Been there, done that

Advice means squat IMO ... you have to find out for yourself what is going to suit you and your photographic needs so buying the wrong camera on someone else's well meaning advice will get you along that path to rationallity faster ... which is not a bad thing I guess!
 
Roger Hicks said:
...

One thing I wouldn't waste money on, though, is a photography course. The basic techniques are easy; there are plenty of books and websites for practical advice; and you'll learn best by doing.

Tashi delek,

R.
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Not sure I would discredit all photography courses although I've certainly had a poopy one or two. How then does everyone feel about workshops, weekend warrior style or otherwise?
 
Personally, I wish I had an MP to trade to Roger for a week or two(or longer?) of his time in my darkroom and out photographing.
 
Roger Hicks said:
I am increasingly uncertain of the value of my advice, from the viewpoint of nearly 59, to someone who is 39 or 29 or worse still 19. Yes, I've owned more Leicas than I can remember; but what I need, want or can afford today may differ widely from what is best for someone younger.

Yes, some people think exactly alike. Today I finished the first draft of a novel, co-written with a friend who is exactly 40 years younger (1950/1990). Either we think identically, or telepathy is involved. But even then, there's a lot we don't have in common.

I own my own house, and I got my driving license and lost my virginity some decades ago. Hell, I got my LL.B. well over 30 years ago. I've been married twice (the second time worked). I can afford the occasional new Leica or lens.

She's been with her boyfriend 9 weeks, can't drive a car (not legally, though she's pretty good with a Land Rover in a field), and she is going to university in September. We're as close as two people can be, born exactly 40 years apart, and precisely because are so close, I am all the more aware of how distant I am from other young people (not necessarily that young).

So when I say, "Buy an MP if you can afford it," how much is that worth to younger and/or poorer people?

EDIT: Post 52 in this thread will (I hope) clarify the original point, which is to question the value of any 'what should I buy' advice.

Tashi delek,

R.
Click to expand...

Roger, I'm only 6 years younger but all I would say is your writing always comes across as if you have already met and know your readership personally, so you are probably quite a natural at connecting with people, regardless of age.

If you weren't, I wouldn't have gone out and bought a brand-new M6 and Summilux-M 35/1.4 in 1991 straight after reading your 'Night and Low Light Photography' book. I haven't looked back since except when I see my bank statements!

Out of interest, may we ask what the book is about?

Best wishes,
Tom
 
Chris...photography is a great hobby and hard way to make a living--as you know. The advice somebody gave about getting another job=not bad advice. As for your degreed friends who can't find work: Yes, it's hard. But if I may speak as an employer (I am that), I can tell you that degrees don't mean all that much. It depends on the job, but many employers simply want somebody who is honest, reliable, aims to be useful when there's no obvious work to be done (I call them "broom-grabbers," because they literally sweep the floor when they can find nothing else)--and somebody who can get along with existing staff, and won't scare off or put off clients or customers. Clean, well-presented, not smelly, sort of neutral on those regards, but with a good attitude and work ethic. A good handshake, a direct look-in-the-eye. To some people, this sounds corny. But these qualities score high marks with employers. I've often thought that along with a resume, somebody looking for work could say, "I'm honest, I work hard, I'm not a slacker. I'm low-maintenance, I'm clean, I can get along with customer and staff. This job means a lot to me. I want to get it, and if I get it, I'll work hard to keep it."
I'd be so impressed, I'd find a spot for that person, somewhere. There are plenty of people with degrees who don't have those qualities.
 
Wow, what an interesting read.
Whatever everybody here might think about cheap or expensive gear, about the "MP" or "being able to afford it", this forum brings together some well reflected and intelligent guys, so it seems.

I, for my part, am a 38 year old hobby photographer who grew up with SLR photography and who has just some time ago realized the fun that shooting with an RF cam can be.

I think that there are different eras in everybody's life.
As a young kid you normally don't have a lot of money and you perhaps save for quite a while to buy your first decent cam.
When getting older you maybe go to university and cannot afford to shoot a lot at all.
Then you start to earn some money in your first real job and understand that you can buy some things for the first time in you life.
This is what happened to me.

Now, I earn some good money, but I have to pay for a house, two cars, a family with two kids and a lot of insurances. So, there is not that much left to spend on equipment - which I really don't deplore, because as it has been said above there are more important things in life than cameras or lenses.

But then, of course, I hope that in perhaps two or three decades with the kids through university, I will be able to buy some cameras and lenses that I could not afford now. Just for the fun of using and "feeling" them. Pleasure and enjoyment has a lot to do with it - and that's competely irrational, but so what? ;)
 
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Hello everybody,
Please allow me to first express my admiration for Mr.Christopher Crawford, for his sincerity and honest actitude about his situation: next time I look at his photographs, I will surely take a more attentive look!

Now about the MP. I can well understand why Roger recommends it: it surely is a GREAT camera! Most certainly the best in it's type (still in production).

On the other hand, I can't see why (if I see it as a photographic producing tool) it should be better than my 54 year old M3, or M2, or M4... I even dare to say that I have no doubt that I can make such a good photograph with my 50 euros Zorki camera and Jupiter 8... (altough not so elegantly...).

Cameras are only tools, and I could point out many different situations were a Leica MP would be a BAD tool to choose...
(So could Roger, of course. He surely has much more experience than me).

I can well understand that people in this Forum talk a lot about Photo-Gear (I love it too!), but it somehow makes me a little sad that we talk so little about PHOTOGRAPHY.

When I joined the Forum, I tried to start a discussion about something like a "rangefinder photographic visual-language". One or two people bothered to answer.
Now, if I would start a thread like "show me your Noctiwonder and your fanciest yellow camera", I have no doubt that I would get hundreds of replies...

Photo-Gear? For sure! But please, it gets so poor and so boring if we only have that to discuss...
I found the words of Christopher (and a couple others) much more rewarding than most of the discussion if MP yes or no...
(And yes, if we pretend that we are a group, maybe we should also care about the good or bad situations of it's members! The world is not equal all over).

Sorry for getting a little off topic, but it is something I have been feeling for some time now.

And thank you Roger for your always interesting advises. Reading you is always an enriching experience.
Cheers,
Rui
AL-MOST-LY PHOTOGRAPHY
 
I, too, chose a more 'creative' path and have had money problems... but, I know I chose this and I got by... I spent years living in my van that I had since high school (I'm 30 now and I still use that van, though not living in it anymore), touring the country as a musician. I was given a macbook as a Christmas gift from my mom, so I was able to pursue my writing by doing it freelance (the bulk of my income now). I am a freelance photographer as well, apprenticing for years, but now earn decently from it (if there are projects, which are few and far between). Far from being rich, I cannot afford an MP now, I intend to. With a Noctilux married to it. While driving around in a '69 Mustang... Roger, I get your point. When I was younger, I wasn't able to afford the best (I can 'technically' afford it now, but having a young daughter makes me save for her, instead of for my wants). It all depends on your priorities and what you really want. When my daughter is older, I may get that MP (or M9) with a Noctilux in a '69 Mustang. But till then, I'll get by with my beat-up van, VC lenses and RD-1 (which I saved for for many months!) :)
 
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