Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/06/21

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: [Leica] re: robert Capa Photo
From: Summicron1@aol.com
Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2001 10:05:13 EDT

I cannot understand why people seem to think Capa had to have good reactions 
to get this, and there is an undercurrent that, even if it was just a lucky 
shot, it was therefor not as good becauses it wasn't based on skill.

Applying this standard, the only good photographer is an Ansel Adams type -- 
and all the great shots gotten by phtographers using auto-winders and motor 
drives would be eliminated since, obviously, they didn't use skill, just what 
amounts to a large format movie camera. And any news photographer who gets a 
great shot just because he happens to be on the scene of a great 
accident/shooting/presidential assasination, well, hell, he was  just lucky.

As far as that goes, so was Adams. He always said he had to work quick to 
catch the light which, he always admitted, was transient and surprising. 
Lucky guy -- guess he was a cheat too. 

Face it, luck is a big part of it. Always was, always will be. It's what you 
do with it, the brain stem reaction that makes you stick the camera up and 
push the button, the reflex that makes you grab tripod and film holders and 
camera and guess the perfect exposure in your head before the moon over that 
little new mexican village goes behind a cloud, that makes the difference. 
Capa had it, as demonstrated many, many times. 

ctrentelman
ogden
probably doesn't have it
utah


In a message dated 6/21/1 7:08:50 AM, you wrote:

>Alan Hull writes:
>
>> I cannot see how anybody can have reactions
>> quick enough to have captured that image ...
>
>I think he just got lucky, and I don't think he ever claimed otherwise.

Replies: Reply from "Mxsmanic" <mxsmanic@hotmail.com> (Re: [Leica] re: robert Capa Photo)