[Leica] Fun with my M6

[Aubin <aubin@aa.net>]

Greetings all,

Just to add to the fun stories I thought I'd relay this vignette into my latest use of my 
M6.  Over the last two months business trips have allowed me to detour through Denver 
and visit family.

While enjoying the all too rare opportunity to visit with mother and siblings, I also took
a time out to photograph my grandmother, who is neigh on to 86 now.  She has flat 
refused to allow anyone to photograph her in decades, being a prim and proper
woman of Spanish descent.  She no longer is beautiful in her own mind, and thus
will not allow this.

I have the advantage of being the only grandson, and of having been out of reach 
for the better part of 25 years.  I managed to take many surreptitious pictures, 
candids of her interacting with the great-grandchildren, and of her just relaxing
and enjoying the vibrancy that was flowing around her.

Later, after seeing some of the candids (thank you one hour labs!), she sat for 
portraits with her daughter, granddaughter, and great grand-daughter.  While 
not photostudio work, using the M with 160 speed portrait film and available light,
I was able to capture some wonderful environmental images, and damn good family 
pictures.

Not having to use flash, and being able to work the camera silently and smoothly
went a long way to eliminating any camera phobia, and of getting before, during
and after the pose shots.

Frankly, I could never have done this with anything other than the M6, as all other
gear is too obtrusive.

I was using the M6, a pre-asph 35mm occasionally, mostly the latest 50mm/f:2, and 
sometimes my new 90mm/f:2.8.

Non of this was great art, and of no interest to most others, except that I was 
able to make some pictures that my whole family enjoys (a little) for the technical
excellence the Leica allows, but really for the fact that grandma actually sat for the
pictures.  For me, the ability to get these pictures makes the cost of Leica as nothing.
I'd pay twice to get this opportunity. 

Yeah, I know, grandma didn't care what camera I used, she was allowing ME to 
take her pictures, but the Leica allowed me to do it in a way that she was comfortable 
with.

Not an adventure story, and no cow feces on my sleeves, but thats okay, I'm way happy!

walk in light,

Norm Aubin