Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/11/06

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: digital/Oprah show
From: Teresa299@aol.com
Date: Tue, 6 Nov 2001 13:20:53 EST

In a message dated 11/6/01 9:57:19 AM, leica@davidmorton.org writes:

>I know one person on this list bought a Nikon D1 when they came out and
>has
>
>generated enough revenue with it since to relegate it to a spare and get
>a
>
>D1X.
>
>
>
>-- 
>
>David Morton
>
>dmorton@journalist.co.uk


I was flipping channels on the TV yesterday and caught part of an Oprah show 
dedicated to photography. (I didn't see the beginning of the show so I can't 
for sure say what the title was...probably "Touching one's inner spirit 
through the light of the lens...")

ANYWAY, one thing I thought particularly interesting was this man (and no, I 
don't recall his name) who was part of the Photo Corps that covered the 
Clinton White House.  He had taken/seen the infamous shot of monica lewinsky 
hugging the pres at some public gathering and upon seeing that clip 
remembered her face.  He then told his assistant to go through his old shots 
to find the face...and sure enough after 5,000 transperencies, his assistant 
had found an earlier shot of Monica hugging the president at a previous 
public event (no cigars in evidence though).

The man's point was that he was part of a larger press group that has almost 
completely moved to shooting with digital cameras....and yet, because the 
shots of the president shaking hands and hugging well wishers at one of many 
public gatherings wouldn't initially be considered "newsworthy" it was likely 
that those "unimportant" shots were lost because they were erased to make 
room on one's HD, memory card and the like.  In essence, digital gives one 
immediacy and in some ways because of the immediacy lends itself to quick 
disposal and editing.  This is highly efficient and in todays quickening 
industrial, technological world where everything new is old again, it makes a 
lot of business sense.  But this man pointed out that in the context of the 
show which was honoring famous shots of 9/11, Vietnam, Gorden Parks, and 
documentary traditions, that a great deal of history may be lost whereas 
before, simply because of old technology it's still available.

I don't think this discounts the merits of digital.  I just think like with 
the implementation of any technology (such as genetic engineering, nuclear 
energy, combustion engine, clocks) it gives some of us pause as to see what 
kind of ripples it makes in the pond.

Respectfully,
Kim
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Replies: Reply from "Mike Durling" <durling@widomaker.com> (Re: [Leica] Re: digital/Oprah show)