kyle_cassidy

<p>the problem with adding an optical viewfinder is that you dont get any of the exposure information in the viewfinder. which means if you want to change the shutter speed or f-stop you have to stop, take the camera away from your eye, turn the display on, adjust, then put the viewfinder back up to your eye to frame. you also cannot use manual focusing nor do you have any idea what the camera's focusing on if you're using auto-focus.<br>

i've the GF-1 and the video finder. it's a lot like looking into the eyepiece of a video camera. but it's got the information you need.<br>

ymmv</p>

Hey folks,

I'm the author of one remarkably successful photo book (www.armedamerica.org)

and I'm shopping a followup and I'm thinking that this might be the time for me

to invest in an agent who can capitalize on this in ways that wouldn't cross my

pedestrian little mind. Do any of you have an agent you're working with who got

you a good deal on your latest book?

Thanks so much for your time and expertise,

Kyle

Hi folks,

This really doesn't belong under "bags/cases" but there's no category for "presentation" that I can

find.

I want to cart around and show a bunch of 20x30 prints. My first thought was to just get a Pratt

portfolio with removeable pages, but they don't MAKE one in 20x30. In fact, the ONLY thing I can

seem to find in that size range is 21x23 museum boxes. Okay. If I can't find a portfolio with a

zipper and a handle and flippable pages, i'm happy enough to put them in a museum box and cart

them around but ... of course, they're floppy and will get finger prints on them.

Is anybody mounting their prints for presentation? I was thinking about a THIN mat in the back

just to keep the image flat -- i don't want to cart around 20 pieces of cardboard, but I can't see any

other options at the moment.

Thanks for your time and expertise.

Kyle

--

www.kylecassidy.com

kyle@kylecassidy.com

if you're shooting portraits, why on earth bother switching from AF to MF? just switch the AF off and use the equipment you have already. rangefinders (and i have plenty) have a distinct _disadvantage_ when doing portraits. (what you see is not what you get, and you have no DOF preview and focusing long lenses is a pain in the rear) i'm puzzled by all this hooey about "rangefinders are less consipicuous so people pay less attention to you" if you're taking their portrait, they darn well know you have a camera so that's not what they're worried about. i've found a combination of digicam and medium format to be the best -- digicams are fantastic for breaking the ice and for discussing w/ your subject what they like and don't like. as in "take a look at this, see how the light is reflecting off your bald patch, we need to move you into this shadow here to get rid of that <snap> see, this looks lots better. okay this is exactly the shot i want. let me switch cameras -- don't move."

spend more time worrying about your pictures and less about your camera and you'll do fine. NOW, that said, if you want to buy a leica because you think you'll look cool with one hanging around your neck, by all means, get one.

my .02

kc

www.kylecassidy.com

i think you dismiss photo classes too quickly. in philadelphia, where

you are, there are several very low cost options that meet at night

(the u.c. arts league comes to mind) -- which not just puts you in

proximity to other shooters, but gives you the impetus to do things

you might not ordinarily do (assignments like "introduce yourself to

36 people on the street and ask each one of them if you can take

their photo" i think prove invaluable, though they're not the type of

assignments one gives onesself) and usually hooks you up with a very

nice darkroom.

<p>

kyle

i'm suprised that nobody has brought up the blimp -- which is an

inflatable bag that goes around an SLR to make it quiet. that's what

they use in courtrooms and in things like congressional hearings,

keep your eyes peeled while you're watching C-SPAN, you'll see them.

i've also heard the "only leica's in my courtroom" story, but i

suspect it's an urban legend, it's probably more likely "blimps on

all cameras in my courtroom". they're about $85 from b&h.

<p>

kc

like the initial respondant, i'm puzzled that you have to ask this

question -- the answer though, is that the m6 can be a fine camera

for weddings. just don't take it as your only camera. make sure you

give them the formals they're looking for, in glorious 6x7 suitable

for 8 foot enlargements, or that they've seen your b&w leica-only

portfolio before you go in.

<p>

i wouldn't shoot weddings for a million dollars, it's too much

responsiblity, but i have brought my m6 to a couple and ran around

behaving like a retired dentist:

<p>

http://www.asc.upenn.edu/usr/cassidy/pix/5-12-01-wedding/

http://www.asc.upenn.edu/scrapbook/1999/richandmaureen/

<p>

fwiw,

<p>

kc

<p>

p.s. leica lenses are rediculously expensive. i recommend you get a

couple of 3rd party knock-offs -- the voigtlander 35 and 50 are both

very fast and not expensive and will fit your leica for about 30% of

the price of a "real" leica lens.