[Leica] gonna go crazzie, film for the trip GO DIGITAL! ;-)

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant)]

Alastair Firkin offered:
Subject: Re: [Leica] gonna go crazzie, film for the trip


>I really don't think you will regret it. Some times, when I use a digital, 
>I find I spend too much time looking at the images I've taken and miss the 
>next shots, or don't think about them. In nepal, I found film was 
>fine.<<<<<<<<

Hi Alastair,
The secret with the digital is, shoot without continuously going to the 
screen. Truthfully as you, I and most others have learned it's a hard thing 
to avoid. Even after a few minutes shooting.

I realize "looking and chimping" is all part of the digital method. However, 
if one forces themselves to "shoot like the days of yore" ;-) with film, we 
never looked at anything but shutter speed and aperture settings. And rarely 
totally screwed-up without seeing the pictures as we took them.

So with digital it's continuously shoot until it's over, unless one is in a 
very critical situation where there isn't any room for a screw-up. In the 
old days we'd bracket like crazy and cover our butts as much as possible. 
Today digital is a bonus to have the screen to check. But only when the 
looking doesn't interfere with seeing and possibly missing the prize winning 
picture while one is head down chimping!

I try to avoid the screen because it breaks seeing the subject for the 
ultimate picture moment. I even find it a damn pain in the ass having to 
change lenses and this will to be corrected shortly with at least one or 
more bodies! OR! ;-) I "WILL" go back to film because I can use 3 M7's or 
more without any fiddling, much like a painter working with several brushes 
at the same time. Certainly when things are happening all around me.

Now if I were a "rock & fern" shooter one camera would be just fine and 
probably bigger would be better. :-)  But noooo, I had to like shooting 
people oriented things.:-) Therefore I use more cameras at the same time 
because one learns to "write with them" when working with people in action, 
be that whatever.

Not looking at the screen is definitely a challenge, but one must learn to 
get by it. Otherwise there's great potential to miss the ultimate moment 
gawking at the screen to see how "badly you did!" ;-) instead of paying 
attention to the scene before you.

There isn't any question digital is becoming the way to go simply because, 
as I'm learning and I know many others are, the amazing print quality 
available and with a couple of 2 gig cards in your pocket and one in the 
camera you can shoot away for a fair amount of time without missing a beat 
or being frustrated at the security counter in an airport. :-)

Looking at the screen is a wonderful fascinating thing to do, if you 
consider you "just shot the picture and here it is!" ;-) A neat fun kind of 
feeling. However, it can also be our downfall if we do not learn to view at 
the right time when it doesn't interfere with our shooting. Or possibly 
missing a magical moment.

It's a tough call not to look every few minutes or every shot! But if one 
doesn't get by it and return to "shooting as things are being exposed and to 
hell with the screen" there's such a great danger of many fine picture 
moments being lost while head down!

ted