Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/10/13

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Subject: [Leica] technology and great photographers
From: salex@IDT.NET (sam alexander)
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1998 19:28:02 -0400 (EDT)

While I too love and use wooden view cameras, classic Leicas/lenses, etc.,
I would guess that most of the the "great" photographers of the past used
the best technology available to them at that time and created great
photographs. I doubt that, because technology is moving on (as it does), no
more great photographers or pictures will appear! Someone right now is
creating the images our great grandchildren may consider the "great ones"
of our time - and doing it with some modern, perhaps even digital device.

>IMHO it's the beginners, the rich amateurs and
>the hack pros who are so entranced with technology-in other words, the ones
>with the least vision and the sloppiest technique. [snip] They forget (or
never knew) that most of the
>greatest pictures ever taken were taken with manual, unmetered cameras and
>common materials. Cartier-Bresson, Gene Smith, Edward Weston, Paul Strand,
>etc. These people used cameras that most photographic technophiles would
>turn their noses up at. Screw mount Leicas, wooden 8x10's with clunky
>shutters and uncoated lenses, etc. And they didn't need built-in meters
>because they understood exposure. [snip]