Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2009/06/02

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Subject: [Leica] Salgado now great image/camera ?
From: kididdoc at cox.net (Steve Barbour)
Date: Tue, 2 Jun 2009 10:16:18 -0700
References: <DC4B73A4105FCE4FAE0CEF799BF84B36052E95D0@case-email.casefoods.com> <8D441F08-A3C2-4399-9072-23E0DDF3C858@cox.net> <p0623090ac64a26cf9ee9@10.0.1.199> <8BFF4EFE-F7E1-4804-B0F3-B25ED454FE3B@cox.net> <36172e5a0906012232n225ff0acg55dd249ae410ca0e@mail.gmail.com> <4A24C410.4030905@sfr.fr> <A197E35B-97C1-493A-A4D6-FDD78869CAB8@cox.net> <36172e5a0906020941r257709cch4f705c3956cc3951@mail.gmail.com>

On Jun 2, 2009, at 9:41 AM, Geoff Hopkinson wrote:

> Absolutely fascinating gentlemen that we could look at this so  
> differently.
> Looking at the HCB images I have, I see a number that I can  
> recognise as
> iconic and superb, yet others that I understand not at all.  
> Throughout I see
> images that have succeeded despite the technical shortcomings rather  
> than
> because of them.  Perhaps an insight as to why his work is famous  
> and mine
> never will be. Still I make mine for me which is of course their  
> purpose.
>
> For all of that I'd much rather have my photo time machine in the  
> service of
> Ansel Adams. Actually I just remembered that HCB in fact decried  
> Ansel's
> preoccupation with rocks rather than the human condition. Maybe I  
> need to
> switch to an 11 x14 field camera or something to pursue my Grail.


this is a terribly interesting discussion Geoff, and the points you  
mention, really get me thinking further about something I already  
deeply believe,

the quest for technical excellence above spontaneity and content would  
certainly force me to consider large format, super large negatives, or  
whatever  :-)  , as well as a tripod...

striving for that level of pure technical excellence, would not have  
me using a hand held camera with a cropped sensor, designed for quick  
and discrete street shooting, capturing spontaneity...

as I see it, these are  two quite different goals, the accomplishment  
of each one being very difficult, and the where withall to do each, at  
cross purposes...


best,

bon voyage, Steve


>
> 2009/6/3 Steve Barbour <kididdoc at cox.net>
>
>> On Jun 1, 2009, at 11:17 PM, Philippe Amard wrote:
>>
>> Geoff Hopkinson wrote:
>>>
>>> <> HCB photographs. Same scenario, would any of
>>>> his photographs have been worse or better with modern M glass and
>>>> exposure
>>>> metering?
>>>>
>>>
>>> Could have spoiled the whole thing Geoff, it might at least.
>>>
>>> I was at this HCB exhibition in Paris last Thursday.
>>> Lots of prints, each a masterpiece.
>>> Yet, some are on the verge of fuzzy, some are not that sharp, soft  
>>> in some
>>> cases to modern standards at least,
>>> the sea isn't even always level, etc.
>>> Technicalities doesn't seem to have been his concern at all...
>>>
>>
>> hopefully his eye would have survived modern lenses....
>>
>> evidently he felt that sharp lenses make dull photographs...
>>
>>
>> Steve
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> I'm cautious here as I don't know.
>>>
>>> Only, each one of these 50 or 80 photographs has character.
>>> It doesn't pop at you, you just seamlessly sink into them.
>>> I'd bet he used the cam as he knew it could work.
>>> I think it's all that is to say about the gear.
>>>
>>> And when there, you don't need to know you're there to know who  
>>> was behind
>>> the camera, whatever the camera.
>>> That is a question you don't even ask.
>>> Opportunity, light, geometry, every thing tells you the camera was  
>>> just a
>>> tool he used to convey his vision.
>>>
>>> Yet, his tireur(s) should also receive more credits. As many Wows  
>>> as there
>>> are rints exposed.
>>>
>>> My two Pfennig of Saukraut ;-)
>>> Have fun in (sunny?) Berlin my friend.
>>> Best from Metz
>>> Philippe
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Leica Users Group.
>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Leica Users Group.
>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>>
>
>
>
> -- 
> Cheers
> Geoff
> 'Life's not B&W, except at both ends'
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/gh/
> http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information



Replies: Reply from imagist3 at mac.com (George Lottermoser) ([Leica] Salgado now great image/camera ?)
Reply from mingthein at gmail.com (Thein Onn Ming) ([Leica] Salgado now great image/camera ?)
Reply from images at comporium.net (Tina Manley) ([Leica] Salgado now great image/camera ?)
Reply from images at comporium.net (Tina Manley) ([Leica] Salgado now great image/camera ?)
In reply to: Message from drodgers at casefarms.com (David Rodgers) ([Leica] Salgado in Sunday NY Times)
Message from kididdoc at cox.net (Steve Barbour) ([Leica] Salgado now great image/camera ?)
Message from kididdoc at cox.net (Steve Barbour) ([Leica] Salgado now great image/camera ?)
Message from hopsternew at gmail.com (Geoff Hopkinson) ([Leica] Salgado now great image/camera ?)
Message from philippe.amard at sfr.fr (Philippe Amard) ([Leica] Salgado now great image/camera ?)
Message from kididdoc at cox.net (Steve Barbour) ([Leica] Salgado now great image/camera ?)
Message from hopsternew at gmail.com (Geoff Hopkinson) ([Leica] Salgado now great image/camera ?)