Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/10/25

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Subject: RE: [Leica] Joel Meyerowitz at Ground Zero with 8x10 Deardorff
From: leica@davidmorton.org
Date: Thu, 25 Oct 2001 20:40:40 +0100

Mark Rabiner wrote:

"Your point I'm seeing now is the versatility of the 8x10 camera. View
cameras on
tripods I'd stretch that out to. And you wont get any argument from me ON
THAT ONE.

But i think half of it is the tripod.
It positions you as part of the landscape. You become a structure. A solid
entity not sneaking around. A non duplicitous denomination.  You are
invisible
because you mean direct business."

Using view cameras in busy public places is a very social experience. People
come up and ask questions (usually starting with "why are you using that old
camera?"), and stop to chat. 

This is easier with a camera that's genuinely old (my 10x8 was made in
1926), they seem to be confused when you tell them that the "old camera" is
actually very modern (my 5x4 is a Wista VX, so still in production).

- -- 
David Morton
dmorton@journalist.co.uk

"There are only two services that images can offer the afflicted. One is to
find the story that expresses the truth of their affliction. The second is
to find the words that can give resonance, through the crust of external
circumstances, to the cry that is always inaudible: "Why am I being hurt?"
- -- Simone Weil 
- --
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