Re: Shutterbabe Re: [Leica] Curiosity on Magnum

["B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>]

Hi, Dragi - I guess I respond to these questions as I do because it is
my feeling that far too many people, in any field, mistakenly believe
"if I use the camera (pen, typewriter, wordprocessor, car, etc.) that
so-and-so uses, I will be as good at ___________________________ as so
and so." And that is complete and utter nonsense. What interests me no
end is the work, and difficulties that may have been encountered, and
overcome, in undertaking it. If the use of a particular piece of
equipment played an important part in that, okay, tell me about it.
Otherwise, I simply don't care who uses what.

I would suggest that before you get too hung up on what percentage of
photographers use Leicas and what don't, etc., that you take a look at
the new book Paradise Street, which is a collection of the key images
from W. Eugene Smith's famous/infamous  Pittsburgh project. Many of the
images are staggeringly good. And yet Smith is someone who used numerous
different kinds and formats of cameras - including Leicas. What mattered
was not the manufacturer of the tools, but his vision - to say nothing
of darkroom manipulation.

But, hey, if you want to spend your time trying to find out what Magnum
shooter uses what equipment, go for it. Why not write them all letters
and simply ask the question? That will - perhaps - get you more accurate
answers than you're going to get from people on this list. :-)


B. D.

Dragi Anevski wrote:
> 
> Hi B.D.
> Thanks for the long reply.
> 
> I mean the follwowing. Why is it BS to discuss what cameras Magnum
> photographers use? I just don't see that. WE are discussing what cameras we
> use, aren't we? I would guess that it is not less relevant to discuss what
> they use.
> 
> About asking them in person: If I could I would, since I can't I'm doing the
> second best, asking others and checking in books etc.
> 
> True, not all of them use Leica. But there is a group photo by Elliot Erwitt
> from the annual meeting 1988, I count six Leica M's, one Olympus and one Eos
> I think (in the book "In Our Time"). Irrelevant?
> 
> About William Klein: So why doesn't he use other gear then. Because it works
> for him, OK thats clear. But what are his preferences?
> 
> Don't you think Olympus would be happy to give cameras to Salgado? Or Canon
> or Nikon? I guess he uses R6 because he likes it for some reason. Ok, what
> reason?
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> Dragi Anevski
> 
> >From: "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>
> >Reply-To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> >To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> >Subject: Re: Shutterbabe Re: [Leica] Curiosity on Magnum
> >Date: Fri, 26 Oct 2001 16:06:49 -0400
> >
> >
> >
> >Dragi Anevski wrote - and asked for my response, so......:
> > >
> > > Hi B.D.
> > > I agree that it is the their work that is important. So how come some of
> > > them use Leicas? Does it show in their work? And how do they capture
> >those
> > > moments? I think these are interesting questions and in my personal and
> > > naive opinion also maybe as interesting as whether WE think that certain
> > > lenses are sharper than others.
> >
> >Anything of more interest than that! :-)
> >
> >So what do THEY think? Why do they choose a
> > > Leica to such a high degree?
> >
> >Why do they choose Leicas? Because some of them prefer to work with
> >rangefinder cameras and Leica makes the only modern professional level
> >rangefinder and makes terrific lenses? I don't know. You'd have to ask
> >the photographer. Asking any of us is pure speculation and BS.
> > >
> > > Lets compare with the "normal" equipment for a photo journalist. You
> >don't
> > > see that many carrying a Leica on say a press conference on TV. But a
> >lot of
> > > the Magnum people do exactly that.
> >
> >Not many Magnum shooter spend their time covering press conferences. And
> >press conferences - photo ops - are highly competitive situations where
> >many photographers are trying for THE shot, and most photographers in
> >that situation are going to use the fastest, most foolproof, equipment
> >they can get their hands on.
> >
> >  Maybe they do a different kind of
> > > photography for which the Leica is more suited? I don't know. I'd love
> >to
> > > hear others opinions on that.
> >
> >Yes - Most of them do documentary work and have time to develop their
> >projects. Although there are certainly exceptions to that rule. But I
> >don't think that "most" Magnum photographers regularly use Leicas.
> >
> > >
> > > One of my friends works as a freelance for a newspaper in Sweden. I can
> >see
