duckrider Posted January 7, 2017 Share #21 Posted January 7, 2017 (edited) Advertisement (gone after registration) ...I'm realising is quite hard to find out exactly which Leica model was used for certain photos... of course You know this bon mot: Henri Cartier-Bresson, the big master of French photography, who died in August 2004 aged 96, worked in Spain in his early years. When he returned back to Paris, he showed the results of his work to his friends, including the writer Gertrude Stein. She admired his photos, made many compliments and then asked which camera he had used. His answer:"By the way my dear, I have read your new wonderful book. I have enjoyed it very much. But now please tell me, which typewriter did you use to write it?" Thomas Edited January 7, 2017 by duckrider 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 7, 2017 Posted January 7, 2017 Hi duckrider, Take a look here Iconic photographs shot with Leica. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
gyoung Posted January 7, 2017 Share #22 Posted January 7, 2017 Lots of jokes on that theme, She: Those are good photos you took, you must have a wonderful camera. He: This is a wonderful meal we are eating, you must have a good cooker. Etc etc The old ones are the best Gerry Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnyboy Posted January 7, 2017 Author Share #23 Posted January 7, 2017 The idea behind this topic was to realise a video animation of the evolution of Leica and to add a bit of 'quirkiness' i thought it'd be nice to showcase a bit of insight behind those cameras (rather than just boring technical information)... 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted January 8, 2017 Share #24 Posted January 8, 2017 I'm realising is quite hard to find out exactly which Leica model was used for certain photos... I start think it may not be possible to do it for each model David Harvey said he went to Chile with only a Leica M6 (https://youtu.be/_gorOerYQpI?t=3m12s) but then would this be 100% accurate to say he shot the social revolution with it?! Of course, it shouldn't matter at all what camera was used to take a photograph (and it doesn't on any important level) but, being a camera geek at heart, I find it quite interesting. The problem in trying to establish a set of iconic "Leica" photos isn't just knowing what camera was used to take a particular photo but also deciding whether a photo really qualifies as "iconic". The latter might even be the harder part. You mention David Alan Harvey. He is clearly an influential and successful photographer by any measure but I'm not sure any of his photographs qualify as iconic. Similarly, amongst those I've mentioned in previous posts, I think only the Eddie Adams 'execution' and Marc Riboud 'Flowers' photograph are truly iconic. Possibly the Marshall 'Bob Dylan' too but not the famous Burrows or Salgado photographs. Other very well known but not iconic photographs might include Tom Stoddart's 'tearful Sarajevo woman' (taken using an M6 I believe), Josef Koudelka's 'outstretched arm with watch' (I'm pretty sure he used a Leica extensively at this stage of his career) or any of the best known of Trent Parke's 'Dream/life' series. You might find it helps to look through Leica literature of the past – brochures from the 1990s and 2000s in particular – which often feature examples of well known historic photos taken using Leica cameras, usually captioned with information about the exact model and lens. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnyboy Posted January 8, 2017 Author Share #25 Posted January 8, 2017 Of course, it shouldn't matter at all what camera was used to take a photograph (and it doesn't on any important level) but, being a camera geek at heart, I find it quite interesting. The problem in trying to establish a set of iconic "Leica" photos isn't just knowing what camera was used to take a particular photo but also deciding whether a photo really qualifies as "iconic". The latter might even be the harder part. You mention David Alan Harvey. He is clearly an influential and successful photographer by any measure but I'm not sure any of his photographs qualify as iconic. Similarly, amongst those I've mentioned in previous posts, I think only the Eddie Adams 'execution' and Marc Riboud 'Flowers' photograph are truly iconic. Possibly the Marshall 'Bob Dylan' too but not the famous Burrows or Salgado photographs. Other very well known but not iconic photographs might include Tom Stoddart's 'tearful Sarajevo woman' (taken using an M6 I believe), Josef Koudelka's 'outstretched arm with watch' (I'm pretty sure he used a Leica extensively at this stage of his career) or any of the best known of Trent Parke's 'Dream/life' series. You might find it helps to look through Leica literature of the past – brochures from the 1990s and 2000s in particular – which often feature examples of well known historic photos taken using Leica cameras, usually captioned with information about the exact model and lens. yes totally agree with you! This is quite an helpful page https://uk.leica-camera.com/World-of-Leica/100-Years-of-Leica-Photography/Leica-100-years/Iconic-photos even though are not mentioned which model shot what. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted January 9, 2017 Share #26 Posted January 9, 2017 Some more Leica & Magnum photography here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoRmpQcb2Bo But it misrepresents Capa... 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
