Re: [Leica] re: The Decisive Moment is gone

[Ted Grant <tedgrant@shaw.ca>]

Robert Meier said:
Subject: Re: [Leica] re: The Decisive Moment is gone

> Ted,
> You have summed it up very succinctly.  And it is your third point that
was
> the starting point, about whether it makes any difference to set up, or
> stage, a still picture "real life moment."  The consensus seems to be
> defintely on the side of deciding that it makes a great deal of difference
> whether a still picture that is supposed to be a candid or a documentary
> shot has actually been staged, or directed, by the photographer.  Your
> experiences in the OR certainly go along with that:  you disappear into
the
> woodwork and nobody in the pictures, in the room, is aware of your taking
> pictures, and you do not direct or stage anything.  Your pictures are
> authentic, candid documents of what happened there, no more, no less.<<<<

Hi Bob,
My work throughout life as a photojournalist has always been that way. It's
not my job to go into a steel plant, a factory, a hospital or any one of
hundreds of locations and start staging people in an industry I haven't got
a clue what it's about.

As my photo editor would say.... "Your assignment is to shoot up a storm on
this place and tell a visual story of what it's all about! And come back
with real stuff from start to finish! And I don't want to hear one damn
complaint about you knocking over anything or getting in the way!"

His final question usually was, "Do you have a flash with you?" And when I
was still a rookie I'd blurt out, "Yep and lots of spare batteries just in
case!" Thinking this was the cool answer for the boss.

And he never failed to burn my ass with... "What are you, some kind of
friggin' chicken taking a flash? Where yer goin' you'll be able to see
what's happening, so what the hell do you need a flash for? Leave it!"

So due to this incredible photo editor who taught me so much about being an
invisble photojournalist and his insistance on "if you can see it you can
shoot it!" I learned my lifetime method of taking pictures as simply as, "if
you can see it you can shoot it!"

Sorry a little off track, but may help some to understand being absolutely
invisible and silent is paramount to the success of being a good
photojournalist. Never to be seen nor intrude!

ted


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