Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/07/11
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]On Jul 10, 2006, at 10:42 PM, lug-request@leica-users.org wrote: >>> And maybe she doesn't need to know what equipment her staff is using >>> because she has a great eye for composition and news value. >>> >>> Anyone with knowledge of the newspaper business care to chime in >>> here? >>> >>> --Bob When I worked for the Boston Globe more than half a century ago, our photo editor didn't know or care what type of camera took a picture. We used company issued 4x5 Speed Graphics, Rolleis, Medalists and assorted privately owned Leicas and Contaxes. I drove around with a loaded Leica on the car seat next to me in case I spotted a bank robbery in progress or a treed cat being rescued. All the editor cared about was that the picture was clear and met the deadline. He did have a few peculiarities also shared by the NYT editor. He frowned on any picture taken with a wide angle or telephoto lens. The camera, he felt, was an eyeball surrogate. The picture should represent what a reader would see if he was magically transported to the photographer's position at the scene. Only pictures taken with a normal lens were acceptable. Any perspective distortion with telephoto or wide angle lenses was editorializing, an unforgivable sin in reporting. The NYTs editor says as much for tweaking the image in Photoshop. This was no problem with the Speed Graphics, the Rolleis, or the Medalists since only a normal lens was provided. Leica users had a tough time convincing the editor that telephotos or wide angles were sometimes necessary to get the picture. No problem said the editor. If you wanted a tighter composition, move closer. Larry Z