Uncensored Leica Troll

I mean, who could question the artistic integrity of Natalie Merchant, amirite?

 

I don't understand the "Leica troll" assumption, but I don't know her well so maybe I'm not getting the troll part of this. I also don't see how her camera use in this video says something about her artistic integrity. Leica is a known street photographer's brand and she's using one. Do you read more into it than that? It seems like a perfectly legit concept for a video for this song. My problem isn't with trolling or artistic integrity. It's with the imagery itself, which I find a little too obviously literal to the lyrics, somewhat cliché, and pretty typical of a lot of predictable street photography. Though I didn't make it all the way through the song or video, the editing seemed pretty good to me, the music and gestures seemingly in sync and the timing feeling rhythmic along with the music.

No other camera would have worked for this video. BTW, she is left eyed and there doesn't appear to be film in the camera when she winds it.

Well, also I guess I'd learn to focus with one hand and take with the other; she only uses her left hand to hold the camera; but none of that matters, does it? It doesn't claim to be a documentary video of Ms Merchant photographing; it's a music video, in which what a photographer has seen is a metaphor for life's experience (I suppose).

I confess I don't understand what is meant by 'Leica troll'. If you're going to use a camera as a prop, why not a Leica? Not all of us are blessed with a FED. It's true that an RF leaves more of her face open to the (video) camera than an SLR would.

I haven't listened to her, hardly at all, since I was given the Unplugged album of 10000 Maniacs, which lived in my car for a long time. Now I may go and get that again, and some newer stuff.

Just make what you want of the post. It means whatever you want it to mean.

 

That's good Dustin. I always liked her but never had any of her music, but I'm going to hunt for some of it now. Just came across this yesterday so the post was partially an excuse to post the video, both for the artist, the person, the camera, and topic of this forum.

 

This is what I watched first before seeing the video up top. Years go by so fast. She's changed but still damn good. So naturally talented and down to earth.

 

Edited August 23, 2019 by ray .

Thanks for that!

Btw 'Uncensored' came from a group on flickr named 'Uncensored Leica Forum in Exile' but I didn't want to steal the whole name!

Though I don't feel aligned with any particular camera brand, I thought the video was well done.

Brad, since I posted this, I've been listening to her music the last few days. She's one of those artists that every so often I happen upon and am pleasantly surprised that there's much there to enjoy that I wasn't aware of. She's continued to grow and mature artistically and has quite an impressive body of work now. Wasn't aware that she writes her lyrics (and music?).

The Leica is a hipster touch before there were hipsters. I've always liked this one and it's got nice guitar work.

The all-time king of "Leica trolls" has to be Lenny Kravitz: the only musician to troll Leica itself! ;)

If you haven't already, Google the Lenny Kravitz Special Edition Leicas.

Oh my: just looked again after a couple years, and its gotten worse! The first LK "pre-washed-Leica" stunt was bad enough: I can't believe that sold sufficiently to justify several more grotesque LK special editions. The newest is snakeskin: seriously. Apparently Kravitz is old enough to be an elder-hipster shill, but not old enough to remember Popular Photography back page stalwart Ritz Camera (and its cheesy "Chicago Special Edition" re-finished re-covered new cameras). He makes Natalie Merchant look like Sylvia Plachy.

The first thing that made an impression on me was a remarkable similarity to certain parts of Edie Brickell & New Bohemians "What I Am." Seeing as there is so much sampling in songwriting anymore, who knows. Originality is not paramount in many things--and that is part of the underlying text in this video. The next part is that I absolutely 'don't get' the troll connotation. But again, here we have a word that has been so bastardized in the past decade it could mean anything to anybody...

 

Yes, Leica has a cachet for trendies wandering urban scapes. Sort of like trucking about the latest iPorn device. Changing the leathers is nothing new either. In the past I have had a red Argus C3, a mahogany Super Graphic, and a green RB67. Otherwise, the content reminded me of what happens on an average day in a large city whilst wandering the streets with any sort of camera.

Street photographer's anthem. Love it.

Thank you for the video Mr. Ray, I enjoyed everything about it. I would swap my mediocre skills in photography for the ability to create music, in a heartbeat. Charles.