Re: [Leica] HCB Did It All First

[Ted Grant <tedgrant@shaw.ca>]

God I hate to stir this into a bigger maelstrom than what is, a big gabfest
of just another photographer who used Leica's and film like the rest of us.
Got lucky and was in the right place at the right time of the century.
Without TV and the internet!!!

In my earlier news photographer days when I wanted to be a photojournalist
of the world, I always referred to HCB as "The worlds greatest snap
shooter!" There were a some who  cringed and berated me, but what the hell
..."That's what he is whether any of you like it or not!" But damn he's good
in capturing the "decisive moment" whether some agree or don't.

Hell I even referred to Freeman Patterson as the "World's Greatest dew drop
spider web." photographer and was nearly burned at the stake by 150 amateur
Freeman mega followers! ;-) ;-)  Hell what they didn't understand was
Freeman is a good friend of mine of  very many years and when he heard of
my, what appeared "derogatory remark," he laughed saying , "that's Ted's way
of complimenting me." :-)

The same with HCB, sure I truly believe he's the best damn snap shooter in
the world, or pretty close to it, but I don't mean that as a put down, cause
damn he's good!

And for those of you who've not been one on one in conversation with the
"Great one himself, HCB." It's no big deal, as he's quite an nice chap and a
fine Happy Snapper who happens to be in the right place at the right time
with a gifted set of eyes and re-action to the action what many of us miss
when we're out shooting. Life is like that, as some of us are put in the
right place at the right moment with the right type of publication.and
others aren't! So be it!

Besides he's had 60 plus years or more of promotion of the kind never to be
available to any of us ever again! And if you don't think that has a great
deal to do with creating an image of greatness, you are dreaming!

So on that note, do you think many of the "photo-editors" of today would be
as hully gully over his work shooting the way life is today? Or do you think
if the clock were turned back to his age of the thirties and he was on the
street shooting, say in North America. Do you believe he'd capture the same
or similar or whatever impact photos of how life is in North America these
days? Without getting mugged, beaten or worse.. arrested? Over to you.

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


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