Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/03/31

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Subject: Re: [Leica] leitiquette question
From: "Ross McLeish" <loksi@dingoblue.net.au>
Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2000 18:53:47 +1000

Javier Perez asked:

> I .......crossed paths with a fellow with an M6. I  pretended not to
notice him or his camera and > he pretended not  to notice me or
mine......Is there an secret Leica salute or hand signal that
> should be used at times like this?
> Javier
>
Funny thing sometimes, running into other Leicaphiles whilst out shooting.
Once or twice, I've found the above 'me-no-see-you-with-your-Leica'
behaviour.  I find it a little silly, and frankly if deliberate, rather
rude.  Once I was attending an advanced B & W class in Sydney, and one other
guy turned up with a Leica SLR.   For the entire evening this person went
'out of his way' to pretend that I wasn't even in the room, and then never
turned up for the folowing 9 weeks of class! Maybe he didn't care for the
'competition' of having to deal with another Leica owner?Give me a break!

As an alternate re-action, last year when shooting with my Rollei 6008i on
the Victorian coastline,  an American visitor touring Australia came up to
discuss my camera, mentioned his M3 and we had a really delightful natter
about my Leicas and Rolleis, and his. Instant, if short-term friends!

  Why do people have these different reactions?  I don't believe that when
out shooting, just because there is another person holding a camera (any
camera), you have to engage them in a long-winded dissertation on the more
esoteric aspects of photography........however, if you have both plainly
seen and established that you have a 'little something' in common (eg. the
same marque of camera, or something similar), why not at least nod and say
Hello....
Ross