Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/07/20

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Subject: [Leica] Still Life! :-)
From: leicachris at worldnet.att.net (Christopher Williams)
Date: Thu Jul 20 12:27:40 2006
References: <20060720171950.7364.qmail@web32602.mail.mud.yahoo.com> <000701c6ac22$2686c5b0$a302a8c0@ted>

Bill's dead tired after shooting still life?


----- Original Message -----
From: "Ted Grant"
Subject: [Leica] Still Life! :-)


> OK I don't think it get's much weirder than this. ;-)
>
>
>
> Still life
>
>
>
> "Could you take a picture of my mother?" inquired the female telephone
> caller.
>
>
>
> Bill Lingard, my partner and fellow photographer replied, "Yes, when would
>
> you like to come to the studio, I'm sure we can fit you in during the next
>
> few days?"
>
>
>
> "I'm sorry it will have to be tomorrow before noon, as the  service is at
>
> two," was her reply. The service she referred to was her mother's funeral
>
> service.
>
>
>
> She did not have any pictures of her mother and this was the last
>
> opportunity for a photograph before the coffin was closed.
>
>
>
> So there we were the next morning, Bill, studio lights, ladder, the lady
in
>
> the coffin and me. The scene was right out of a weird horror movie.
>
>
>
> Bill who is a master portrait photographer, tried to light the old lady
>
> with Rembrandt lighting, but the sides of the coffin created a shadow over
>
> her face. So he found a pillow and stuffed it behind her head to lift it
>
> above the edge of the coffin and the lights made her look alive. Sort of!
>
>
>
> Bill was up the ladder making his first exposure when the daughter
arrived,
>
> looking at her mother she commented on how lifelike she looked, but
>
> wondered if Bill could open her eyes?
>
>
>
> For a moment I thought he was going to fall off the ladder, but
maintaining
>
> his Lancashire composure, he explained he would just as soon do the eye
>
> opening by retouching the negatives.
>
>
>
> I had to leave on assignment before he completed the retouching and when I
>
> returned I asked how she looked.
>
>
>
> "Not bad, a bit starry-eyed, but the daughter thought she looked alive."
>
> What more could he say"? "There isn't anything like shooting still life,"
>
> he replied with a smile.



In reply to: Message from iilbz at yahoo.com (DL) ([Leica] FS: Leica M & R 0721)
Message from tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant) ([Leica] Still Life! :-))