[Leica] YOUR RE-ACTIONS TO THIS LEICA short story FOR THE BOOK?

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

Good day Crew, 

As many of you know I am headlong  into writng a new book... it will have a 
number of photos also. So once in a while I'm going to run a story or 
anecdote by you for your thouhts. Your choice of comments will be 
appeciated, GGOD BAD OR UGLY! These will be a first draft if you like. And  
very a skilled editor will editor will re-writes where required. But this is 
written as I though I am telling stories while we sit arond shooting the 
breeze and relaxing with a drink of ones choice... Or none.talk about life 
with a Leica neessary.



#1 The Leica camera

 

<<<<Once I started shooting with Leica's I felt obliged to make better

pictures.  I did and have never looked back.>>>>>>

 

This is so true!  Only the experience of finding it out for ones self

will make you believe it happens.

 

When I got my first Leica it was as though a transformation began both in

how I looked at subjects and how I reacted mentally towards picture

possibilities.

 

It was as though I were given an incredible picture making tool, therefore

"I MUST TAKE BETTER PICTURES!"  And I did!  It was the mystique I related

to Henri Cartier Bresson, Robert Capa, Alfred Eisenstaedt and other greats

of Leica photography that became a driving force for me to improve.

 

I felt, "if they can do that why can't I?"  It was quite an incredible

feeling and there isn't any question my photography improved, I became more

confident and the over all appearance of my photos took on a different look.

I became far more aware of the value of using existing light and why it

made pictures look so much different from the "flash look!"

 

<<<<I do not believe that owning an expensive camera will make you a good

photographer.>>>> That is out and out common sense! But the mystique of 
using is something else?

 

In a mechanical sense, true. However, I feel there is a motivational

factor that can be attributed to the "Leica mystique"  that drives one to

become better. Or it certainly should, if you love photography with great

passion. I imagine others wouldn't improve simply because they might not

relate to the art of picture taking with the same emotions.

 

Whatever happened in my picture taking "style" was in direct response from

the moment I started using a Leica.  Of course the camera itself didn't

take better pictures, it made me think and motivate my passion for taking

pictures. And that is directly attributed to the Leica camera.

 

There isn't a person in the world that can make me change my mind.  
Certainly from any equipment point experience as I've used Nikons, Canons, 
Hasselblads, Speed Graphics, C3-Mamiaflex twin reflex, Rollieflex... In most 
cases three bodies at a time where interchangeable lenses were available. 



My proven career and the quality of my work has been directly driven through 
my use of the Leica and whatever it released within me as a photojournalist.



So it is my tool of my profession thes 61 years of mygreat pasonat love 
affair with the magic of pphotography



                                                             30



COMMENTS IF YOU PLEASE?  THANK YOU.



DR.TED