RE: [Leica] It doesn't matter

["B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>]

Mike - Truer words have never been spoken....

B. D.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of Mike
> Johnston
> Sent: Sunday, January 02, 2000 7:19 PM
> To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> Subject: [Leica] It doesn't matter
> 
> 
> Look, friends, the black-and-white film you use DOESN'T 
> MATTER. (Neither
> does the camera or lens you choose, but let's not go there). What
> matters is what you do with it--and whether you like it. A good
> photographic craftsman, of which I certainly am one, can make most any
> film behave tolerably--and no matter what film you want to name, it is
> possible to screw it up royally and make horrible-looking results.
> 
> Whoever this benighted character "Bernard" might be, power to him. He
> can go right ahead and congratulate himself for using the films he
> himself approves of. If he breaks his arm patting himself on the back,
> it's all the same to me. Whatever film he approves of or 
> doesn't approve
> of is absolutely immaterial to anybody but himself. The 
> Deltas are fine
> films, capable of excellent results.
> 
> Insults are immaterial, too. Over the years I've been insulted,
> occasionally even villified, for using the "wrong" papers; for liking
> warm-tone papers; for using the "wrong" developer; for not liking
> amidol; for not using pyro; for not advocating techniques I think are
> stupid and for advocating things I like; for stating the results of
> tests honestly, and for not going along with various cults 
> that seek to
> canonize everything from particular formats to particular processes to
> particular photo-Gods to particular chemicals. Believe me, in my job,
> I've been there and done that--or had that done to me--so many times
> I've lost track.
> 
> You do know, don't you all, that there are whole groups of fanatical
> photographers who think it's not even possible to make remotely valid
> work in 35mm?!? They'd dismiss ALL OF US on this list. The 
> more esoteric
> photographic craft gets, the more extreme the passions seem to run.
> 
> It doesn't matter. The camera you use, the lens you choose, 
> the film you
> like, the films you hate; craft, or anti-craft; your particular
> prejudices and preferences with regard to the darkroom, 
> digital output,
> format, or this or that style and subject matter; it just 
> simply doesn't
> matter. People can't even agree on who the best photographers 
> are. Name
> the one photographer you think is absolutely, undisputably great, and
> chances are somebody will STILL be willing to badmouth that person's
> work.
> 
> One of my favorite photographers is a travel writer named 
> Eric Newby. I
> wish I had more of his books; I only know of one, called _What the
> Traveller Saw_. He photographed simply, honestly, and 
> basically, with a
> rudimentary Pentax and a standard lens, and either Tri-X or some close
> equivalent. But he saw lots, and he saw well. I love his 
> work. I wish I
> had the confidence to work as simply and directly.
> 
> Two-thirds of the photographers I personally admire used Tri-X. I love
> Tri-X. Don't like the same photographers I do? Fine. 
> Understood. Like a
> different film? Fine, fine. I don't get any extra credit with anybody
> for using Tri-X. Your work doesn't earn any extra credit from anybody
> but yourself because you use YOUR favorite film.
> 
> _It_doesn't_matter_.
> 
> What matters is the print on the wall...or wherever your 
> photographs end
> up in whatever form you choose to realize them. Your prejudices won't
> help you. Your preferences won't save you. What matters is your taste,
> craft, vision, honesty, understanding, intelligence, skill, and
> judgement; what you care about, and how _much_ you care about it; and
> how hard you are willing to work.
> 
> --Mike
> 
> 
>