[Leica] "cutting the edge" with a Leica!

[kididdoc at cox.net (Steve Barbour)]

On Dec 8, 2007, at 4:22 PM, Ted Grant wrote:

> Crew,
>
> Actually I find the conversations on this "cutting edge" subject
> interesting, not that I truly and honestly understand exactly what  
> some of
> you lads mean. As I'm not a philosophical type, nor university  
> educated as
> many of you are. Therefore I don't quite catch what you mean because
> photography is something "one does" as apposed to discuss in the word
> fashion of this topic. None the less it's interesting.
>
>
>
> I think my so called out burst of yesterday was created due to the  
> use of
> the wording. "Cutting edge photography."


that really  troubled me too Ted... but now I am satisfied that I have  
clarified this, especially with George's help...

cutting edge mainly seems to mean new...

and yes while it's cutting edge,  most often it may be the trailing,  
rather than leading edge...

Steve

> And my re-action to a few E-pages
> I'd opened expecting to see some incredible new Salgado, Bresson or  
> like
> members of the world in photography. Or maybe some new gifted person's
> photos.
>
>
>
> However, what I thought I was looking at were things "tacked" to a  
> wall or
> floor, then put together in some form of computer imaging system. They
> certainly didn't look like "cutting edge!" Let alone photography  
> I've known
> these many years.
>
>
>
> In effect the images had absolutely nothing to do with holding a  
> Leica in
> hands and making exposures of the world as many of us have done.
>
>
>
> When I first went to the National Film Board of Canada as the Assn't
> Executive Producer of the Still Division, art photography of any  
> kind was at
> the bottom of the pit as far as I was concerned. It's where I began  
> my use
> of "Rock & Fern, peeling paint photographer!" And not as a compliment.
>
>
>
> But after several months of tutoring by the Director about what  
> worked and
> what didn't as Fine Art Photography, I began to appreciate the finer  
> points
> of Rock and Fern along with a zillion photos of peeling paint. :-) I  
> figure,
> actually I'd bet near everyone on the LUG at sometime or other has  
> shot
> peeling paint! :-)
>
>
>
> I became interested in it and actually shot peeling paint, rocks and  
> ferns
> on many down time relaxing occasions. However it never occurred to  
> me I was
> doing anything "cutting edge" even though it was the absolute  
> opposite type
> of photography I'd done for so long.
>
>
>
> I don't believe any of us start out thinking we're going to create  
> great
> images to move the feelings of people in the world. Quite frankly I  
> suppose
> there are some who have mega-ego's believing that's what their  
> photography
> does. No time for that kind!
>
>
>
> But "feeling" is what photography is all about, good, bad or ugly!  
> We as
> photographers feel in our gut, this is the moment. click! The  
> results create
> feelings in so many ways it's unpredictable what re-actions our  
> exposure may
> create.
>
>
>
> The bottom line in all of this is how each of us relate to the  
> visuals of
> another and no one, especially me, has the right to rant like an  
> idiot about
> a topic that comes before the family.
>
>
>
> Don't know if this has anything to do with cutting edge photography,  
> but it
> does have something to do with feelings!
>
>
>
> Carry on lads.
>
>
>
> ted
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