him
about it. It gave him credibility as a photographer. Even people walking by
were more apt to give a smile or relaxed expression. He said it was very
different when tried to photograph without the Wisner next to him. Far more
irritated looks. 

Pretty fascinating the concept of pointing and shooting. 

Is all pointing the same? Is an M different from an R in the eyes of most
subjects?   

People respond with curiosity when I use a TLR. The camera may be looking
directly at them, but I'm not. 

I've about getting a right angle finder for my R7 to see if it made it less
intrusive. Too bad they're so expensive. 

Why is it that adults are more nervous about being photographed, than are
children? 

People get edgy when somebody takes aim with an SLR. The bigger the lens,
the more nervous they become. 

An M seems to be less intrusive. Is it because of the smaller lenses? Does
it help to be right eyed so people can see your left eye when you point?
Does the value of an M reside in the fact that you can bring it to your eye
relatively quickly?  Look through and not into, as many people have said. Or
is the real value in the fact that the lenses are fast and good?

I wonder what people's reactions are when they realize a camera is pointed
at them. I'm sure everyone reacts differently. But do these reactions fall
into various categories? Some people turn anti-photo very quickly. 

"A camera. Cool! Will I be famous?"....milliseconds pass...."Oh no! I look
terrible, and I don't want to be in print!"

"I spy a camera"...deep breath..."You bozo! I don't care if your name is
Ansel Adams. Don't point that thing at me!"

I think I'll go downtown, point my camera around and ask questions. "Excuse
me, but how did you feel when I pointed the camera at you?" BONK! "But is't
a Leica M!"

Stealthy shooting is an art from that's extremely difficult to master. 

Is it true that an SLR forms more of a wall between the photographer and the
subject than an M? If so, is that bad or good? 

I don't see how people can stand being photographed with a P&S that has one
of those telescoping zooms. The camera seems way too excited!

This post has nothing to do with retired dentists or anything for that
matter. Just musing that happened to end up here.

Dave

- -----Original Message-----
From: Johnny Deadman [mailto:john@pinkheadedbug.com]
Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2001 10:08 AM
To: LUG
Subject: Re: [Leica] yesterday's technolgy at retired dentists prices!


on 6/28/01 10:55 AM, Mxsmanic at mxsmanic@hotmail.com wrote:

>> film emulsions have improved to an astonishing degree
> 
> And what else?  It's still shutter, lens, and aperture.

so are all cameras, really, digital or otherwise. All the rest is bells and
whistles.

I can't remember, was it George L who said on this forum that all cameras
are ultimately point and shoot devices, even 4x5? That is SO completely
true. It's the nature of a camera. Point it at something and shoot. If
you're not doing that, then you haven't transferred enough of the technical
details into the other side of your brain yet IMO.


- -- 
John Brownlow

http://www.pinkheadedbug.com

ICQ: 109343205

Replies: Reply from David Degner <ddegner@morris.com> (Re: [Leica] yesterday's technolgy at retired dentists prices!)
Reply from "Mxsmanic" <mxsmanic@hotmail.com> (Re: [Leica] yesterday's technolgy at retired dentists prices!)