What is and is not Leica RF Photography?

[yeffe]

My associations are the following. What kind of camera yields qualifying images is

irrelevant. 35mm is a must, due to the 2:3 format.

 

1: Successfully composing with the entire frame.

2: Outstanding contrast, apparent sharpness, definition.

3: A strong sense of timing (I don't want to use the DM phrase. I'm afraid the estate of HCB

might have trademarked it (ﾗ; )

4: A sense of the subject matter as the 'human condition.'

 

Of course lots of varied genres are accomplished with RF Leicas and great full-frame

compositions are routinely cropped for reproduction, etc.

[EricBoehm]

Huh?

[bob haight]

I agree with you that most 35mm shots are cropped to fit a standard frame size as opposed to full frame 35mm. I print alot full frame, but 8 x 10 is generally more pleasing to my taste.

[terry_rory]

"What is and is not Leica RF Photography?"

 

Absolutely any photograph taken with a Leica RF camera.

[john_spiers]

Oh God, not this again.

 

Black and white, people, available light, seems to be what most people think of as RF photography, but to state the bleeding obvious, if a photograph was taken with a Leica rangefinder, then it's Leica RF photography, regardless of the subject or circumstances.

[billsr]

Most of my subjects are from nature, such as birds, flowers, landscapes and water. Though I shoot 100% with Leica, my subject matter has little to do with "the human condition". I don't even like most people all that much! ;<)) Best regards, Bill

[vivek iyer]

Good one Trevor! :-)

[gib]

What is Leica RF photography, shots made with film in the Leica rf camera.

 

What is not Leica RF photography, shots made without film in the camera or shots made in your head when you left the camera at home.

 

As if

[huw_finney]

'Leica Photography'? simple, taking photos of Leicas like glamour photography, taking photos of glamour.

[yeffe]

Saying that any photo made with a Leica RF is therefore a Leica RF photo is pretty

reductive. What about annual report photos of huge and colorful manufacturing facilities?

Leicas are used for this, I'm sure, but wouldn't an SLR be much more suited to this kind of

work?

 

I use my RFs for a certain kind of shooting only, and only B/W. For all else, I have a D-70,

a Rollie, and a 4x5 view.

 

Check out Leica's brochure for the MP: Five of six photos, aside from the product photos,

are journalistic and B/W. The brochure for the M system is even more skewed toward the

street photo. This from a company that once underscored its product's versatility.

http://www.leica-camera.com/produkte/msystem/mp/pdf/index_e.html

[yeffe]

"What is not Leica RF photography, shots made without film in the camera or shots made

in your head when you left the camera at home."

 

HCB, in one of his last interviews, described approaching a group of people sitting on a

museum bench and, it being long past his camera toting days, going up to them,

motioning one person to shift position, and raising his hands in an imaginary 'click." HCB

would be the first to say it's all in the brain, and that the camera and its tech are a pain in

the neck.

[vivek iyer]

He should have discovered this technique long before (retirement) ;-)

[andy m.]

What Trevor said; but equally true to say that any 35mm photography could qualify (other than macro). Outstanding contrast? Well I'm not sure I agree with that but I have only used 'M' cameras for around a decade, so am a relative newcomer.

Cheers, A

[vivek iyer]

Andy, Leica made a whole macro photography system for their RF cameras.

[andrew robertson]

So, if you use a Cosina camera with a Leica lens, is that Leica photography?

 

How about using a non-Leica non-RF body with a Cosina lens and an accessory Leica

brand rangefinder? Is that Leica photography?

 

Seems to me that you have dreamed up a checklist that doesn't even necessarily need a

Leica, so are you really positing 'Leica photography' or are you just creating arbitrary rules

that you seem to think covers Leica RF STYLE photography without the Leica?

 

Seems like wanking to me.

[fjords]

yup, the rangefinder experience isn't complete without NOOKY.

[paul_neuthaler]

John, I guess it's the same for sex. . .

[bobtodrick]

If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck and looks like a duck...it's probably a freakin' duck. As others have said, if an image is taken with a Leica RF...it's a Leica RF shot. Ya don't have to compartmentalize everything on the planet.

[nzdavid]

<What about annual report photos of huge and colorful manufacturing facilities? Leicas

are used for this, I'm sure, but wouldn't an SLR be much more suited to this kind of work?

>

 

Yes, just done some. No, the RF is great for low light work, handheld, no mirror shake,

unobtrusive. Why would an SLR be better?

[icuneko]

Where is Ludwig Wittgenstein when we really need him?!

[yeffe]

So, if you use a Cosina camera with a Leica lens, is that Leica photography?

Seems to me that you have dreamed up a checklist that doesn't even necessarily need a

Leica, so are you really positing 'Leica photography' or are you just creating arbitrary rules

that you seem to think covers Leica RF STYLE photography without the Leica?

 

Seems like wanking to me.

 

I'm talking about a technical and cultural bag of stuff that gives rise to a certain style of

image-making that we may or may not agree to define identically. When the Leica exploits

its mystique and promotes the illusion that you can feel like an award-winning journalist

while you're sunbathing on St. Bart's it means it's relying on prospects composed mostly of

wannabees.

 

Other than that blind vodka taste tests reliably and repeatedly reinforce that consumers

prefer Smirnoff over Stoli and Absolut. So, yes, you can have the style without the

premium brand. I make lots of Leica photos with a Bessa.

 

If the wanking disturbs you, pull the curtain.<div></div>

[djl251]

Well it may be a Leica but it's still a tiny scrap of film your putting your masterpiece on. So I

have to wonder really why all the fuss. I mean it's like arguing who's 4 inch woofers pack the

punch. Yeah I like my Leica's (I have quite a few of them). The lenses are pretty nice. And it's

a handy little package. But "Mystique" escapes me.

[nels]

"most of the people who have a loud opinion on the RF style photography wouldn't know how to make a shot anyway..."

 

Truer words are seldom uttered on these pages.

[yeffe]

"part of teh heart and soul of the forum and a standing joke amongst people who use

Leica cameras and other cameras to actually make pictures post 'em and have some fun."

 

OK I'll lighten up, fer C-----sakes.

 

"Well it may be a Leica but it's still a tiny scrap of film your putting your masterpiece on."

 

That's kind of the heart of it, in a way. All this fuss over the excellence of a given lens

would be worth nothing without the fact that you've got to enlarge 35mm 8x to get the

same size print as you do with 4x for MF.

[eliot_rosen1]

You can fit 99 angels on the head of a pin, no wait, maybe its 999 or 9999.