I Mean...What's The Point?

Seriously?

 What's the point of taking a picture of these two EIZO screens on the rack at the back of the shop?

They just sit there day after day. They both look the same. They never change. All you see is the same colours on each one of them and they just keep coming up the same every time...the images cycle through and they look just alike. Day after day after day. I mean, what IS the point?

That's the point.

 Explore Eizo range and their Cashback selections at cameraelectronic

A Tale Of Two Cities - And You're In One Of Them

This will be a far, far better thing than you have ever done before. And when you are done you can go to a far, far sweeter rest than you have ever known...

Actually, you are going to have a Dickens of a good time with one of the best Leica Photographers there is  - Thorsten Overgaard. Thorsten has selected Perth as one of only two Australian cities* for his next tour and seminar involving Leica photography.

Thorsten does this a lot and does it very well - he will be taking this tour of instruction to many countries in the world and to many large cities. Perth - and Camera Electronic - is darned lucky to have him here.

The day to set in your mind for Perth is Thursday the 10th of December 2015... but bear in mind this is not just a few hours - this is a four-day event. It'll be involving you totally until Sunday the 13th of December. And the involvement will make you a better and more visually aware photographer.

The first evening concentrates on Leica gear - and you'll be asked to bring your own cameras and lenses so that you and Thorsten can figure out which combination of equipment will give you the best chance of success.

 The second day is action - a photo walkabout with interactive help and advice about the coverage you are getting. We note that Thorsten's webpage with the details advises a good pair of comfortable shoes, so the walking may indeed be about...

Day three brings the images shot into the computer and details workflow and editing. You'll need to make sure your computer will work with Aperture or Lightroom to get full benefit.

And day four fills in the holes - gaps in your knowledge and vision that have become evident - and chance to know better and to make it better - and then have a final analysis of your results.

This level of commitment to you and dedication to your learning - remember the seminar is limited to 8-10 people so you very definitely are getting personal instruction - doesn't come cheap. No true learning does. The whole affair costs $ 2500 but if you go to Thorsten's website and make an Earlybird booking it comes down to $ 2000. In Leica terms that is not a surprise...

Here's the link

We're not suggesting that you should lose your head over this, but really these sort of things are quite revolutionary...

* Sydney is the other place - you'll like Perth better...

Caught In The Web - Who Owns What?

I knew a man once in a gun club who drove an old, expensive motor car. As he derived his income largely from diving into the public charity purse, I was amazed that he would sacrifice so much of this for that old car. His excuse was that the car "owed" him too much money to abandon. In the time that I was acquainted the overage and overstressed nature of the car increased this debt to him alarmingly.

He did not own the car. It owned him. He had mentally lashed his wrists to the steering wheel and no matter how many people told him it was foolish, he did not see this.

Go look into your studio, or your camera bag. Is there something there that " owes " you money? Are you keeping it until it apologises to you and pays up? Put your ear down close to the piece of old equipment and demand your money. What do you hear?

If something is occupying space that could better be used for some other purpose - if something demands constant attention and maintenance but is never returning the price of the maintenance - if something is long passé and you truly are never going to make use of it again...then retention of it is not just pointless, but actually harmful.

Consider my own case - because I am just as great a fool as my erstwhile companion at the gun club. I have a full-house Hasselblad 500-series outfit - two bodies, four lenses, bellows, prisms, accessories and flashes - that used to be the mainstay of my wedding shoots. Times has changed - I shoot Nikon digital now and do more for less expense and in a great deal more comfort. But I still retain the Hasselblad outfit against the day when digital backs for it will come down to $ 45.83 in price. Not that I need it even then, but it " owes" me soooo much. I seem to have got older without getting smarter...

The Linhof monorail system I own is another case in point, though I do think there are a few uses yet for it in my studio. I try the historic photo bit every now and then, and monochrome sheet film is easy to develop. I also suspect that the tilt/shift capability of the system is still a good idea for tabletops.

So what is lurking in your outfit that you should abandon? Sell it, if you can - there are markets and ebay and Gumtree and such if we cannot help you. Be prepared to put something up on a shelf and admit to yourself that it is just a keepsake, but for heaven's sake don't put the entire 1967 Flapoflex system with bellows, stereo slide. and duplicating stand in your camera room where a useful hard drive or scanner could be. Worship not the god of old aluminium and fogged glass.

Uncle Dick