Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/12/20

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Subject: Re: [Leica] On your belly for wildlife photography
From: Doug Herr <telyt@earthlink.net>
Date: Thu, 20 Dec 2001 05:03:10 -0800

on 12/19/01 10:42 PM, Marc Attinasi at marc@attinasi.org wrote:

> Tom Finnegan wrote:
> 
>> [snipped some interesting stuff]
>> 
>> 
>> So dump the slr and monster telephoto, grab you M6 and that new 28/2 and get
>> right in amongst that herd of rampaging wildebeasts. Your photos will be for
>> more dynamic and exiting as a result!
>> 
> I was reading Frans Lanting's book 'Face to Face' and some of his best
> shots are done with him on his belly, using a 35mm or 50mm, well within
> harms way.  But he takes the time to know the animals, to predict them,
> to treat them as you would a model - and thus to pull their personality
> into the shot.  It's not the lens, it's the photographer. But, of
> course, if the lens is a Leica it will make it even better ;)
> 
> Think what you could do with a Leica, Frans! Sorry, this is the LUG
> after all...
> 
> - marc
>

The on-your-belly technique can be very handy, because most animals will not
recognize a human unles s/he is walking upright, but if I'm recalling
correctly, the majority of Lanting's 35mm or 50mm photos are not of
carnivorous animals, and in at least one photo that I recall a monkey was
taking a swipe at him.
 
A grizzly bear's threat posture is to stand upright - who among us would not
feel at least a little threatened when faced with that at close range?

Doug Herr
Birdman of Sacramento
www.wildlightphoto.com


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