willeica Posted January 9, 2017 Share #27 Posted January 9, 2017 (edited) Advertisement (gone after registration) With film, the camera type/version was not a huge differentiator apart, perhaps, from the lens. The big difference with the Leica was the small size, ease of use and, eventually, the system. The different types of Leica camera are not so much an impact on iconic photography as are the factors already mentioned. What made the Leica itself iconic was the fact that it enabled hundreds of thousands and, eventually, millions of users to produce high quality photos on 35mm film. The photographers who produced iconic photographs with Leica cameras produced such photographs more because of their personal talent rather than any particular quality in the camera they were using. The factors of small size and ease of use did, however, have an impact particularly as regards portability and 'always there'. Having said that, I like the idea that Jonnyboy has of making an animation about Leica use. I suggest that he might include some ordinary users as well. In addition he might include some 'iconic users' such as my fellow countryman George Bernard Shaw. See http://leicagraph.tumblr.com/post/109537022747/leicanews-george-bernard-shaw-with-leica-via . Shaw was, of course, already a good photographer (among his many other talents) and he also used other photographic formats. Another 'iconic user' was Miles Davis, see http://www.apug.org/forum/index.php?attachments/milesdavis-jpg.99195/ , who although he produced fine art with a trumpet and paint brushes, always kept his M3 on the same settings as put in by the camera store guy when he got the camera. Some Miles Davis music might work for the sound-track, copyright permitting. Just some thoughts for the animation. William Edited January 9, 2017 by willeica 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelwj Posted January 10, 2017 Share #28 Posted January 10, 2017 (edited) Of course, it shouldn't matter at all what camera was used to take a photograph (and it doesn't on any important level) but, being a camera geek at heart, I find it quite interesting. The problem in trying to establish a set of iconic "Leica" photos isn't just knowing what camera was used to take a particular photo but also deciding whether a photo really qualifies as "iconic". The latter might even be the harder part. You mention David Alan Harvey. He is clearly an influential and successful photographer by any measure but I'm not sure any of his photographs qualify as iconic. Similarly, amongst those I've mentioned in previous posts, I think only the Eddie Adams 'execution' and Marc Riboud 'Flowers' photograph are truly iconic. Possibly the Marshall 'Bob Dylan' too but not the famous Burrows or Salgado photographs. Other very well known but not iconic photographs might include Tom Stoddart's 'tearful Sarajevo woman' (taken using an M6 I believe), Josef Koudelka's 'outstretched arm with watch' (I'm pretty sure he used a Leica extensively at this stage of his career) or any of the best known of Trent Parke's 'Dream/life' series. You might find it helps to look through Leica literature of the past – brochures from the 1990s and 2000s in particular – which often feature examples of well known historic photos taken using Leica cameras, usually captioned with information about the exact model and lens. I believe Koudelka's used Exakta cameras at the time. Indeed, his August 1968 image "Prague Invasion" was taken with an Exakta. A quote from Magnum Contact Sheets (p. 184) "I got up, took my two Exakta cameras, one with a 25mm lens and the other with a 35mm...". I would assume that the his outstretched arm with watch photo, also dated August 1968 was taken with an Exakta. But, he also says he assembled the contact sheets a year later, so a single roll might have been taken on anything! Also, Trent Parke also uses Leica's extensively, but he also uses a bunch of other cameras (for example @ 1:49). I've seen him in videos using a Mamiya 6 (or 7?) and I have a print of his that was taken with a 300mm lens (pretty un-Leica). There are also several shots of his underwater around the same time. I doubt he has an underwater housing for his Leica, but he could. This is where it gets so difficult. We are swayed by both marketing, the passing of time, and our own perceptions. Koudelka is a great example. We all know he used Leica cameras now, indeed that make him special cameras. Leica market him as a Leica user, and it clouds history, eventually we believe he has always used Leica cameras. The opposite is true of Capa (as Jaap mentions). He is often referred to as a Leica shooter, but he only used one during the Spanish Civil War, and had switched to Contax and Rolleiflex by WW2. His D-Day photos shot with a Contax and his Leipzig photos on a Rolleiflex. Also, many carried more than one camera. Paul Fusco carried two M's and a Nikon SLR for example: "I usually worked with three cameras, two Leica M rangefinder cameras and one Nikon single-lens-reflex camera." (Magnum Contact Sheets p179). Actually, something quite clear when you see the contact sheets, no one writes the camera they used on them, so it will always be a guess. The film is obvious, the focal length can be inferred, but the brand and model of the lens and camera? No idea. Jim Marshall. The great Leica shooter, famously shot with a BP M4 and a summilux pre-asph. But, in his book "Proof" there are plenty of 6x6 shots, often cropped for the magazine. He mentions that some of the 6x6 shots were with a Hasselblad, others with a Rolleiflex, others borrowed from studio owners. There is also a great "What's in you Bag" shot in the inside front cover. There are 4 BP M4s, but also an R4s and also another R body tucked