> > > a change in his pictures from when he started, where he only used a
> >Leica
> > > M4P with one lens (35 Summicron), and now he uses a Nikon F100 with wide
> > > angles and very rarely takes out his Leica. And I think I can say that
> >his
> > > older pictures are perhaps more contemplative, to use a word for lack of
> > > better. He used to say that he used the Nikon for the photojournalist
> >things
> > > and the Leica for his personal. That's changed now to just the Nikon,
> >and
> > > now he likes that camera more. I'm not saying his pictures are better or
> > > worse, but I think they are different. I don't know if that's because he
> >has
> > > changed or his cameras.
> >
> >I would suggest - and I am making this suggestion blind - that he has
> >changed.
> > >
> > > I'd love to see a discussion on say what makes Salgado use an R6 to
> >shoot
> > > his pictures.
> >
> >Perhaps the fact that Leica gives them to him? ;-) I believe he used to
> >use Olympus equipment. Getting free equipment, especially when, like
> >Salgado, you probably need to have it replaced and overhauled frequently
> >because of the conditions in which you shoot, is a real incentive to use
> >a particular type of equipment. Which is not to say that the R6 isn't a
> >terrific manual SLR - of which there are very few left - or that Leica
> >lenses aren't fabulous.
> >
> >
> >By the way I saw the Workers exhibition in Stockholm some
> > > years ago, and I still remember how it felt to stand in front of one of
> >his
> > > huge charcoal-like prints for several minutes and just be overwhelmed by
> >it,
> > > and then go on to the next and next... And I know that Salgado has left
> > > Magnum, which I believe was due to controvercies on whether his photos
> >were
> > > PC or not, the argument was they didn't show the poor as victims but as
> > > strong and proud people, that he glorified manual work which you
> >shouldn't.
> >
> >I believe this to be utter tripe. Certainly there are those who
> >criticize him - not for glorifying manual labor, but because, they
> >contend, his photos are so 'beautiful' the distract the viewer from the
> >plight of the subjects.
> >
> > >
> > > Or say Larry Towell, who I believe, does everything with a Leica and a
> >28.
> > > Does it show in his work?
> >
> >First, I don't think he only uses a 28 - at least the photos certainly
> >don't look it. And does the fact that he uses a Leica and Leica 28 show
> >in his work? I don't know. I admire his work a great deal. But I
> >seriously doubt that I would be able to look at it and tell you that it
> >was shot with a Leica, or shot with an EOS - except for the fact that
> >there are clearly some situations in which he shoots that firing an EOS
> >would be like firing a .38.
> > >
> > > Or take a non-Magnum photographer like William Klein, who I believe just
> > > uses M and 21mm. Could he have taken those pictures with another camera
> >and
> > > lens?
> >
> >Of course.
> >
> >I know he started when there was no other option but there are other
> > > options now... I also know that he has done a lof of films and
> >commercials,
> > > but I beleive he used the Leica for his photography.
> >
> >I really don't get your point with a lot of these examples. It's hardly
> >shocking that someone begins working with a particular tool, loves the
> >tool, goes great early work with it, and then sticks with it.
> >
> > >
> > > I don't know what Koudelka uses, I know that he did panorama view photos
> > > with something that obviously couldn't be a Leica. Did he use a Leica
> >for
> > > his pictures of the invasion of the Soviet Union in Prag?
> >
> >Why do you care what he or anyone else uses. They use what works best
> >for them. I use what works best for me. You should use what works best
> >for YOU and for no one else. For every one photographer who swears by
> >Leica, there many, many, more who swear by Canons, by Nikons, by
> >Hasselblads, by Rolleis, by Fujis - by any serious equipment you can
> >name that out sells Leica. It all comes down to what the individual
> >photographer works best for him or her, for any number of reasons -
> >noise level or lack there of, dependability, quick service by the
> >manufacturer, a particular lens they like, a vast array of lenses,
> >ergonomics, etc. etc. etc.
> >An example: Eugene Richards uses an Olympus OM3 for the sole reason that
> >Olympus makes a 21 (20?) f2 lens, and he loves the lens for its speed.
> >He says the cameras keep breaking on him, but he loves the lens so he
> >puts up with the bodies.
> > >
> > > I'd love to hear your (and others) opinions on it.
> >
> >You have..:-)
> >--
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> 
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