Re: [Leica] Mid-life crisis ???

[Jeffery Smith <JLS@runbox.com>]

I tried carrying a small P&S around at all times, but found that all of the 
futzing with the controls made it too much of a pain in the ass to shoot 
anything. I have gotten some of my best opportunities in other folks' 
cities just walking around looking for a place to eat dinner. When I do go 
out to shoot, I generally take a brief trip to nowhere and see what I find.

Jeffery



At 03:42 PM 9/22/2002 -0400, you wrote:
> > That is excellent advice, B.D. I try to follow that--always carry a
> > camera, even if I am just driving to the supermarket to buy milk, but
> > not force myself into "photograpy mode". Many times I go out and come
> > back with not a single frame exposed, but I know that if I do go out
> > without the camera, Murphy's Law will strike and I will come upon a
> > scene which would have made a photo worthy of HCB.
> >
> > Nathan
>
>Good point Nathan. I estimate about 80% of my photography is unplanned and
>because I always have a small M kit with me I am amazed at the good pictures
>I have taken just because I happened to be somewhere and saw an interesting
>photo. Also, this is where the Leica M excels over just about everything
>else. But i would add that just having a camera with you is not enough, you
>have to be in a photo-state-of-mind almost 100% of the time. Always seeing.
>
>Regards,
>
>sl
>
>
> >
> > B. D. Colen wrote:
> >>
> >> For whatever it's worth, try letting go of the idea that 'now I am 
> going to
> >> go take pictures,' and simply carry a camera everywhere. When you see
> >> something that grabs you by the gut, shoot it. Otherwise, save your 
> film. My
> >> guess is that you will be allot happier with the smaller number of images
> >> you get that way that you will with those you're getting now - which, 
> if the
> >> truth be known, are probably a good deal better than you think they 
> are. ;-)
> >>
> >> Good luck!
> >>
> >> B. D.
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> >> [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of Henry Ting
> >> Sent: Sunday, September 22, 2002 11:30 AM
> >> To: Leica-users
> >> Subject: [Leica] Mid-life crisis ???
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> They say photography has less to do with technique
> >> (which can be mastered by anyone if the desire is
> >> there) but more to do with form and the ability to see
> >> the world around us.
> >>
> >> Well I remembered when I first took an interest in
> >> photography in my teens, I was able to see all the
> >> possibilities and quite frankly IMHO I was able to be
> >> creative in "sight and form". At the time I lacked the
> >> technique, but my mentors always comment on the
> >> originality and creativity of my pictures.
> >>
> >> Now 40 years later, since I retired recently, I went
> >> back to my old love in photography. Now I have the
> >> time of the world, travelling in different parts of
> >> the world, I found the zest and the creativity of my
> >> pictures are gone. All my pictures lack the snap and
> >> form that I thought I used to have. While the
> >> technical side of my pictures are good, but the form
> >> and the image have nothing behind it. I was delighted
> >> right after retirement when I first thought I could
> >> pursue my love in photography is turning out to be a
> >> disappointment -- to a point that after months and
> >> hundreds of rolls of film, no picture possess the
> >> image that I feel proud enough to even post on the
> >> forum for any feedbacks. I'm indeed a little perplexed
> >> and depressed. It almost seems like a similar feeling
> >> of one reflecting what one could do both in physical
> >> ability as well as perception in life during one's
> >> youth, is now gone as one reaches mid-life. Could it
> >> all be a case of too much of anything being
> >> detrimental and I'm indeed going through a cycle of
> >> photography overload ?
> >>
> >> Any old-timers here ever gone through a similar
> >> situation ?
> >>
>
>--
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