Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2009/10/31

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Subject: [Leica] Look at infinite (w.Rolleiflex)
From: tedgrant at shaw.ca (tedgrant at shaw.ca)
Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2009 13:49:53 -0700
References: <D0BEB2B7-2798-4018-AC89-871C9663A67B@gmail.com>

Lluis Ripoll Querol showed:
Subject: [Leica] Look at infinite (w.Rolleiflex)


> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/luisrq/Barcelona/2009100103.jpg.html
>
> Rolleiflex 6x6, Zeiss Planar 2.8/80mm, TX 320 ISO

Hi Lluis,
The Rollie is a great street camera because one can shoot with the camera 
pointing in different directions to what it appears you are looking. :-) And 
basically with no sound of the camera making an exposure. I used two rollies 
in my early magazine assignment days because we always had to shoot colour 
and B&W on every shoot, as the final decision of which images would be used 
was the art director and photo editor's choice.

And if you didn't have both you may not be hired again! :-(

Obviously in the series in your other post, you are making excellent use of 
the Rollie and it's slightly lower angle. As you also do here.

Longer ago than I want to remember I bought a Rolliecord, had it for 28 days 
and took it back looking like it had never been out of the box. WHY? 
Well I didn't have the best camera for best pictures.... :-)
As we grow older and occasionally wiser! :-) We learn it's the person 
holding the camera that makes the camera look great! Not the other way 
around. Similarly so with those who believe owning a Leica automatically 
makes every exposure a master piece..... Big mistake and completely wrong!

However, the Leica can and does in some instances give the handler a greater 
feeling of confidence, therefore they try harder at being a better 
photographer... ERGO!  They become better photographers through their own 
confidence, attitude and observation of light and subject .

In any event I exchanged the Rolliecord ( they only allowed me 1/2 of what I 
paid for it) and I bought a f3.5 Tessar Rollieflex! Because it was the 
camera used by Peter Gowland of Hollywood fame and many other big name 
photographers at the time.

Did it make a difference and did I become a better photographer? I believe 
so?  I shot hundreds of rolls trying all kinds of teaching situations in the 
photo magazines of the day. My first born son became the model of the day 
sitting in his high chair while I learned lighting techniques using hot 
lights and modeling diagrams for various lighting effects.

He never complained as long as I gave him candy or something to eat. :-) He 
claims to this day I owe him great amounts of modeling fees for the time he 
spent watching me move lights about for different portrait light styles. :-) 
He'll get that as part of his inheritance! :-)

How's the knee coming, better I trust?

cheers,
ted





Replies: Reply from lluisripollquerol at gmail.com (Lluis Ripoll Querol) ([Leica] Look at infinite (w.Rolleiflex) ->Ted)
In reply to: Message from lluisripollquerol at gmail.com (Lluis Ripoll Querol) ([Leica] Look at infinite (w.Rolleiflex))