Re: [Leica] Birthing. Chalk another for the old campaigner! ;-)

["Ted Grant" <tedgrant@home.com>]

Gib Robinson wrote:
>>>>>>> Thanks so much for posting the details of your labors. It's
inspiring to get
> a glimpse of what you do as a pro -- your dedication, thoroughness,
> preparation, and care. And, of course, I learn from the specifics <<<<<<<

Hi Gib,
Thank you, as it's always nice to know ones efforts of passing on experience
is appreciated and  accepted as a learning tool to save others time and
possibly making their picture taking easier.

>>>>>>I'd love to know more about your choices of gear and how you use what
you bring. I would have thought two bodies (M-6's for quiet) would have been
enough. Why four? Why both R and M?<<<<<<<

The M6 as you say, is quiet, but what I really appreciated the other day was
the "rangefinder" for precise focusing when the light was set very low by
the nurse. And despite the R8's brilliant screen, it was difficult to focus
right on the mark with the 80 mm 1.4 wide open.

And unfortunately, as I've looked at the negs, a few of the 80 mm's are too
soft for my printing likes. However, in hindsight the M 90 mm, f 2.0
Summicron on the M6 would've been a far better choice. No I didn't have it
with me ! ;-) Yeah I know I'm not supposed to make dumb mistakes like that.
;-)

As far as "Camera noise?"  Hey that's silence! You'd never hear them in a
birthing room with all the other verbal abuse! ;-) One might say there's a
mega amount of voice level that at times a good pair of ear plugs would be
handy!  Me?  I just turn off my "Acoustic enhancers"   I wear!;-)

Why four cameras? Well sometimes I have the 100 2.8 macro on the R, or in
this case the 80  and the other R often has the 15 mm which I did have but
didn't use. Although I had the Voigtlander 15 mm for the M,  I used it very
sparingly right after I arrived as the light was very good at that time. It
wasn't used after that and I went to the R 28 to finish the day out.

The R8's have motors and when things get popping quickly, I keep the camera
to my eye and can shoot very rapidly. And even though I use Tom A's
RapidWinders on the M there are times you can't beat a motor.

The cameras' all have different lenses, as I hate changing a lens in the
middle of the action. Babies or otherwise. Just as I hate being caught
having to change film when things are hopping. However, it's always
important to keep an eye on how many frames are on each camera so one
doesn't run out of film in all of them at the same time. Has that happened?
Yep!  More than once? Yep! And you've never seen such a loading scramble in
your life. ;-)

In this case the one you need right at the moment is loaded first, that
allows you to keep shooting until there's a break to get another ready. The
good thing with the R8s' and motors' I can set them to rewind, put them down
and go on picture taking until the break is long enough to reload both
quickly.

And at times I've worked with 6 cameras everyone with a different lens and
on occasion different films! Now that's when it gets scary! ;-)

>>>>>>the ways your photos express your respect for the physical
> and emotional intimacy of the event.<<<<<<<<

In the 40 years since I photographed my first birthing and as I always shoot
in a manner that the images are "family" pictures, I've never photographed a
baby emerging from the womb! Other than for a doctor asking for medical
reasons. The mother never gets to see any of these, nor does anyone else
other than the medical professionals.

So here I am Friday doing my thing and as the crucial moment begins the
"mother in law" of the girl,  whips out a video camera, light goes on and
she is into the crotch!  Sorry there isn't any other way for me to put it to
illustrate how bloody disgusted I am when I see this crap being done!

Up to that point she didn't have one second of video shot. Now imagine you
visit her home and she says, "Hey you guys want to see ar.... baby being
born?"

She drops in the tape and the first thing you see on the screen is a close
up of a  "bloody shot of a cow giving birth!!!!" And I mean bloody!  Now if
you can, imagine what that looks like and why in heavens name anyone would
bother shooting it is absolutely beyond me!

What's worse? The girl wasn't even aware her mother in law was shooting it!
Now isn't that going to be a hell of a surprise some day when the old girl
says,   "Ar..... do you want to see the video of the birthing?"

I sure wouldn't want to be around! Maybe I'm really old fashion when it
comes to intimate moments, so be it. But I'd much rather be that way than
flaunting pictures of my daughter in laws crotch or that of another female
to the world! Where is the respectability for women if one shoots this kind
of crap!

Hope this helps, if you have any other questions send them along private or
list, your choice.
ted
Ted Grant Photography Limited
www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant