Re: [Leica] Goofed with film advance on M3

[Ted Grant <tedgrant@home.com>]

Peter Niessen wrote:

> I encountered a problem with the film advance. Of course, it happened
> when it mattered most, i.e. on my sort of first official assignment. <<<<<<<I
snip....
 Did someone experience this? How does one now handle the
> embarrasing situation to explain to 24 people they posed for nothing?<<<<<<

Hi Peter,
First of all shrug it off quickly, and don't sweat it as everyone, well
OK some of us, have had the same sad experience and it's Murphys Law
that it only happens when the shoot means the most! 

Here is the firm excuse to your subjects and you'll get sympathy as well
for the "loss" of your film.

You always blame the lab!!!!  The lab guys on the LUG don't take too
kindly to it, but they're always the easiest whipping post around.  Do
it like this when you present the bad news.   "I'm just devastated, as
there was a power loss at the lab when " my film was going through the
processor" and a lot of frames were destroyed. The good news is,  they
did manage to save a few frames toward the end of the roll." 

 Now it's crucial you look very sad and forlorn when delivering this,
otherwise they'll read you like a book and know you're giving them a
line of BS!   Certainly a choir bunch after all. :-)

You never make excuses for yourself in a case like this, as it points
out how stupid you were for not checking the rewind knob to make sure
the film was advancing!!  Now you have learned what to do for the rest
of your photographic life each time you load a new roll. ;-) Watch the
rewind knob!

Don't feel too bad as you are not alone! Actually you have a lot of
company. ;-)

ted