Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/06/15
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Jim, As I recall, you got a good shot of the conductor with his cheeks puffed out a few months ago. You are able to get relatively closer that I might be able to finesse. I have a 90 Hexanon [gasp!] and a 135 Elmarit [whew!] that I can attach to my M3. I know one of the French Horn players who would make a great PAW because he has a huge moustache and rather bushy hair (http://www.lpomusic.com/musician/pink.htm). I'm going to take a gamble and email the conductor(!) and ask him for permission. He may be a humble enough guy to actually approve it. I'll try to drop the name Leica as well (he's German). Jeffery Smith At 08:39 PM 6/15/2002 -0400, you wrote: >Jeffery, > >It helps to have a senior orchestra board position, and to use concert shots >(blown up to 20x30--and shot with the "soft" Elmarit 135 on Fuji 800 wide >open) for orchestra publicity. They have no problems when I haul in my >Leicas. > >If you're not an orchestra board member, do what a friend of mine used to >do: hide the camera, shoot anyway, and keep a sacrificial roll of film if >they ask to confiscate your exposures. Hand over the blank roll (an usher >only needs to show s(he) confiscated A roll of film), put your camera away, >and develop the pictures later. > >There are two reasons why orchestras are skittish about photography during >concerts: 1) the COMMERCIAL use of photos taken at a concert (typically in >violation of union and soloist contracts) and, even more important 2) the >LIKELIHOOD that some nitwit will use a FLASH point 'n shoot during the >concert and distract the performers. Typically it's the person in the >second balcony who thinks they'll get a useable picture of the soprano on >stage with a $35 camera, rather than a thoughtful amateur or pro. The >Reading Symphony tried to delineate between flash and non-flash pictures, >but the audience could not. > >During regular season concerts I shoot with the Elmarit and a Summicron 90 >from my left side box, which is exactly 34 feet to the podium, and 31 feet >to the soloist spot (or pianist bench). I get excellent results at f2.8 and >1/250 with Fuji 800 speed color film. What I CAN'T get, though, is BOTH >conductor AND soloist in focus with the Elmarit wide open. One gets >sacrificed for the other. > >My M3 with this combination give me a telephoto shot without the mirror >noise of a reflex, so I can shoot away even during the quietest passages >without distrubing my neighbors or interfering with the conductor's >reference sound recording. > >Jim > >PS. In the case of this week's PAW I was sitting in the CENTER of the FIRST >row. >PPS. To see the orchestra's web use of some of the concert photos, try >www.readingsymphony.org/concertmaster.htm > > > >-----Original Message----- >From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us >[mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of Jeffery >Smith >Sent: Saturday, June 15, 2002 8:24 PM >To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us >Subject: Re: [Leica] This week's PAW from Jim Shulman > > >Jim, > >They allow photographing of concerts up there? Our orchestra doesn't allow >cameras or tape recorders. I tried to get permission to shoot a dress >rehearsal (no flash, quiet camera, I promise). They wouldn't even >acknowledge the request. When I asked the choir director (who teaches at >the same college where I work), he said that the request would have to go >before a vote of the orchestra. No thanks. I didn't want the shot that >badly. > >Jeffery Smith > >At 10:14 PM 6/14/2002 -0400, you wrote: > >Off to the Reading symphony hall for the introduction of the new > >Concertmaster, Chrisopher Lee. For those not up on things orchestral, the > >concertmaster is the first of the first violins. He/she is the one who > >comes out just before the conductor and strikes the A for orchestra tuning. > >He/she also plays all the violin solos in orchestral repertoire. It's sort > >of the liason position between the conductor and the general orchestral > >players. > > > >It was a big deal for Reading, since Chris is their first new concertmaster > >in 26 years. He played several selections with piano, and answered >questions > >from the audience. > > > >Lighting was almost non-existent, but I was able to squeeze a few shots >with > >Ilford XP2 and my trusty Elamrit 135/2.8 wide open at 1/60: > >http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=812385&size=lg > > > >Jim Shulman > >Bryn Mawr, PA > > > >-- > >To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html > > >-- >To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html > >-- >To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html