Re: Leicaphilia

[orath@astral.magic.ca (Otto Rath)]

>A number of years ago, I got to wondering why it was that I could be such
>an enthusiastic photographer while travelling, yet my gear could remain
>idle for months at a time when home. The answer, as I discovered was this:
>As I travelled, everything I saw was new, a source of wonder and well worth
>chasing after. Why not, I reasoned, learn to view even the most mundane
>scenes in a similar light? It made sense to me that if I learned to see
>fantastic jungles in a nearby vacant lot, or abstract sculpture in the fire
>hose connections of office buildings, I might be that much more attuned to
>recognizing, and exploiting, a great photo opportunity.
>
>One of my first memorable shots of mundane objects happened mostly by
>accident: I had been downtown early one Sunday morning, in the vicinity of
>a new office building. I was fascinated by how the rising sun played across
>the the manicured lawn. Not having any real composition in mind, I simply
>pointed the camera downwards at the grass and fired away. The results were
>amazing: The image all but glows with a warm, green and gold light, and the
>low angle of the sun was such that one can almost feel the texture of the
>grass. I took a number of rather good-but-ordinary cityscapes that morning,
>none as powerful as that shot of grass! In such a state of mind, photo
>opportunities abound in everyday life, hence the desireability of carrying
>a camera just about everywhere.
>
>What does this have to do with the Leica? Nothing. And Everything:
>Particularly in the case of the Leica, it's too easy to be seduced by the
>hardware, rather than the craft of photography, and this is an expensive
>way to entertain one's self, though there seems to be no end of collector's
>guides and all manner of books catering to this market. One collectable
>that I highly recommend are photographs! Superb photos on one's walls are a
>constant reminder of what's possible, and why one purchased a camera in the
>first place. I was delighted to find that The Ansel Adams Gallery continues
>to offer modestly priced Yosemite "Souvenir Edition" 8x10 silver gelatin
>prints of many of Adams' best-known works, at modest cost, printed from
>original negatives. Though mass produced, the quality far exceeds that
>which you will find in books or poster prints. Also in California, I found
>Friends of Photography (San Francisco) and Mountain Light Photography
>(Emeryville) to be highly accessible, though expect to pay $600+ for a
>signed print by Galen Rowell, and somewhat more for one by Cindy Sherman.
>Here in Colorado, one can also see works by the likes of John Fielder and
>Andy Katz, with the occasional Halsman or Weston print turning up
>periodically, along with occasional works by gifted, not-yet-famous
>photographers. No doubt, some of you have many more galleries to visit in
>your area. Anyone know where I might view works by John Sexton and Judy
>Holmes? Please let me know.
>
>Just my opinions, brought to light by one-too-many messages regarding lens
>stacking caps!
>
>Jeff

Thanks for your thoughtful message today; it puts things in perspective.
Amateur-photographer = one that loves to paint with light; perhaps a lot of
us are machine-lovers.
Keep on capturing those images,that please you.  regards -otto-


otto w. rath, 504-633, northcliffe blvd. toronto on. M6E 3M3 canada (416)
783 5128