Re: [Leica] IIIa Photos

[Martin Howard <mvhoward@mac.com>]

Some quick and initial impressions (from someone who largely doesn't 
know what they're doing, but that's not going to stop me... ;)

The FED 55mm may not be a brilliant lens, but you sure seem to put it 
to good use.  Nice utilization of the format.  You have an eye for 35mm 
photography, especially the kind that Leicas seem to get put to: 
documenting life around us everyday.  (1) is a good composition, if a 
bit bland in subject matter, but I like the quirky humour in the shot; 
(2) is the best of the lot IMO: I love the mystery in the shot.  Would 
work great as a B&W with the silhouette printed really black; (3)-(5) 
all competent examples of street photography, 3 & 4 in particular 
showing that you don't have that "I don't dare take a picture"-angst 
that many seem to be plagued with.

As for the exposure meter, given what you've posted, why would you want 
one?  They're all well executed.

But, this brings us to the core of the matter (and remember -- it takes 
one to know one).  While all are examples of consistently good 
photographic composition, good technique, good utilization of the 
format... I'm left with the question: why?  Why did you take these 
pictures?  What drove you?  What are you trying to communicate?

This may sound overly critical, but it seems to me that you have what 
it takes to be a very good photographer -- what you need seems to be 
direction, or focus, or drive.  Perhaps even a point of departure.  How 
you get that, I don't know.

OK, sure, I understand that you probably just loaded up the IIIa with 
Fuji Press 800 and pointed it more or less at random at things just to 
see what it could do.  But, given that these are this good as random 
shots, imagine what they could be if they had been part of a more 
focussed whole.

Loading an LTM is a pain in the arse.  It always was.  Which is why 
every single manufacturer in the world, and Leica too eventually, about 
fifteen years after everyone else, came up with a different way of 
doing it -- one that relies on being able to open the back of the 
camera.  And why everyone who tries to use one eventually stops and 
runs off and buys modern camera instead.

Unless they settle for an M, of course.

M. (you may now all slap me with a large trout)

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