Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/07/21

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Subject: [Leica] "I'm an Endangered Species."
From: nathan at nathanfoto.com (Nathan Wajsman)
Date: Fri Jul 21 23:10:04 2006
References: <20060720171950.7364.qmail@web32602.mail.mud.yahoo.com> <000701c6ac22$2686c5b0$a302a8c0@ted> <2B636EFA-2144-44A7-BB61-90718372FADC@pandora.be> <003901c6acd0$46bc5300$a302a8c0@ted> <003301c6acd8$f2716930$0a01a8c0@MacPhisto> <009101c6acde$1f190b50$a302a8c0@ted> <44C1C0F6.90201@nathanfoto.com>

Sorry, guys, this was meant to be off-list. Time for another coffee...

Nathan Wajsman wrote:
> Hi Ted,
>
> Same request/question as with the tips: can I put these on my blog 
> until you find a proper publisher?
>
> Cheers,
> Nathan
>
> Ted Grant wrote:
>> OK Crew the posted efforts of the past few days have evoked many 
>> private and online "You've got to do a book responses!"
>>
>> A blog or other suggestions that have given me a great deal of 
>> confidence just maybe there's a book after all and the first 
>> publisher was wrong in turning it down.
>>
>>
>>
>> I thought this might be a kind of opening piece.
>>
>>
>>
>> Now it's my turn to ask.   Comments and critiques?
>>
>> ===========================================
>>
>>
>>
>> Real Photographers Shoot BW: some times colour.
>>
>>
>>
>> Or   "I'm an Endangered Species."
>>
>>
>>
>>        Why this book?  Well, I'm basically the sole survivor of Canadian
>>
>> photojournalists from the 50's and '60's who's still shooting in 2006.
>>
>> Many from that period have gone to the big dark room in the sky or just
>>
>> retired to easy living in the country -- So, at 77 years of age, that 
>> makes
>>
>> me an endangered species!
>>
>>
>>
>> Some photojournalists disgruntled that time passed them by, long for the
>>
>> good old days of photojournalistic rotogravure sections and picture
>>
>> magazines we  no longer see published.  Oh sure there are magazines, but
>>
>> they are the "one picture tell all" illustrations and rarely ever use 
>> more
>>
>> than two pictures to a story.  No longer do we see 6 - 8 or 10 page 
>> spreads
>>
>> of in-depth photography for a photo-essay on a single subject.
>>
>>
>>
>> When my first picture was published in the Ottawa Citizen newspaper on
>>
>> September 17, 1951, little did I know 56 years later I would still be
>>
>> taking pictures with the same passion that started my career. 
>> Probably with
>>
>> greater passion to-day realizing I'm quickly coming to the final 
>> frame on
>>
>> the roll.
>>
>>
>>
>> Photography has taken me to many countries around the world and given me
>>
>> experiences that fall into "truth is stranger than fiction."  There have
>>
>> been good, bad and ugly assignments, some successful others just a 
>> tiring
>>
>> experience of frustration.
>>
>>
>>
>> Would I change it?
>>
>>
>>
>> Not really!  A few things though, more rest between assignments for 
>> one, but when
>>
>> younger you are invincible and there are too many places to go and
>>
>> things to shoot.  The telephone rings and even though you are 
>> dragging it
>>
>> matters not when you hear, " Can you get a plane down to Bermuda in the
>>
>> morning and meet our writer there?".  The adrenalin is pumping in 
>> seconds
>>
>> and off you go like a filly in a race, "Tired? Not me I'm outta here!"
>>
>>
>>
>> Not to become angry when the weather or some other situation is 
>> completely
>>
>> beyond my control.  In reality I should have sat back, relaxed, had a 
>> drink
>>
>> and just rolled with it.  I used to lose a lot of sleep over totally
>>
>> uncontrollable things, but time tempers those feelings and to-day it's,
>>
>> "what you can't control, you don't sweat"
>>
>>
>>
>> The stories and anecdotes of the "times of Ted" will leave you 
>> wondering,
>>
>> "is it possible for one photographer to have this many experiences?"
>>
>> Honestly, yes it is and then some!
>>
>>
>>
>> For me, time has never stood still since the taking of my first 
>> photograph
>>
>> and hopefully it won't, until the last. And when asked, "When are you
>>
>> going to quit or retire?"  I jokingly respond, "My retirement date  is
>>
>> September 17, 2021."  That will be the 70th anniversary of my first
>>
>> published picture and I'll only be 92! So that seems a reasonable 
>> time to
>>
>> consider relaxing.
>>
>>
>>
>> Now, if I can only get my body to agree to that date. . .
>>
>>
>>
>> The book's open folks, come on in and start your odyssey through my 
>> world
>>
>> as a photojournalist.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Ted Grant Photography Limited
>> 1817 Feltham Road
>> Victoria BC  V8N 2A4
>> 250-477-2156
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Leica Users Group.
>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>>
>>
>

-- 
Nathan Wajsman
Almere, The Netherlands

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In reply to: Message from iilbz at yahoo.com (DL) ([Leica] FS: Leica M & R 0721)
Message from tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant) ([Leica] Still Life! :-))
Message from philippe.orlent at pandora.be (Philippe Orlent) ([Leica] Still Life! :-))
Message from tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant) ([Leica] Photog over board)
Message from leicachris at worldnet.att.net (Christopher Williams) ([Leica] Photog over board)
Message from tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant) ([Leica] "I'm an Endangered Species.")
Message from nathan at nathanfoto.com (Nathan Wajsman) ([Leica] "I'm an Endangered Species.")