[Leica] LUG The Year of the M8. :-)

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant)]

LUG Yearbook 2007

The year of the M8. :-)

 

Ladies and gentlemen there have been accolades by the dozen about this book
so I?m adding one more. :-)

 

But first, Jim Shulman!

Where the heck would we be if it weren?t for Jim? He had an idea and floated
it by the crew two years ago for 2006. Well it seemed a good idea by the
masses, but everyone didn?t jump out of a warm bed with a warm body to get
with the programme. It did take some beating the bushes, yelling and e-mails
close to ?aggravated assault? for pictures to come in.

Everyone, well most did there thing and sent photos. Heaven only knows how
Jim managed the first edition. But he did and we were blessed with a not bad
book at all. If ever there was a miracle birth I think the 2006 LUG book was
it. Actually more of a miracle than Jim might admit. :-)

But we did end up with a book to share with each other and the world. I?ve
gone through my 2006 copy I bet at least a couple dozen times since it
arrived. It creates a kind of motivational thing as any good photography
book should.

I know Jim as a humble kinda guy and his response about the first book would
be , ?It was nothing just dropping pictures on a page, you guys and gals did
all the work!? :-)

Well not quite mon ami, because time must be backed up, I suppose 2 years if
we go back to your presenting your concept for a book with photography
created by a group of ramshackle Leica carrying/user photographers who cling
together because of one camera, ?A Leica!

 

2006? A very nice book, not bad at all for a first collection and
publication. Overall quality of the photography? Not bad for a rabid group
of Leica fruit cakes. :-)

 

2007? WHEW! BABY! WOW! :-)

Now we?re cooking on all burners and after burners lighting up! Quite
frankly in common language ?Baby we are kicking ass!? 

Jim a beautiful job all round. The cover is a smashing accolade to Leica and
the M8. Inside? Great accolades to the crew for a job well done. Only one
thing to say
 ?DAMN YER GOOD!? :-) 

So with that I?d like to suggest to the crew the way to approach the year
2008. Don?t anyone sit back on the laurels! Take on an attitude or challenge
for yourself of ?I?M GOING TO BLOW EVERYBODY OUT OF THE BALLPARK IN THE NEXT
EDITION!? 

As always it must be fun or why do it?

But by creating a challenge for yourself you?re going to kick butt and it?ll
make you reach that extra inch, foot or mile to be better! Trust me it
works.

Look if we don?t retain some kind of extra effort starting right now for the
next 11 ? months, 2007 might just be the best so far. Is that what you want?


My answer to that is an immediate ?NOT ON YOUR LIFE!? 

As a goal for 2008 we must all attempt to create the most mind blowing
collection of pictures by an international group ever produced!

People get wet pants in praise of ?Family of Man.? So big deal! It can be
beat and was in the LUG collection of photography for ?Family of Man 2!?
Allastair Firkin?s concept we started Jan 1, 2000! If we did it then why not
do it again in our LUG book? 

Think about it folks, let?s kick the world of photography in the butt come
Jan. 1, 2009 with a book of 2008 photographs that will blow the minds of
everyone in photoland! We can do it and will! Hang tough and make great
exposures every time the camera goes click!

OK let?s get out there and kick some photo butts! :-)

ted