[Leica] RE: LUG Digest, Vol 31, Issue 174

[puff11 at comcast.net (Norm Aubin)]

Hi Nathan,

Thanks for asking.  I'm torn on this issue, and I must say up front that I
am not a purist of any stripe.  I do love where the digital darkroom has
taken us, and I do appreciate digital capture - I hope Leica succeeds before
they fade away.  You're also right, a good photograph is a good photograph,
and if this was a photograph mail list instead of a Leica Users mail list
there would be no issue (in my mind) at all.  I don't dispute your
underlying assumption as to causality, but it strikes me that your rationale
for Off Topic discussions is saying that since Leica isn't up to what we
want, lets ignore Leica and mold this into some other interesting topic.

By way of background - I photograph in 35mm, 6x6 & 4x5, I like them all,
horse for courses, and love photography as an end unto itself.  It's
ultimately about the image.  That's why I have learned to do platinum
printing, daguerreotype, and now digital to compliment the analog processes.
My passion is architectural and landscape work - rocks and ferns as Ted puts
it.  Someday soon I will retire from the aerospace industry, quit making
weapons, and start making more art.  

I use the 35mm Leica M cameras; the lenses are arguably the finest in the
world, and the camera is such a wonderful tool to use in the field.  Given
the quality of the lenses, the films that can be used, the scanning that can
be done and the prints that can be made, I'm getting hard pressed to justify
my Rollei SL66 or my 4x5 much any more.  I also know that I haven't mastered
the use of this chosen set of photographic equipment, nor of this art form.

I am extremely interested in the work being done by folks like Graham, using
a rangefinder camera, because it shows me more of what is possible with this
camera system, as does the discussions about developers and papers, scanning
and printing.  Likewise, folks have tried using Leica lenses on Canon bodies
(the most practical option for Leica Digital), and in doing so they give
valuable insight as to how these lenses perform in this new and evolving
technology.  This is very informative, and I appreciate their willingness to
share.  It also gives us hope that when Leica goes full-blown digital they
will still set the high water mark for equipment performance.

I am a beginner at this, even after 25 years of making photographs - I am
still a beginner at this.  There are seriously accomplished artists here who
have much to show and share, and who I learn from every time they show their
work.  Ted and Tina are the Patriarch and Matriarch in terms of skills and
sharing with instruction, although there are many more unsung masters here
as well.  I try and learn from each thing they share, and strive to make my
photographs better, while using my Leica equipment.  

I have very few images submitted, because as I see the work here, I feel
that I have to strive even harder before I am comfortable presenting it.  I
am inspired though, and that to me is the value - the exemplar method is
still the best.  When I have something to contribute, and time to do so, I
try to, because I want to make better images using Leica equipment, and
because I value the feed-back from those who look and comment.

While there are many social conversations as well, as there should be among
friends, there are also serious moments when several of our own are in
crisis, as Katrina showed us.  These are valuable discussions; they are the
sharing of like minded people who, while drawn together for other reasons
(Leica cameras), are concerned and involved as people.   

When or if I ever decide that there is some other tool set that is more
appropriate to that end, I will go find a like minded group of people and
join in the discussions with them about that equipment and images made with
that equipment (actually, I do in the large format area).  For now I just
keep gleaning useful and interesting information about using Leica cameras
to make great photographs.  I would like to be prolific enough, or better
yet, good enough, to offer more dialog and examples myself, and someday that
may happen.  For now I try and do what I can, and say thank you to those who
have things to share, and most of all - to those who have things to share
relative to using Leica equipment to make photographs.  I hope someday to
have as much to offer to others.

Best of light,
Norm



> Message: 3
> Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 22:56:40 +0100
> From: Nathan Wajsman <nathan.wajsman@planet.nl>
> Subject: Re: [Leica] re: fins and treadmills
> To: Leica Users Group <lug@leica-users.org>
> Message-ID: <43D00B18.6000006@planet.nl>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed
> 
> Hi Norm,
> 
> A good photograph is a good photograph, and a poor photograph 
> is a poor photograph, regardless of the equipment. Yes, all 
> of us came to this list because we have an attachment to 
> Leica, but the reason why other brands have intruded on both 
> the discussion and the imagery posted is simply that Leica 
> has not produced any significant innovations in the past few 
> years, except the DMR--and there has been a fair amount of 
> discussion of that.
> 
> As for Leica images being of special interest because they 
> are Leica images, how would you regard a photograph shot with 
> a Canon body and a Leica lens?
> 
> Nathan

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