New Year Thanks to the Photo Forum

[thompsonkirk]

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Thank you all for letting me see & learn from a solid year of your work!

 

Near the end of 2007 I reconverted to the Leica faith. I’d used M2-3-4-6 from 1972 to the beginning of the digital century, but in 2000 I defected to DSLRs for 7 years to enjoy the new medium. I’d just retired, & over those several years I had time to work my way toward some shows here in the SF area & in the NW of the USA (where I lived before I retired). I was doing OK. But I found that bulky DSLRs & their too-convenient zoom lenses trapped me into a too-static ‘un-Leica’ style of photography. (You can see this on my website,) red-green-blue Home

 

Then in the Fall of 2007 a Leica priestess who occasionally posts here let me look through her M8 & hold it in my hands, & I knew it was my camera. In addition to the ‘natural’ handling of the M8, it was a pleasure to return to the visualizing mode of prime lenses. I’d developed some really bad ‘zoom habits,’ always picking a lazy point-of-view & reframing the image to fit it. I needed a re-education in how to see through a Leica viewfinder.

 

So I decided to look at EVERY image posted here on the LUF for a year, commenting on those I could say something about & appreciating many, many others. It’s been a wonderful re-education, & I owe thanks to so many of you that I won’t even begin to name anyone. But if you’ve shown me your work or commented on mine, you’ve been one of my teachers. And if not ‘better,’ at least my work has become more varied with your help.

 

I recently arrived at 1000 posts. Not an excessive number for a member since 1993, but they’re nearly all from one year! I’m sorry if I’ve become a busybody, but it all came from genuine enthusiasm for what I’ve seen & learned here.

 

With thanks & a happy & appreciative New Year to all of you,

 

‘thompsonkirk’ / Kirk Thompson

[andit]

Hi Kirk,

 

I would also just like to add my thanks to all the members here on the forum. When Leica launched the M8, must about 2 years ago now, I switched from SLR to Rangefinder. I had always wanted to use an RF and was tempted a couple of years ago to go the Contax G2 route, but never got there. Using an M6 was always the dream.

 

I must admit, I was extremely disappointed with the first images that I took - they were absolutely awful. I could have taken better images with a disposable. It was then then that I also started reading all the posts and started learning to use the M8. While I still get a couple of "miss" shots, my percentage of keepers has become excellent again.

 

A great deal of thanks does go to the members of this forum though. The amount of stuff that I have learnt here, can not be gotten in any books or classes. It is the daily experience, that the forum members are so happy to share that makes the difference. So, from my side I would also just like to say thank you all.

 

Thank you to Kirk as well for his comments and for starting this thread.

 

Andreas

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[stuny]

Thank you, Kirk, and the Forum is richer for your participation.