Leica for commercial work

[Al Kaplan]

Thanks for the reminder, Tom! I shot plenty of stuff with Leicas while leaning out of a helicopter with the door removed. Progress shots of a new housing develpment, a golf course being created, a landfill, highrises under contruction, and a powerboat race. The pilot would bank the chopper and fly tight circles and the floor was like more to my left than below me , the ground was to my right, and there was nothing but air and a seat belt between me and the ground. I shot some B&W but it was probably 90% E-6 Ektachrome. Shooting for publication thirty odd years ago meant chromes. The M bodies were ideal. I liked the direct view and there was no need to focus. It was all infinity. There used to be a little heliport about a mile from my house.

I had another client that published five different trade journals and they wanted "quick & dirty" B&W shots of new products that would mostly get run one column by maybe two inches. Some days it'd be one shot each of a couple dozen golf clubs, another day it would be cook pots or whatever. Shooting bigger than 35mm made no sense. I used to shoot with flash out of umbrellas on Eastman XT Pan. I miss that film! Studio Film Exchange used to charge 2 cents a foot for short ends.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Clients might not listen but at least we gave it a shot.

No change there then!

Your point about the right camera for the right job is every bit as important as your earlier point about cost. Indeed, if you were charging Polas, film, couriers, lab rush fees, etc., nowadays for everyday jobs you'd soon go under. I'm told, though, that surprisingly many people still do shoot film, and sell it as a premium product.

Like Tom, I'm glad I'm out of it. I've not done anything except editorial (where you can use any damn' thing) for a good few years. Remember food photography on 8x10? AAARGH! But the last cookbook I shot, they were unhappy I used 6x7cm instead of 4x5 inch until I pointed out that the biggest whole-page pics were less than 3x magnification. Three-up off Linhof 56x72 mm, incidentally, is whole-plate (168 x 216mm, 6.5 x 8.5 inches), and I defy anyone to tell the difference, in repro, with modern lenses and film and a decent scan.

Tashi delek,

Roger

 

[Rui Morais de Sousa]

May I suggest that you all take a look at the work of Frank Petronio?

His large format BW photographs are a good lesson for all of us: vibrant and alive! (I guess that most of us can't even achieve that in 35mm...).

If all the fashion photography we see in print today would have such an impact, I would start buying fashion magazines again!

Thanks for sharing Frank, and I hope you don't mind this small side note to the discussion. I just couldn't resist...

Greetings,

Rui