Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/07/30
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]> Well hell most >of the above stuff on rangefinder baselines and focus amounts of error don't >mean diddily when you're being shot at or shooting sports and many other >subjects simply because, it's capturing the content that matters in the end. I think the huge minority of photographers on this list are shot at at a regular basis. My own criteria for possible occupations includes not being shot at. Having lived near a high-crime area in the past (New Haven, CT), I can tell you that being in the vicinity of shots fired is not as sexy as television makes it out to be. > >Do you suppose Gene Smith, Bob Capa or HCB knew all this stuff? Or gave a >flying hoop about it? Not likely. HCB didn't care, but I imagine Gene Smith and Capa did care a bit about what their cameras were capable of. And a good part of caring is embedding that knowledge so thoroughly so that you don't even have to think about it. Do I consciously think of the Zone when shooting? No, but my unconscious does do a good job of guiding me into the right exposure. Often, it's wrong especially when dealing with a new camera, but after a while muscle and unconscious memory take over and it's natural. >But during a heated shooting session it's mainly >forgotten. Well, I try to practice the Zen of Photography, not getting too heated about anything. I find being excited ruins a lot of photos because you're either shaking or you're liable to forget something important (like forgetting to dial-off exposure compensation or that all of your cameras are on their 34th frame). A relaxed natural style of shooting does it for me. Even for the rare occasions when I shoot sports, I find being relaxed is much better than being excited. But then again, I avoid places where I'm being shot at. If you're being shot at at a regular basis and you're married or have kids, I'd rethink your options. Or bump up the payable on your life insurance policy. Karen Nakamura www.photoethnography.com - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html