David Alan Harvey on Leica M10 and iPhone

[jsrockit]

With the next iPhone likely to come in at > US 1100 (?), way more expensive than my 25 MPixel, still great DSLR, all the above discussion is kind of point-less.

True, but I think the point is that you should use what you have... most people (who are looking to do photography) have a phone cam.

 

[bobbyrab]

I don't post on here very often, partly as I'm not that interested in the multiple permutations of features/spec/quality of the myriad camera systems available to us now.
However I never see much insight gained by discussing image making, composition, aesthetics whatever, online. It just never seems a terribly good medium to hold such discussions. They usually end up with two or three members getting argumentative and it all goes pear shaped from there. It is in truth much better suited to discussing the relatively neutral topic of the hardware, were we able to meet in person and discuss photographers work with the work in front of everyone to see, then I don't doubt that many here would make very worthwhile contributions.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

So, you prefer nostalgic color more than modern color?

Thanks for asking! It is not so simple as saturation of colors. DAH photos are over saturated to me, yet, gives no space for viewer mind to flow. It is little bit too straight and primitive for my preferences. I don't like something too obvious. Then I see d_de with gun, I always question, if it is real. Some real people whom I respect and who helped my family to change our life faced guns for real. Then it happens it wasn't about cheesy looking photography. It was about to become dead or come back alive.

PS. I think the message and how this thread turns is wrong. If DAH is helping to some people to get their vision released on pictures it is main thing. Where are many photographers whom I'm not fanboy, but who are great teachers. For lessons on vision unleashing mobile phone is sufficient. IMO.

 

[emraphoto]

No he doesn't "shoot with a Leica." As he states in the Instagram discussion quoted above, he used the iPhone for many of the photos in his prize-winning book, From a True Story. The Fuji GFX medium-format digital that he's shooting with right now is a camera he uses only occasionally. Currently, he's shooting mainly with the Fuji XT2. I think he still has his M6 that he likes but shoots with rarely. In addition to the iPhone, last year or so he also occasionally shot with an Olympus underwater point-and-shoot camera, the TG5 (?).


I like his camera-agnostic attitude and, as I said, his openness to new technology. He is very approachable and does a lot of free mentoring as well. It's easy to question peoples' motives, but he doesn't have a conflict of interest simply because he isn't the sort of guy you're suggesting — it's easy to question the motives of people you don't know. Also, as you can read above in the last statement, DAH says he's looked at the pictures of the person he is writing to and gives his judgment of what that persons needs.
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Alone in Bangkok essay on BURN Magazine

I LOVE my compact underwater/action/whatever camera! Sorry, more camera geekery... I like pictures too 😉

 

[PKR]

I LOVE my compact underwater/action/whatever camera! Sorry, more camera geekery... I like pictures too 😉

Does it float? The camera I mean, not the pictures.

 

[jky]

DAH needs to sell his workshop, this is it. End of story.

DAH was quite up front with the fact that times have changed and no longer are there the budgets for stories as before thus the workshops.
He's one heck of an instructor, however. From my experience, his workshop was worth the price of admission for someone - like me- who's never had any formal photography training/schooling.

 

[PKR]

DAH was quite up front with the fact that times have changed and no longer are there the budgets for stories as before thus the workshops.
He's one heck of an instructor, however. From my experience, his workshop was worth the price of admission for someone - like me- who's never had any formal photography training/schooling.

Could be wrong, but the workshops are a Magnum product, I think. Harvey isn't hurting for work. I think he's just landed Fujifilm as a client. Magnum, on the other hand, seems seriously mismanaged, and is in constant need of cash. Magnum makes serious money on the Workshop Program.

 

[Nowhereman]

I don't think the NYC workshop is Magnum-related. Last fall he had a workshop together with Jacob Aue Sobol in Bangkok, which was advertised as a "Magnum workshop."
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Alone in Bangkok essay on BURN Magazine

 

[PKR]

I don't think the NYC workshop is Magnum-related. Last fall he had a workshop together with Jacob Aue Sobol in Bangkok, which was advertised as a "Magnum workshop."
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Alone in Bangkok essay on BURN Magazine

I don't know about the "official stuff", but all photo income goes in a % to Magnum. They get a cut of everything. Maybe DAH has a special agreement, but it's not likely. That % has made some members to quit, as the agency was doing nothing to promote them.

 

[infrequent]

And yet, the guy shoots with a Leica and a GFX (also not really a cheap camera...) and tries to convince another person to spend his/her money for his workshop instead of new gear.

He used the GFX as a specific example for work where large prints are required. Way to miss the point.

 

[infrequent]

I find his reasoning solid and his views refreshing. Thanks for sharing this!

 

[Contarama]

...if you are starting out, focus more on learning how to make great photos than on great cameras.

You hit the nail square on the head and drove it all the way in with one strike sir. My opinion. 🙂

 

[Talus]

^^^ couldn't agree more. I recently heard an interview with a photographer who made a similar point in a different way. It went to the effect that a lot of people seem to think that it's Shakespeare's pen or Stephen King's typewriter that is the key to their success. It really comes down to honing your craft. Learning from a guy like DAH is really where your return on investment will be.

 

[Contarama]

And he gave the gentleman saving for a camera the advice he did...for free.

I have the greatest admiration for very knowledgeable photographers who make themselves available to the rest of us and often for the very low price of just listening and thinking about what they say.

 

[jazzwave]

In next couple days , we will see bunch of M10 for sale in Classifeds.
or Want to Trade " M10 for iPhone 7".

PM me if you want trade your M10 with my iPhone 7...😀

~ron~

 

[Nowhereman]

jazzwave - Cute, but no cigar: perhaps you should look at the book DAH refers to, Libyan Sugar, that Michael Cristopher Brown shot with an iPhone 4. The book received the ICP's 2017 Infinity Prize award for photo books, and Brown is now a member of Magnum — though mind you, no one is suggesting anyone needs to shoot with an iPhone.
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Alone in Bangkok essay on BURN Magazine

 

[jsrockit]

jazzwave - Cute, but no cigar: perhaps you should look at the book DAH refers to, Libyan Sugar, that Michael Cristopher Brown shot with an iPhone 4.

But wait, there's no bokeh! 😉

 

[Nowhereman]

jsrockit - Good one! [I wish there was a "Thanks" button on RFF]

 

[gnuyork]

While appreciate DAH's photography a lot, I much, much prefer the work he was shooting on Leica and Kodachrome to the current work he is producing with digital tools - just sayin' 😎 I can even spot those (occasionally posted) images on his Instagram feed (even before reading the details).

And while I accept what he was saying in his post, I personally would not want to attend a workshop with an iPhone as my camera. I'd rather not shoot than to shoot with a phone camera, but that's just me.

 

[leicapixie]

No matter how many cameras, what technology is used, most
photographers i meet lack "SEEING".
One needs to study other photographers.
One needs and MUST look at art. Yes! ART!
Paintings, sculpture and all creative work.
I have friends who have amazing new equipment.
I mostly use a 50 years in service Leica M3,
for majority of my work,
especially color, point and shoot digitals..
I no longer print super size!
I have no wall space or storage!
DAH is a great guy, who is very basic in needs!
Unlike some "famous photographers" doing "Documentary or
Journalistic" work, who need literally a ton of equipment.
This is now like Advertising work!
My joy is simple wanderings with purpose..