Re: [Leica] I am probably crazy, but...

[Pablo Kolodny <pablokolodny@mac.com>]

Brian, 

That sounds really professional, serious.
That's why I would kill that mother... or maybe those kids.
So much effort, work to have just a parents memory of those weird creatures,
monsters. 
Now, once you're advised you can call one of those scholar killers you have
in the US. 

,-)

- -- 
Pablo Kolodny
www.pablokolodny.com

> From: Brian Reid <reid@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
> Reply-To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> Date: Sun, 17 Mar 2002 13:17:17 -0800
> To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> Subject: Re: [Leica] I am probably crazy, but...
> 
> I've done many hundreds of school class pictures. I've always used a 35mm
> lens, a good lens hood, a high tripod, and a stepladder. 35mm film is
> adequate. I will confess to never having used a Leica for this; I use
> motorized Canon EOS or T90. Here's my procedure:
> 
> 1. Find out how many people you will have to shoot at once. Plan the number of
> rows and the number of people in each row. Allow 24 inches of width for each
> adult, 21 for each teenager, and 18 for children under 12. Use as few rows as
> possible. For a class of 30 people I would use 2 rows; for a class of 100
> people I would use 4 or 5 rows. Go to the place where the pictures will be
> taken and put colored flags at the 4 corners of the area that the people will
> stand in. Set up your camera on its tripod as you will be taking the picture
> and make sure you have plenty of leeway at the edges of the picture. You don't
> want to have to move the camera back when the kids show up. If you can get 4
> kids 
> to help you get set up, have one stand at each flag to help you frame your
> shot. Rehearse this well in advance of the day of the shoot, and on shoot day,
> set up your gear well in advance of the arrival of the children.
> 
> 2. Shoot the finest-grain film you can find. High resolution is your friend.
> No one will be moving very fast.  No one will judge this picture for its
> composition (they will blame the children for bad composition) but people will
> be impressed by sharpness and resolution and proper focus and lack of camera
> vibration.
> 
> 3. Enlist the help of teachers, preferably including a gym teacher, to pose
> the children. School children know how to take orders from their teachers, but
> are not good at taking orders from photographers. The most difficult part of
> taking school group pictures is getting the students to stand still. Make the
> teachers do this; they are good at it. Just stand there and watch while the
> teachers line up the students, then have the lead teacher tell you when they
> are ready. When it is time to push the shutter, move as many teachers as
> possible to be near you. The students will look at their teachers, not at the
> camea.
> 
> 4. Remember to focus. Remember to set your exposure. Remember to bracket.
> Shoot two rolls of film, not because you need to, but because this will give
> you two chances to get it right. Everyone over the age of 8 understands the
> concept of "changing to a new roll of film" and will be willing to sit still
> while you do it.
> 
> 5. I use a black cloth over my head and camera when I shoot school pictures,
> and I use a flash. Both are stage props. The flash doesn't have enough power
> to light anything; its purpose is to let the students know that I have just
> taken a picture. The black cloth is to make the whole thing look professional
> and mysterious. I run the flash on 1/16 power so I don't have to wait for it
> to recycle.
> 
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