[Leica] A Few Words About Rules and the LUG Yearbook

[kididdoc at cox.net (Steve Barbour)]

On Sep 8, 2007, at 6:55 AM, Jim Shulman wrote:

> Less than two years ago there was a revolution in publishing-- 
> electronic hardcover books, made simple and inexpensive.  The  
> software could be used by anyone with a modicum of talent; the  
> economics changed so that there were no longer minimum orders for  
> books.  That allows anyone with a passel of text and digitized  
> images to create a creditable photo book.
>
> So, it made sense to try something like this for the LUG.  After  
> all, we're a rather diffuse bunch--spread around the world, with  
> nothing more tangible as a group memento than a few renegade  
> electrons.*
>
> I generally prefer fewer rules to more.  Additionally, I make a  
> lousy policeman, but I do throw some pretty impressive parties  
> <g>.  After observing the LUG for a while I noticed:
>
> 1. People take pictures (ok, create images, if you prefer) with a  
> wide variety of cameras.  This year the online group has been  
> delighted with images from M8s, Jim Hemenway's flea market 1920s  
> Zeiss film camera, Kyle's "Leica" D100, as well as a passel of others.
>
> There's another reason as well: economics.  When I first joined the  
> LUG years ago I didn't even own a Leica--I was shooting with a  
> Canon 7 and later joined with additional LTM lenses (all acquired,  
> incidentally, through the LUG.)  Eventually as finances improved I  
> acquired Leicas.
>
> Today, while I'd love to use an M8, spending the nearly $5000 on a  
> camera body would result in the decapitation of my personal  
> corpus.  I'm sure there are others on the list in a similar  
> situation.  Conversely, there are working professionals who need  
> the speed and features of a professional, interchangeable lens  
> camera but would not be able to afford a Leica digital module, nor  
> would the module be a superior choice necessarily to a much less  
> expensive DSLR.
>
> 2.Then there's reality: the world's best camera is junk if it's not  
> in your hand when the picture opportunity arises.
>
> And a corollary: people WILL take pictures with whatever is at  
> hand, and they will (if necessary) lie about their camera later.   
> This reminds me of a cartoon I saw years ago: a mendicant standing  
> at a corner with a sign, "Why lie? Please give me booze money."  So  
> why should we be forced to lie?
>
> 3. People take a lot of pictures.  There are no shortage of great  
> images appearing every week on the LUG.
>
> 4. More is merrier.  I'd much rather have a yearbook with a hundred  
> contributors--many of whom came seemingly "out of the woodwork"-- 
> than one with more restrictions and fewer contributors.
>
> 5. My favorite story about pictures and "rules": before the  
> widespread use of the web, I briefly belonged to a camera club.   
> The rules seemed really silly, there was more talk about setting  
> rules than taking pictures, and (worst of all) the most-lauded  
> stuff on display was picture-postcard dross.  I lasted about two  
> meetings.  On the other hand, with virtually no rules (other than  
> common courtesy, and sticking to Friday FS postings) I've been here  
> for a decade.
>
> There is only one change in the rules from last year's yearbook:  
> using current year images.  Why?  Well, last year was a first  
> effort, and in a sense gave us an opportunity to assemble  
> everything and anything.  This year is different--it's now truly an  
> annual, and probably should represent what we're shooting this  
> year, and sharing on the list.
>
> If you're really, really desperate to use a pre-2007 image, here's  
> the exception: if it was/is posted to the LUG during the year  
> (especially some of the wayback images we've seen), feel free to  
> send it in.  That would certainly qualify as a 2007 image, since it  
> was shared during the year with the group.
>
> However, I return to the premise of the original harangue: there  
> are still three months to make images, if you haven't done so already.

and more power to you Jim...and thank you,

we will either witness together great things, including the  
rejuvenation of the Leica as a tool..

or we will have front row seats for the end of the Leica era...


Steve





>
> Keep shooting!
>
> Best,
> Jim Shulman
> Bryn Mawr, PA
>
>
> *Not entirely true: Brian created some Caf? Press items a while  
> back; I still have my Spring Photo Shoot "dodo" shirt.
>
>
>
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