Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2010/02/16

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: [Leica] Leicas and National Geographic
From: Frank.Dernie at btinternet.com (Frank Dernie)
Date: Wed, 17 Feb 2010 05:50:34 +0000
References: <mailman.1463.1266339389.73134.lug@leica-users.org> <C7A0E837.81BF%manolito@videotron.ca> <36172e5a1002161315x2b3ef7b7w5d6716a0725c59b3@mail.gmail.com>

I have that compilation. It is disappointing, in that it is just pdfs (or 
similar) of the pages. I haven't looked at it for years but IIRC there is a 
search programme which can be loaded of the first CD. But only IIRC.
Frank

On 16 Feb, 2010, at 21:15, Geoff Hopkinson wrote:

> Thanks for your contribution on this Emanuel. I cannot think of another
> periodical that goes to such lengths for photography essays. I noted in the
> television programme that the audience for each issue was 39 million 
> people.
> At one point you could purchase a large set of CD/DVDs of all back issues 
> up
> to a certain point. However I discovered that they were completely
> unsearchable, that is simple single images of each individual page, all
> thousands of them. Imagine what a resource it would be if re-done in a
> modern way.
> Cheers
> Geoff
> http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman
> 
> 
> On 17 February 2010 15:26, EPL <manolito at videotron.ca> wrote:
> 
>> Geoff Hopkinson wrote:
>>> I just enjoyed a program here showcasing the top ten photos for 2009
>>> according to the NG magazine. Amazing work of course and their number one
>>> shot was a vertical panorama if you like of a magnificent Redwood tree. I
>>> think something like 84 shots from a bank of pro Canons hauled halfway
>> into
>>> orbit. Naturally there were plenty of top level Nikons and Canons in
>>> evidence as the best tools for some of the applications (including
>>> underwater housings and banks of remotely controlled multiple cameras).
>>> 
>>> What was a pleasant surprise was to see that  at least two of the
>> talented
>>> photographers were using M's. Film M's no less. One whole essay was done
>> in
>>> a remoter part of China and the placing shot was taken while hanging
>> upside
>>> down from a cable strung between two mountain tops. That is amazing
>>> dedication. I think that the photog's website says that he used two M's
>> with
>>> Provia. The one I saw was an MP with a Summicron 28 fwiw. The
>> photographer
>>> was Fritz Hoffmann and the other (working in Africa) was Martin
>> Schoeller.
>>> It was also very interesting to see the photogs and editor peering at
>> small
>>> prints with loupes which isn't quite how I imagined their main method
>> would
>>> go! Then their layout was all around 12x18 prints per spread sorted on a
>>> blarge wall. Only one photog was shown editing on I think two 30 inch
>>> screens. Another comment was that their photogs take I think one million
>>> photos annually of which one thousand make it into the magazine. Sheesh,
>>> Tina thought she had an editing challenge!
>>> 
>>> Anyway well worth a look at their site and the magazine of course.
>>> http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/12/top-ten-photography
>>> Cheers
>>> Geoff
>>> http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman
>> 
>> I worked for National Geographic Magazine in the early-mid 90s.  At that
>> time,  a photographer would shoot 500-800 rolls of 36 exposures for a 
>> story
>> that would run 10-15 images in the magazine.
>> 
>> A story assignment could last 3-5 months, not working every day (but many
>> days) but spread out to catch seasonal changes or events. Film was shipped
>> back to DC every week or so for processing and for review for technical
>> flaws, this on desk-mounted film reviewers. The techs who did this work
>> would report back to the photographer in the field via the editor assigned
>> to the story. Later, at the halfway point, the photographer himself had to
>> assemble a slideshow for the editors and did the same again at the end.
>> 
>> Technical flawlessness of every image was an absolute. Lighting, framing,
>> foreground/background relationship: a picture had to convey a great deal 
>> of
>> accurate, verifiable information, a story in itself but also function as
>> part of the larger story told by the total number of photos that ran under
>> the title. The pictures were not intended to illustrate the text at all.
>> They stood on their own.
>> 
>> The photographer -- an artist, really -- had a good deal of influence over
>> the rough cut of a story, although in the end the final selection had a 
>> lot
>> to do with design people and the editor. The final slideshow was done in a
>> very large room, like a movie theatre -- exciting stuff.
>> 
>> At that point many photographers still carried Leica M cameras in their
>> bags
>> but I daresay the majority of pictures were actually taken with Canon and
>> Nikon SLRs (F4 Nikons were popular). Photographer could use any equipment
>> or
>> film he/she preferred.
>> 
>> It was normal for a photographer to go to extreme lengths to get any 
>> single
>> shot. Just saying, "Hi, I'm on assignment for National Georgraphic
>> Magazine"
>> opened any and every door. The sky was not any kind of limit.
>> 
>> At that time, a photographer might be paid about $40,000 for a story but
>> the
>> standard of quality expected for that fee was very high indeed. Very long
>> hours, risk and danger were very much part of it all. Total cost of
>> photography per story was $100,000, all expenses included. At that time,
>> there was feeling at the top that the costs were too high and I expect
>> there
>> have been significant reductions. In my opinion, quality too has declined
>> somewhat.
>> 
>> Emanuel Lowi
>> Montreal
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> Leica Users Group.
>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information



In reply to: Message from manolito at videotron.ca (EPL) ([Leica] Leicas and National Geographic)
Message from hopsternew at gmail.com (Geoff Hopkinson) ([Leica] Leicas and National Geographic)