Bresson's gear

[Eclectic Man]

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There is a story that Robert Doisneau was visiting the Magnum offices and struggling with his camera bag up the stairs.  Behind him someone said "let me help you with that" - It was H C-B.

Edited December 5, 2023 by Eclectic Man

[kivis]

On 12/4/2023 at 3:48 PM, jaapv said:

A lot of stuff about HCB is apocryphal;  here is the nonsense Ken Rockwell wrote, for instance.

Wow, where did he come with this?

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[IkarusJohn]

3 hours ago, kivis said:

Wow, where did he come with this?

Pure imagination

[willeica]

The most cringe making question at any camera club is when someone asks a visiting photographer " What lens did you use to take that photo?". In my experience, great photographers do not talk about their gear, they talk about their images, how they made them and what drove them to capture them. The cameras and lenses they used are but tools and the results we see are from their ability and imagination. I have never heard a writer being asked " What pen/typewriter/PC did you use to write this novel?". 

I know that HCB used Leicas and his first one was a I Model A, but my interest ends there. What is more interesting is watching how he took photographs:

There is a longer version here:

William 

[nitroplait]

Rockwell’s HCB piece is satire. Is it really so difficult to spot?
If so, one probably shouldn't bother with his web site, as this is not the only such article.

 

[pippy]

12 minutes ago, nitroplait said:

Rockwell’s HCB piece is satire. Is it really so difficult to spot?...

Of course it is satire. In his Leica reviews Mr. Rockwell spends half of his time writing silly things for his own amusement and, perhaps, that of others.

Philip.

[jaapv]

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With Ken? I think that it is seriously meant. He writes for clicks...

[pippy]

22 minutes ago, jaapv said:

With Ken? I think that it is seriously meant.

Nah! He's Silly; not Stupid.

Personally I have usually found his lens reviews and comparisons to be very helpful. I haven't always agreed with all of his conclusions - one has to learn to read between the lines sometimes - but in the main they have a lot of useful information buried amongst all the giggling; the mirth being primarily aimed towards 'The Leicaman'......😸......

Philip.

Edited December 6, 2023 by pippy

[Pyrogallol]

7 hours ago, willeica said:

The most cringe making question at any camera club is when someone asks a visiting photographer " What lens did you use to take that photo?". In my experience, great photographers do not talk about their gear, they talk about their images, how they made them and what drove them to capture them. The cameras and lenses they used are but tools and the results we see are from their ability and imagination. I have never heard a writer being asked " What pen/typewriter/PC did you use to write this novel?". 

I know that HCB used Leicas and his first one was a I Model A, but my interest ends there. What is more interesting is watching how he took photographs:

There is a longer version here:

William 

If we stopped asking which lens was used a lot of discussion on this forum would dry up.

[IkarusJohn]

5 minutes ago, Pyrogallol said:

If we stopped asking which lens was used a lot of discussion on this forum would dry up.

And yet, there is so much to learn from watching him move quietly and discretely through a crowd, quickly taking photos and moving on.  That has nothing to do with his equipment.  Technically, he seems to annticipate, pre-visualise, his exposure is preset for the conditions, he has more than adequate depth of field and just needs to focus approximately, frame and shoot.

In the end, his skill is not his gear or his technical ability, but in anticipation, framing and speed.

[kivis]

 

[willeica]

17 hours ago, Pyrogallol said:

If we stopped asking which lens was used a lot of discussion on this forum would dry up.

Agreed. But, the point about this not being relevant to the quality of his photography needs to be made. Some years ago an auction house sold a camera/lens/viewfinder combination which Alfred Eisenstaedt had used together with a copy of the famous Sailor and a Nurse on VJ Day image. I have the identical camera/lens/ viewfinder set in my collection. The lot sold for about €100,000, whereas I paid a few hundred Euros for my identical set. Both could take the same pictures, but the huge price at auction had everything to do with provenance. However, Eisenstaedt could do things with the identical kit which I could not do. It is, therefore, down to the photographer and not the kit which he/she used. When I see an image created by HCB it never occurs to me to ask what lens he might have used. I judge it entirely as a photographic image. On the other hand, I have a large collection of vintage Leica cameras and lenses which I have collected because I find them interesting and I occasionally use some of them. However, I don't feel that owning or using them makes me a better photographer.

William 

[RayD28]

I don't care so much about what his cameras and lenses were.  I want to know where he got his suits tailored.  😀

[willeica]

9 hours ago, RayD28 said:

I don't care so much about what his cameras and lenses were.  I want to know where he got his suits tailored.  😀

When he started out he was made to wear dresses. His family were in the textile business, but he wanted to be an artist, much to the disgust of his parents. There is a nice photo of him here, as a boy, holding a box camera, so this should go into the HCB 'gear box'.

https://www.lecouperet.net/hcb/en/early-life

Judging by this photo, he was a dapper dresser as a boy. 

William 

[matfer]

Anybody already asked what watches at what age?

HCB had a good taste in watches and some are visible on photos.

Edited December 8, 2023 by matfer

[madNbad]

In “Portraits” by Michael Kimmelman he starts the beginning of his interview with HCB asking where to meet for lunch. As he describes it, the man known for the “deceive moment” can’t make a decision. It’s great book with some really interesting interviews with a number of artists.

[jakontil]

Would HCB have been the top poster in the leica forum photo section?

[a.noctilux]

On 12/8/2023 at 1:35 PM, jakontil said:

Would HCB have been the top poster in the leica forum photo section?

I don't think so.

HE would paint when he happend to have free time.

After all, he took photos, then rely on other persons to do other jobs.

[Anbaric]

On 12/8/2023 at 12:35 PM, jakontil said:

Would HCB have been the top poster in the leica forum photo section?

He would have been all over the bag threads.

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[pgk]

On 12/7/2023 at 10:50 AM, willeica said:

.....  the huge price at auction had everything to do with provenance.

 

20 minutes ago, Anbaric said:

He would have been all over the bag threads.

So which bags did HCB use and has anyone seen any go at auction for fabulous sums? I see the makings of a long and fascinating thread here😄.

[I suspect that in my case provenance might well devalue the gear I use ......].