The Young and Old Professionals

[pico]

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Last night I attended a dinner with two professional documentary photographers (55 and 76 years-old), a geologist, and some bright university students interested in photography, but majoring in political science, graphic design and anthropology. The professionals each had pocket digital cameras on them, although in their work one uses only the Linhof Technorama 617 S, and the other uses Hasselblads. I had the M9 under my coat. During the great stories the pros told, I snapped some pictures for the record. During a lull in the conversation (after everyone had put away a couple pints of micro-brewery black beer), one student inquired of the M9. She had the impression that it was an old film camera. I was surprised she knew that much of appearances. The elder and very well-off pro made a small smile and rolled his eyes slightly and answered, "No my dear, that's a camera that hasn't changed appearances much for over fifty years, but it is a new digital version of their film cameras. It is priced on the moon, and I won't say how much." I agreed and explained that it is my retirement gift, then added, "But you know I've been using Leicas since 1965 and I can use all the lenses I have aquired since then on this camera." The old pro dropped his head into his hands and said, "I should have known. To learn this late..." The younger pro admitted he had no idea, either. The students, on the other hand, thought it was a natural and wise, strategic design (one added that she has the same with her father's Nikon lenses and her digital Nikon).

 

The point to be made is that the professionals have been thoroughly engaged in their work, not hardware, for decades and the students were born in the deluge of digital innovation. The later change devices like we change underwear, but a message went out that depending upon your work, one camera can be adequate as evinced by the success of the attending professionals.

 

* Aside - the old pro said he was looking forward to getting a FinePix X100 just for the finder and fixed lens. I gave him the bad news regarding the tragedy in Japan and the halt of production for an undetermined time. The old guy has heard worse news in his life and just said, "I am deeply concerned for the victims."

[sblitz]

thank you for the story -- one question was the young pro the 55yr old?

[wda]

Thanks Pico. An interesting but not too surprising story. It is good that a student recognized the classic Leica shape, if not its technology standard. Hope you enjoyed your dinner!

[pico]

thank you for the story -- one question was the young pro the 55yr old?

 

Yes, he was the youngest pro.

[sblitz]

nice to still think of 55 as young

[menos I M6]

Pico, thanks for sharing this story.

 

Recently, I saw a gallery opening by accident and had a short conversation with a known Japanese photographer.

He actually had his worn M4 with 35 f3.5 around his neck, that accompanied him the last 30 years or so.

At no time had I the impression, that it was at all about the cameras and lenses - it is absolutely just about the pictures.

 

His words "Photography is my life!"

 

His words quite left an impression with me.

[Manolo Laguillo]

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When technology evolved at a slow pace in pre-digital eras, a professional photographer started his/her career with the equipment that was then on the top.

40 years later that very same pro ended his/her career with an 'out of fashion' (let me express it in this way) equipment, one that step by step began entering the sidetrack perhaps 10-15 years before the retirement happened.

This has to be understood in regard of both the hardware AND the photographer's 'mental software'.

I am now 57, and so I was lucky enough to catch the ecclossion of digital photography, 15 years ago, when still young. No big trauma for me, therefore.

Older colleagues, now approaching their 70th birthday, were not that ready, and still worked in their last years before retirement with film.

And yes, a professional is mostly involved with making photos, or better, with trying to keep his/her business alive and on the road, something that recently is becoming very very difficult.

[pico]

I should have mentioned the late Mr. Durffy, a local photographer all his life, who finally retired at 93 years-old. He shot nothing but portraits and team pictures, and used an old Century studio camera on a stand with a wheel for elevation. Durffy shot strictly 8x10 and 4x5 film, and did his own darkroom work. I do not recall what lenses he used. When he had to travel to do a team photo, he brought the studio camera and stand with him. I got his retouching machine, a case of Mazda flash bulbs, and a contact printer (I already had the same stand and camera). When he died at 96 he left thousands of negatives of local people going back seventy years and the family could not even give them away. An archivist finally bought the lot for a pittance, and his son kept the camera for decoration.