[Leica] Apology (sort of) NOW BATTERY USE?

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (tedgrant at shaw.ca)]

philippe.amard asked pleadngly?? :-)

Subject: Re: [Leica] Apology (sort of) NOW BATTERY USE?


Le 23 f?vr. 11 ? 21:56, <tedgrant at shaw.ca> <tedgrant at shaw.ca> a ?crit :
> Actually learned the spare battery thing many many years ago when we  
> required them for flash bulbs! :-)
snip
>
> Need I say more about the logic behind having a spare battery? :-)<<<<

Yes Ted,
no need for batteries if only for flash use
not on a Leica list, unless you really have confessed above to having owned
and used a  FLASH !!!

Say you never did, please
say they tortured you into false confession,
do something Ted
Save the myth,
Please !!!!!<<<<<<<<<<<

Philippe mon ami,
The torture was incredible, They fed me endlessly with huge bowls of ice 
cream in the beginning. The only thing that saved me was...... "I like ice 
cream so I didn't really suffer." :-)  Then they relentlessly plied me with 
my favourite alcohol beverage... single malt Lagavulin! I drank like a man 
lost in the desert without water for months. Again I did not suffer, nor 
tell. I was close, but I did not. :-)

It became obvious I would not give up, even though I was tempted by 
beautiful scantily clothed women dancing and cuddling about me! It was 
close, but I swore I'd never tell. It looked like I would win the battle for 
the truth.... 

"Did he or did he not use a flash with his Leica????????" 

After all these years of "available light or no light! Go Leica as long as 
you can see it? Shoot it!" 

That philosophy many many long years ago while using a Speed Graphic was 
more than pushing your dumb luck at getting a picture. Unless it was high 
noon and a sunny day. OR! I must confess, but only because it was during a 
time when my life was simple minded and I was just following orders to use 
FLASH... THEN THE ULTIMATE THREAT OF TORTURE WAS FORCED UPON ME!!! ......   
"use it or the newspaper wont publish your pictures!" 

The devastating sound of those words "the newspaper wont use your pictures!" 
was the ultimate form of torture.... "YOU WOULD NOT BE PUBLISHED!!" I was 
shattered! Almost a broken young man whos' only wish in life was to be a 
published news-photographer! Was that so difficult? I sobbed!  

At that moment it was the ultimate threat of torture for one to endure! "Not 
to be published" was worse than the threat of death itself! I would have 
rather died! Well not quite!:-)

I'm sure you must realize I asked for mercy, meanwhile reaching for the 
"flash gun and bulbs" attaching the flash gun to the side of the Speed 
Graphic body, my body shook uncontrollably. 

It was the darkest moment in my young photographic life to fall before those 
who forced me to use a flash! But unknown to them I swore unto myself I 
would never ever use a flash with my beloved Leica of the day, or any others 
I maybe so fortunate to own in my future.  

If I lasted long enough after the first flash bulb went "POOOF" I would as 
quickly as possible take my trusty Leica and shoot a roll of film at any 
subject I could see to thwart the great angst of using a flash bulb.

I fired, well I made an exposure by the brilliant flash of light leaving my 
subjects almost blinded. I cried as I removed the hot flash bulb, it burnt 
my fingers raw scarring me for life! Such a wicked moment I shall never 
forget!

There it's out and I'm completely devastated, but please forgive me as I 
never used a flash with a Leica!

I trust Philippe this will not affect our friendship of so many years? :-) 
cheers,
Dr. ted ;-) ;-)