leica day jobs?

[jwinst]

this may likely have been discussed here before.

Anyways, do any of you shoot for a living, and if so do you use leicas?

I currently am with my university paper and shoot with their canon stuff, 1D mkII's and assorted L glass. Im about to get a leica and will probably use it for some long term photo stories around here, and of course for myself(friends, street, music etc). I shoot also for a magazine allowing me time to use film that the daily paper doesnt. Im currently shooting a story all on porta with my canonet and an F3hp w/ a 24mm.

I am going to apprentice this summer with a wedding shooter, as well as shoot around some friends weddings with the leica as well.

Basically, how do any of you reconcile using leica/35mm in the digi world? It seems the wiser choice in my position is a 30D or something, but I never shoot digi for myself. It would only be a work tool and no fun otherwise.

 

[rogue_designer]

Depends on what I'm shooting. Most of my work work is architectural and product. So I'm already shooting 120 and 4x5 - the workflow is prepped for film. When I shoot accompanying portraits of the architects, owners, etc. I often use a rangefinder (Canon P) or a Canon F1n.

I have a dSLR, but I really only use that for reportage and event work, which I don't do very often. Sometimes for headshots and the like, where quick turnaround, and minimal effort on my part is the only way to make it profitable.

The rest of my rangefinder work (the bulk of it really) is for personal use. It's what I prefer to carry - but only occasionally the right tool for my assignments.

 

[RML]

As long as it is for yourself, a Leica M will no doubt do whatever you want, when you want. However, if you're shootin for a customer, I'd go for a dSLR and not bother with a film rf camera. Just my 2 cents.

 

[thurows]

Depends what your reputation is and in the end what the client needs. If your known as a dedicated film shooter, shoot film. Shoot with the client there and they want to see shots as you go along, dSLR or some way of shooting polaroid. Client not there shoot what you are comfotable with and if they request digital files, get them digital files, scanned or dSLR they're digital files.

 

[tblanston]

While my day job has nothing to do with photography, my Leica does enjoy a nice comfy position on my desk each day.

Outside of that, the only professional work that I do is live music / promotional band and the occasional portrait commision. For live music I ALWAYS bring my M. It works well for the other situations as well. I always demand enough time for my film process and if they aren't interested in exercising patience then I politely wish them luck with Joe-Rebel XT! 🙂

 

[egpj]

Unfortunately I don't get to use the handheld Leicas in my day job. I do get to use Leica Geosystems digital aerial camera though and if you want one all you have to do is pony up 1.4 million dollars US plus a Lear jet to fly it around the country in. Most sorties we go up around flight level 410 (41,000feet).

Right now I am looking forward to starting another position using the same type camera system and will be doing far more outside the US. My personal Leicas are ready for the off time in another country.

 

[Chaser]

I'm a one man photo team at a small paper and have been shooting with a Canon 10d for about 2 years...but next to it in my domke bag is always a rangefinder. There have been some times when it was helpfull, I got some shots with a 35mm nokton and neopan 1600 that didn't translate as well with my digital...

 

[Chaser]

Forgot to add that for the price of a 30d you could get a 20d and a Bessa R and have the best of both worlds...

 

[jwinst]

Forgot to add that for the price of a 30d you could get a 20d and a Bessa R and have the best of both worlds...

true, I wasnt really thinking of the 30d. a 20d would be great, or even a 10d as you said you use. I shot with one(10d) a while back and it was great.

What town paper are you the solo-guy for?

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

From the title of the post ... I thought this was a thread about the 2nd day job one needs for our Leica addiction 😀

 

[Chaser]

I work for the Forest Grove News Times, in Forest Grove, OR. Which reminds me that I have had luck useing some of my film images but the paper I work at is a weekly so deadlines are not as tight as with a daily, and they don't really cover any film related expenses.

 

[Graham Line]

When I was working for small dailies (W.Va., Idaho and Oregon) I used to haul around a Spotmatic and a couple lens, later an M2, but the photo work was only an add-on to my reporting jobs. Now that I'm editing in the evenings for a Major Metropolitan Newspaper, I have days free to shoot and waste time on the web.

 

[Joerg]

Yup.
A few Leica Microscopes.
I wish they were Zeiss ;-)

Ciao

Joerg

 

[physiognomy]

Yup.A few Leica Microscopes.I wish they were Zeiss ;-) Ciao
Joerg

Me too... We use Leica 'scopes (among others inc. Zeiss), but since I'm a grad student I'd call it 'subsistence' rather than making a living... 🙂

Peter

ps All the micro digital imagery we do in our lab is with an Olympus Provis AX70...

 

[phototone]

I shoot products, primarily in my big studio. For this, my clients need the resolution and control of a 4x5 transparency. For small products I shoot digital. I use my Leica and other RFDR cameras for my personal work. I wouldn't hesitate to use a RFDR for a job, if the subject matter lent itself to RFDR type photography.
On some location, factory type photography involving people, which I now shoot with a DSLR, I wouldn't hesitate to use an M8 if I had one, as I already have plenty of lenses in "M" mount, and these lenses are better than the ones I have for my DSLR cameras.

 

[santino]

nobody cares if I use film or digital, they want it just to be fast so I don't use my M6 for such work.

 

[usayit]

Many replies state that their photography job now requires all the advantages of shooting digital. This is the reason why their beloved Leica RF are used for personal enjoyment. With the upcoming M8, I wonder if more will use Leica for professional use.

 

[jwinst]

When I was working for small dailies (W.Va., Idaho and Oregon)Now that I'm editing in the evenings for a Major Metropolitan Newspaper, I have days free to shoot and waste time on the web.

Do you mean shoot stories for the paper, or just yourself?? And what editing do you do? every editor Ive met, student paper or pro, is like ten times busier than I am.

 

[rschneider]

I shoot weddings. I use Canon 5Ds almost exclusively. I use my Leicas primarily for personal work. I had a small job in June where they wanted it shot on B&W film. I used two M6s and a Leica R-E with a 90 Summicron-R. I'm happy to shoot film if the client will pay the premium. Most never even ask.

And no, I won't be using an M8. I like the full frame of the 5D and the high-ISO image quality.

rs

 

[amateriat]

Shooting for others has always been the "sideline" job in my case, even when I made my daily bread in the photo biz. Those who know me and still ask for my work know I shoot film 95% of the time (and 35mm at that), so there's no back-and-forth about technical details other than whether they want color or b/w. The overall quality of the work is what (hopefully) gets them to pick up the phone in the first place, not just how fast I can upload a quick n' dirty JPEG to their server (although, for the record, I can turn around a job PDQ for film work...sometimes surprising the client). 🙂


- Barrett