in the bag. To further muddy the waters, his shot Bob Dylan, Joan Baez (1964) the caption in "Proof" reads "In the hero shot, Baez is wearing Marshall's hat and his extra camera is lying on the table." It is clearly a Nikon. So History is pretty complicated, and unfortunately get rewritten over and over by the victors. I suppose it's not like how history happened at school, but it is far more interesting. I will add: Thomas Hoepker "Muhammad Ali" 1966 "Then he jumped towards me an my Leica. I got just one shot at the scene." The date puts it at an M3, MP, or M2, assuming it was an M... And also assuming it is Iconic? Again, good luck! Edited January 10, 2017 by michaelwj 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie Posted January 12, 2017 Share #29 Posted January 12, 2017 Emile Hoppe took many portraits using an early Leica - including official photos of King George V and Queen Mary. In his autobiography he mentions how surprised the establishment was at 'the small size of his equipment'! Susie 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckrider Posted January 13, 2017 Share #30 Posted January 13, 2017 (edited) additional link: http://www.westlicht-auction.com/fileadmin/kataloge/leica100.pdf nice weekend Thomas Edited January 13, 2017 by duckrider 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert M Poole Posted January 13, 2017 Share #31 Posted January 13, 2017 The idea behind this topic was to realise a video animation of the evolution of Leica and to add a bit of 'quirkiness' i thought it'd be nice to showcase a bit of insight behind those cameras (rather than just boring technical information)... This sounds like a really interesting idea. I'd love to see it when it is finished. It's a difficult task! Are you extending it to digial cameras too? Are there any 'iconic pictures' with an M9? Rob 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted January 13, 2017 Share #32 Posted January 13, 2017 (edited) Are there any 'iconic pictures' with an M9? I doubt it. Have there been any iconic photographs taken with any camera in the last 10 years? (The last 'iconic' photo I can think of is the 2003 Abu Ghraib photo of a hooded prisoner standing on a box.) Edited January 13, 2017 by wattsy 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert M Poole Posted January 13, 2017 Share #33 Posted January 13, 2017 I doubt it. Have there been any iconic photographs taken with any camera in the last 10 years? (The last 'iconic' photo I can think of is the 2003 Abu Ghraib photo of a hooded prisoner standing on a box.) I'm sure there have been but the filter of time needs to sift them out yet. The photo that first sprang to mind when you asked that was of the gunman who shot the Russian Ambassador to Turkey. From a quick Google search, the photo of Leshia Evans walking calmly up to riot police in Baton Rouge is anothher contender. If we extend it back to the start of the 21st century there are a few I can think of. The falling man from the Twin Tower attacks of 9/11. The picture of Bush being told of the attacks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted January 13, 2017 Share #34 Posted January 13, 2017 I'm sure there have been but the filter of time needs to sift them out yet. The photo that first sprang to mind when you asked that was of the gunman who shot the Russian Ambassador to Turkey. From a quick Google search, the photo of Leshia Evans walking calmly up to riot police in Baton Rouge is anothher contender. If we extend it back to the start of the 21st century there are a few I can think of. The falling man from the Twin Tower attacks of 9/11. The picture of Bush being told of the attacks. I don't think the Bush or Russian Ambassador photos (is there even a single defining image for either event?) will ever be iconic, 'falling man' and Baton Rouge are stronger contenders. Personally I think an iconic photo (which as you say needs the filter of time to help) has to be more abstract, transcending specific events and saying something about society and the era in which it was taken. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert M Poole Posted January 13, 2017 Share #35 Posted January 13, 2017 I don't think the Bush or Russian Ambassador photos (is there even a single defining image for either event?) will ever be iconic, 'falling man' and Baton Rouge are stronger contenders. Personally I think an iconic photo (which as you say needs the filter of time to help) has to be more abstract, transcending specific events and saying something about society and the era in which it was taken. This is the Russian ambassador photo https://static01.nyt.com/images/2016/12/20/world/20TURKEY-WEB5/20TURKEY-WEB5-master1050.jpg and the Bush one http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/media/images/55189000/jpg/_55189335_002343842-1.jpg Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
harryzet Posted January 13, 2017 Share #36 Posted January 13, 2017 james nachtwey used canon eos-cameras in 1994 Anthony Suau, World Press Photo winner 2008 (M6) https://llwproductions.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/world-press-photo-winner-2008-detective-robert-kole-of-the-cuyahoga-county-sheriffs-office-mortgage-foreclosure-and-eviction.jpg Probably quite a few of the WPP winners from the 1950-ies and 60-ies, maybe James Nachtwey (just a guess) in 1994... https://llwproductions.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/world-press-photo-winner-1994-face-mutilated-by-the-hutu-interahamwe-militia.jpg 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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