[Leica] WAS: R8/R9 Digital NOW: USING them, cameras.

[Ted Grant <tedgrant@shaw.ca>]

> on 06/26/03 5:58 AM, bdcolen at bdcolen@earthlink.net wrote:
>
> > With the very rare exceptions, Ted being one, sports and news
> > photographers do NOT shoot with Leica Rs. Period. So that isn't an
> > issue.<<<

Eric responded:
> Right, but those rare exceptions do exist. I knew a couple of them, and I
> did for most of 15 years.<<<<

Hi Eric,
I think what B.D. meant was more towards today than what you and I did in
the past and me still.

During the past few weeks I've been shooting assignments on rowing, swimming
and yesterday an international triathlon for our national sport organization
and I can assure you..... I'm the only guy using Leica of any kind. Not that
I go around looking for Leicas in the crowd of spectators, but the pro
shooters are either Canon or Nikon, primarily digital.

During the swimming trials for Canada's Olympic team I had several comments
from coaches about the Leica gear... "My goodness you have more Leicas there
than what my car cost!"  Another,  " hey nice cameras. Leica, a wonderful
camera, you most be rich who can afford them or do you work for a company
that supplies the equipment?" "Wow how many Leicas do you have there? I
always wanted to own a Leica since I was a kid and never could afford one.
How many do you have hanging there?" He counted 4. "Wow! I bet you get great
pictures with them."  Me, "yep I try to." ;-) And smiled.

On the matter of using them.

I'd like to point out, no matter how busy shooting assignments and projects
we have, each discipline has it's own modus operendi in handling and
reacting to the actions. Be that a runner, surgeon or swimmer. That if
you're doing it sporadically and not on a daily basis, you'll lose the
magical instantaneous reaction time required to capture the perfect moment.

In other words, "If you don't use it. You lose it!" Period! And I don't care
how good someone thinks they are as a photographer, nor their record of the
past, unless you are shooting sports on a very regular basis you'll
unfortunately learn a lesson the hard way as I have this past weeks. :-)

And take this from an old-timer who's shot pro and international sports
since 1953. I've made more mistakes than a rookie in heat on this
assignment, I hang my head in disgrace!!! Things that never happened before,
hell even when I was a wet nosed rookie I never made such dumb ass errors!
:-(

There's a major difference in shooting the medical profession for a book
where everyone is vertical and moving at normal motion, compared to a
swimmer doing the back stroke at Olympic speed. Particularly with manual
focus 280 or 400 when at one time it was captured Leica sharp as fast as it
was happening.

So what you see here is a confession of sorts, that no matter how good you
were, are, there comes a time to hang-up the cameras on certain assignments.
In effect, I've answered my question of the past few years, "When will I
know when it's time to quit?"

Well it sure as heck has been revealed this past short while, although I
shouldn't say quit as in totally, but the time to back off and do which I
can do successfully while maintaining the quality expected of me as a
photojournalist. I may become a spectator in the stands. :-(
However, I can't imagine a worst torture after being in the heat of the
action, smells, pushing & shoving for 50 years. "Oh God not relegated to the
stands!" ;-)

A true confession to start your week. ;-) No I'm not ready to sell off all
my Leica gear just yet. ;-)  So keep using them guys and gals as sure as
hell you'll lose them! There you go eh?
ted

Samples from the Women in Medicine project:
http://www.sandycarterphotography.com/WIMcollagePage.htm


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