The End is Near - Beckerman Goes Digital

New York City photographer, Dave Beckerman, is the only person I know

of who actually makes a living(?) from B&W street photography. No

weddings, no commercial, no newspaper, no annual reports, just great

reportage. His first-person user reports on the Contax G2 and Leica

M6 (www.davebeckerman.com) have become standards for aspiring street

photographers. Then, about a year ago, Dave switched from his M6 to

a Canon Elan (SLR). Now, (gasp), he's gone full-time DIGITAL with a

Canon Rebel! Not even a Digilux. Oh, the times they are a

changing. Indeed.

Let's hope it helps his photography.

Sounds like an excellent move.

Why was he using a leica in the first place? He could of used a

4x5 for those b+w shots. Beckerman isn't very bright.

Exactly what I was thinking, Leslie. For Beckerman's staid style of formally composed

shots, printed large, I would have thought moving to a small frame digital camera

wasn't a terribly good move. On the other hand, I suppose he needs to worry about

costs, especially as he doesn't charge much for his prints (anyone know how many he

sells?).

At least he had the sense to keep the G2

Why should I care what this photographer does in choice of camera?

Who is Dave Beckerman, and why should we care what camera he's using? There are plenty of people that support themselves doing street photography -- just look at all those guys with their little display stands in New York's touristy areas. A lot of them do pictures that look a lot like Beckerman's, actually.

 

Anyway, photographers (particularly the less celebrated ones) tend to change their gear often as the years pass. He's not the first guy to sell a Leica, and he won't be the last. It's just a tool, and while I personally think an M is the best tool available for me at the moment, I'd be happy to buy some other tool if I saw it make pictures that, to my eye, looked better than what I'm achieving. Why worry?

What does this have to do with Leica photography?

<< The End is Near - Beckerman Goes Digital >>

 

Presumably the end of Beckerman, whoever he is. I am unaware of his influence.

Bill,

 

The sky is falling!

 

Jerry

My Goodness. So much Sour Grapes already!

just goes to show you that the cam doesnt make the images, bc his stuff sux....

Hm, his reasoning for the G2 over the M3 and then the M6 over the G2 don't convince me in any case.

 

I don't shoot mashine gun style with film anyways, a roll HP5 plus chemicals equals a Big Mac with fries and a coke or a package Drum (40 grams here) including papers and matches :-)<div></div>

This thread reminds Bin Leican of the Frankenstein movies where all the villagers are

coming after the monster with pitchforks and torches- I found the site interesting- a

shame he doesn't live up to the high standards of photography here-

Remain blessed

Let's really rip this guy...

 

OK, is he related to Kosoff?

What kind of a bird is that and why is he looking at me that way?

What is there to admire about a street photographer who admits that he shoots from the hip, because he doesn't have the balls to take the chance that one of his subject may see him raising his camera to his eye?

 

I'm sorry, but after reading the articles on his site I have to conclude that this chap is a dilettante.

 

 

Feli

O.B. I haven't heard of that guy before and certainly not about his user reports.

So I read his reports and wasn't very impressed.

John, its a magpie fledgling which fell out of the nest.

No sour grapes: just seeded ones. ;-P

<p>

I just gone thru his web site and I sincerely wish him the best. That's his style and his choice. He's under no obligation to conform to anything or any manufacturer.

<p>BTW, where did you first hear about him?

Bill M,

 

I enjoyed visiting Beckerman's site, and appreciate you starting the thread. I sorry that it roused so many retarded, mean spirited nazi's

He's not a REAL Leica photographer--where are the bad pictures of his grandchildren, or snaps of his wife/girlfriend in coffeeshops throughout the world??? What polish does he use to remove the fingerprints from his cameras after he doesn't use them???

James, please take care with your wording.

 

Apply the old usenet rule, think before posting.<div></div>

While I have no problems w/his "modern-day Stieglitz" stuff (which certainly "sux" no more than much of the stuff that's posted here or my pix for that matter), I hardly think that his switch to digital means the end of the film photography. It's the millions of other photographers, mostly amateurs, whose switch to digital means the end of film photography.