Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/09/02

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Subject: RE: [Leica] Shooting in the middle of nowhere...
From: "Kit McChesney | acmefoto" <kitmc@acmefoto.com>
Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2003 16:38:54 -0600

Maybe you've answered your own question: "Depends on the individual's
shooting style."

But then again, maybe not.

Ask yourself if you could limit yourself, that is, to simplify, and
radically so. Do what the M was designed to give you the freedom to do.
Limit yourself and therefore work within those limits. Keep it simple. Very
simple.

If you could only shoot one roll per day, could you do so and be judicious
about what you shot? Could you limit yourself to one picture per day? Does
one really need to shoot handfuls of rolls each day? Is it possible that you
could use this trip to the remote corner as an exercise in contemplation,
that is, to keep things to a minimum so that instead of fussing with two or
three cameras and being distracted by that, that instead you take one
camera, two lenses, and fill the rest of your bag with x-number of rolls of
film (whatever number you determine ahead of time that you absolutely will
not exceed) and then allow the limits of what you've created give you the
freedom to be creative?

Is the goal to come home with beaucoups rolls, each one with one or two good
ones on it, or to come back having had a wonderful experience contemplating
the images you make, developing deep relationships with a limited number of
subjects, and having a few nice negatives, or maybe even more nice shots to
show for your time than you might had you taken the winder, the several
bodies, the SLR and all the other "schtuff?"

Of course, one roll per day translates to just about 42 rolls. That doesn't
take up much space at all. Take two per day and you've still saved yourself
lots of space. Even three per day is much less than the 300 rolls you
propose.

I guess it really does depend on the individual's style after all. But is
that the shooting style, or the creative style?

Just a question.

KM



- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
[mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of
feli2@earthlink.net
Sent: Tuesday, September 02, 2003 4:00 PM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us; leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: [Leica] Shooting in the middle of nowhere...



Ok, now here's a question.

Lets say you were thinking about going on a 4-6 week trip to a remote corner
of our lovely little planet, with nary a camera store in sight. You are
going to have to carry everything yourself. Right now you are looking at
clothes, sleeping bag, 2 M's, 3 lenses and maybe a Xpan or R6.2. Basically a
backpack and a small camera bag.

Lets assume that your best guess is that you will burn 300 rolls over the
course of the 6 weeks. Estimate is based on 2-3 rolls for an average day and
maybe 10-15 rolls on a heavy day of shooting (festival etc).

250-300 rolls of film takes up a lot of space.

Would you simply buy bulk rolls (color/BW), 2 loaders and a pile of empty
cans?

Does 250-300 rolls sound like enough or overkill? Of course it depends on
the individuals shooting style. The most I've ever shot in a single day was
when I sneaked in to the press pool  during the Feb 15th 2003 Peace Rally in
Hollywood. I burned through about 16 rolls and considering the amount of
keepers I got that day, I don't think that was excessive. I followed a Jazz
band around for a half dozen shows and averaged about 6-8 rolls per evening.
Wandering around Germany for a month I shot about 1-2 rolls on a average day
and more when I hit a major cultural landmark.

And please, lets skip the 1Ds and a handful of 4GB memory cards option...
;-)

Anyone have any commentsor experiences to share? Of course the worst thing
that could happen is running out of film...

feli


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Feli di Giorgio * feli2@earthlink.net
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