[Leica] WAS: National Geographic now: kEEPING CAMERA TO EYE

[Ted Grant <tedgrant@shaw.ca>]

Michael Gerard wrote:
>>However, because the sun was going in her eyes, she
> assiduously avoided turning to look at my wife.  I had to wait about ten
> minutes for my shot, and rather than sitting there with my camera at my
> eye, which would have drawn too much attention to the fact that I was
> taking pictures, I dropped it to my chest.  Bottom line, I missed the
> shot a couple of times, may have gotten it five or six times, and even
> shot one from the chest.  Any suggestions from the LUG on how I might
> have done this differently, or was I right in working this way?<<<

Hi Michael,

Number one with the camera in your lap or hanging at yer belly you'll never
or rarely ever, catch what your eyes see! Takes too long for the movement of
camera to eye, focus, mind and finger to re-act.

What you see isn't what you'll put on film unless it's rocks, ferns or
peeling paint.

In this situation you should've put the camera to your eye and kept it
there! Even though you thought they figured you were taking pictures it
wouldn't have mattered even if you "shot everytime the light was right!"
Keeping the camera at the eye is much better than putting it up and down
creating an "eye catching motion"  That's what gives you away, not the
actual taking of the picture, it's up down up down... it becomes a "motion
which catches the eye and gives you away that you're taking pictures.
Certainly in the situation you describe in a confined area..

As it is, everytime you did shoot or attempted to you created a movement
moment "for the subject to re-act and become uncomfortable" because she
thought you were taking a picture whether you did or not.

Besides the first time you put camera to eye and focused you created an
awareness in the subject that you're taking her picture, but if you leave
the camera there, never moving it she then doesn't know whether you are
shooting or not. And in many cases like this most lay people think they have
to see a flash to take the picture. No flash is best as they quickly forget
and get on with the conversation.

So staying put they tentatively forget you, even though the camera is
pointed right at them. Now you know what to try the next time.  Your
welcome. :-)
ted

Ted Grant Photography Limited
www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant


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