Leica or Not?

So if I was to start out in photography with a desire to become a street/narrative photographer, what equipment would I buy?

Controversial question you may say. I would agree with you. Many an argument I've had with brand specific owners who will start by proselytizing to me on the brand that they use. As if the world depended on my decision to buy Nikon or Canon or whatever they shot with.

First, let me say that I have seen great photos made with a cheap ass camera phone, good enough to run as an article in a trade press mag. The phone cost less than a hundred dollars. So frankly speaking, price tag and gadgetry wont really help you much if you suck at composition and post processing.

Next, lets ask ourselves the question. Do we wanna take the photo or do we wanna point the camera? Ok, if you answered yes to the last part, ignore the rest of the blog and buy a Nikon/Canon, send them 50% of the royalty money for the published shots you get. Well they did do your lighting and focus didn't they? So 50% is the least you can send them yes?

Now lets ask ourselves if we want to shoot in low to shitty light, same as Henri Cartier Bresson and Bob Capa. Yes? Bad luck with a DSLR guys, unless you can mirror lock up and/or use a tripod in the low to shitty light. Mirror slap gets ya below 1/125th of a second. Bummer eh? Maybe subtract a few % from what you give Mr Nikon/Canon for this inconvenience of a less than sharp shot, hey you could call that edge blur art in some circles.

Flash you say? Want to announce to the subjects you are shooting that you are there? All your shots will consist of people giving you peace signs and silly grins at best. Riots and violence in some parts of the world. Maybe invest in some travel insurance along with your Megablitz.

And a big ass lens is a long distance photographer, not a street photographers tool. Standing several hundred meters away from your subject, you will never feel the vibe and your shots will suck. You really have to get right in there to get "that" shot. 50mm country typically. 35mm for the brave. Note primes, you have no time to zoom unless uncle nikon is doing your focusing etc. And if he is, why not set it up as a remote with a timer and go do a latte while he shoots "street"?

So what to choose for those low light street walker shots on rainy evenings in desolate places?

Digital of course, film is just too hard to get in many parts of the world, especially where shots are interesting. I say this sadly as nothing quite matches the magic of pulling a roll of film you just developed from the canister and biting your nails as you wait for it to dry.

And I want to take all the credit for the shot, composing, focusing, aperture setting, shutter speed and triggering. Say no to auto focus, its for pussies and amateurs. (If your an amateur, no problem, go ahead and grab a nikon or canon, the low end ones work as well as the expensive ones, spend your money on fast optics instead of gizmo bodies, it wont make your dick size change don't worry).

So manual is good, no mirror is good, flash-less natural light is good, unremarkable camera profile (read stubby looking) is good, oh and being able to see what is about to walk into your shot. Nearly forgot about that. So you've composed a shot and all of a sudden somebody or thing is about to cross the view field. If you are looking down the black hole of a DSLR bad luck, if you have a rangefinder with both your eyes open then it may be that award winning shot, just wait for it then bang. Your decision, not the cameras. Yet another benefit of a rangefinder.

My answer is Leica. You just cant beat a range finder for crystal sharp shots handheld at 1/8 of a second, unobtrusiveness and manual. Leica optics are rivaled by none. The bodies are just functional, as in reliably they just keep working and working. Many of us have old Leica M series film bodies, mine was 35 years old when I first bought it for less than a grand in a second hand shop in Tokyo. My what a tool it was and still is.

Rangefinder, simple and easy to use, no mirror slap, small in profile etc etc.

Cost? Yeah I know, but there is a reason for this expense. Its the best. You dont need an M9 immediately. Second hand M8's are very cheap and old Leica and Leitz lenses are still awesome. Borrow one for a week, shoot a street or two. You will know its for you.

Note that the above is specifically for street photographers, I dont want wailings from fashion/landscape/art/whatever photographers. Really guys, I dont need another Nikon/Canon/Hassy, been there, got the t shirts.

Flickr & Comments

Flickr would have to be one of the best internet tools for photographers no matter what genre you shoot or what level you have achieved in your art.

Not only does it faithfully display what you have to say allowing you to show the world your proud snaps, it does so with such minimal bullshit and very low key ads. And all this is free, or $35 for a Pro Account. Still so very cheap compared to a website and trying to get yourself googled enough to get hits.

Its simple. Post your shots, join groups which interest you, then post your photos to these groups, make new friends and next the world opens to you.

Although I exhibit through a few galleries and have an agency which sometimes remembers I am alive, I get the most bang for buck always from Flickr. Most of my work is sold directly to Flickr users. All for $35 a year.

My groups all pertain to my genre, narrative photography, however I have many friends who shoot everything from florals to amazing landscapes.

A word though to some Flickr users (yes you know who you are). In the street genre, the shot you see is as is where is. Think about that for a minute. Got it? Ok so your comments about try to shoot it from this angle or I would take out that element simply ar'nt applicable in the street world where things happen in an instant and that scene just shot WILL NEVER OCCUR AGAIN. So if its not the way you would have shot it, who cares? Just shut up. Like the shot as the artist performed it for what it is and move on.

The street genre is rapid fire compose and trigger. Hardly anyone does much post processing in these street groups cause its realism they aim to show.

If you are Henry Cartier Bresson, OK comment. But the rest of you? Shut the fuck up and show us your best shots.

We won't comment other than in admiration that you got out there and did it.