[Leica] ON CALL OVER! 9 lb girl!!!:)

[tedgrant@islandnet.com (Ted Grant)]

>OK folks:::: Here we go 7.30 a.m Monday 22 June. This is the beginning of
>the arrival of a new bambino!!! let you know later how things "worked
>out!" :)>>>>>>>>>>

Howdy from one tired photographer, 12 1/2 hours later and 20 rolls of film!

Damn now I've got to soup all those rolls, contact proof, edit for printing!:)

Oh hell if I didn't love it, I'd be stupid to do it! :) Just like the rest
of you Leica lovers! :)

Things went as well as could be expected, however I feel they left the
mother too long in normal labour before moving her to the OR for some
assistance. IMHO! Having shot a great number of arrivals into the world.:)

But things went well in the end with the most surprised person being the
father who swore he was going to have a boy!! Well OK his wife was going to
have the boy! :) And had bet a bunch of money on it! :)

It didn't bother him any as he was so excited about the girl that he had
forgotten about the bet until his wife reminded him.:) Wives who have just
birthed tend to put there husbands in their place while the "birthing
memories are still fresh!" :)

I used Tmax 400 at ASA 800, a few rolls Tmax 400CN at 400. All B&W, as this
kind of shoot demands to be in B&W, as it's a human being thing.  The
lenses were predominantly 28 and 35 on the m6's with a bunch of Noctilux.
And I just remembered some 90 Summiron f2.  The longest lens was the 100
macro on an R8 and a few images on an R7 with the 15mm.

Something I ran into for the first time! Damn modern society anyway!!  The
first nurse to come into the room didn't say anything as I started to
shoot, she turned and said, "You didn't ask my permission to take my
picture!" It kind of stopped me cold as I'm a medical person and never
thought about asking another.

Bottom line of a later conversation with the nurse.  It seems all these
folks who want to "videotape" the birth of little willy are shooting all
the in your face stuff ( like those TV cameramen) and have alienated many
of the nursing staff who have to deal with these clowns who want to see all
the in your face "little Willy" exitting the warm womb!

And they set up tripod and lights and almost have the nurses and doctors
"get out of the road" so they can get a "good shot!"

Anyway what over came this "hurdle of permission" each time a nurse or
doctor came in the room."

Fortunately, I had taken a copy of my medical photography book showing
doctors and nurses at work. Folks like these.  Man it just calmed everyone
down that I wasn't one of those "shoot the crotch" people!~ But really just
one of them. After that the day went well and my friends will go home with
a 9 lb girl!!

hell no wonder she was yelling! :)

But hopefully the Leicas came through again and I'll have some new stuff.
The interesting thing, I asked the mother if she had heard the cameras at
all?  "No! Only between the times I was yelling!" :)

So there you are folks, another day in the life of the "Holy Photo Father!" :)








Ted Grant
This is Our Work. The Legacy of Sir William Osler.
http://www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant