Re: [Leica] Erwin, photographic technique

["Bob Stack" <ticino@earthlink.net>]

Hi Tina, Ted, Guy, Martin, Walter, Doug, et.al.
On the sound advice of a Lugger of long standing, I have enjoyed reading the
LUG for several months before venturing a comment or two.  For background, I
use an M-6 with 21, 35, 50 and 90mm lenses, and an R-8 with,24, 50, 100 APO
Macro and 180 APO lenses.  I use B&W film almost exclusively (sad about APX
25) and do all my own printing in a wet darkroom.  And, I am a zone system
disciple.
One of the great attractions to me of Leica is the wonderful versatility of
the system.  If I want to be unobtrusive, the M is often the best solution,
ala Ted, Tina, etc.  If I want to photograph wildlife that can kill me if I
get as close as Johnny does with people in his Human Traffic photos, there
is the R ala Doug.  Both systems adapt beautifully to zone system work, or
to any other method you might choose to employ.
I have also found that on many occasions that the only way to capture a
particular image was to treat my Leica 35mm as a small 4x5, and that certain
images could not be readily captured in large format.  Example;  an
electrified train emerging out of white-out snow and fog conditions.  The
image required a tripod for the exact composition I wanted, slow speed film
and N+2 development to acheive acceptabe grain and contrast for printing,
and a 35mm camera to take multiple exposures to position the fast moving
train exactly where I wanted it within the complex of electric line towers.
I have used both the M and the R in ways similar to this, depending on how I
wanted the final print to feel.

While I find the Leica system to be highly versitle, I have seen in this
thread is a bit of dogma creeping that suggests the system can be only be
used successfully in a only a few, restricted ways. Some paraphrased
examples: "the M is only for hand held photography"; "if you are using a
tripod, you might as well be photographing with a 4x5, or at least 2 1/4";
"photographers who use the zone system lose the impact of the image while
they fiddle with their techniques"; to pick just a few.  I can see many
different ways to successfully use these cameras, and would hope we would
encourage the exploration of may different approaches and techniques that
can help expand the usefullness of the Leica system to the widest range
possible.

Sorry for the longish reply, but Sheakspear I ain't.
Bob Stack