Rome, October 2010

Hunter and Hunted

He peruses the horizon, scanning constantly, searching for quarry.  Moving quietly, merging into the background, unnoticed, silent and without undue gestures, the only clue to his intent in his eyes; roving constantly, easily, over the ground ahead, darting amongst the light and shade, seeking shadows where potential prey lies waiting to be discovered. 

Suddenly he stops – quickly, smoothly, noiselessly.  Never shifting his gaze from the subject of his attention, he changes position slowly, gently, composing simultaneously both his inner self and his vision of the end that must result. 

He waits – to strike before the moment is right would waste energy and time  – shape, form, darkness, light will all play a part in the final decision.  He focuses wholly, completely, on the scene before him. Quickening now, and yet with no hint of panic, he raises his hands to his dominant eye in a deft movement which appears casual to an unknowing onlooker – belying the thousands of repetitions needed to develop this skill.  He knows it will be soon now and, in a few short seconds, the subject moves. Position, illumination, expression, gesticulation all come together – a controlled squeeze of his index finger and his task is complete. 
He has one picture of a Japanese photographer in Rome. 

Photography is a curious hobby. Amateur photographers are driven by the firm belief that more / better (i.e.  latest / most expensive) equipment will improve their output and the final image. The manufacturers of photographic equipment utilise this belief in the marketing and exploit it whenever and wherever they can.

Thus we see new camera models being replaced by even newer ones after just a few months. Obsolescence is now an expectation rather than something to avoid. Model numbers displayed prominently on the camera front and the strap supplied mark a photographer as a user of an out-of-date model (and therefore inferior to those with the latest…).

At least two camera bodies are a must for any amateur photographer – maintained in an ever-ready position at the side, or attached, with suitably stout strapping, to the wrist.  At least five frames per second capability is needed – any less may mean that a shot of a passing building would be missed. Zoom lenses are another necessity and must cover a range that would take in half the city on one frame to a close-up of a bluebottle sitting on the hands of the town clock on the next without moving from the same spot. Ideally, all equipment will include the word “professional” in its title and be marked prominently as such. The thought of anyone being able to produce anything resembling an acceptable photograph with less is laughable.

With a kit costing thousands, a purpose-built photographic equipment rucksack, back-up software, portable hard-drives, several lenses, a minimum of two camera bodies and a multitude of memory cards, the position of the sun is of little consequence.  “Obstacles” to the perfect picture, e.g. pylons, people, paper, clouds, colours, cables, skies, signs, sun can all be altered, removed, sharpened, softened and generally changed to remove all resemblance to the scene as it was photographed – at the touch of a few keys and the dragging of a scroll bar or two in the ubiquitous Photoshop. No reason exists that would let facts get in the way of a “good image” …

Other notes for interested viewers :

Camera : Leica M4*.    

Lens : Leica 90mm f4 Elmar C**  

Film : Ilford HP5+ @ ISO 400         Developer : Ilford ID-11.

Photographer : Eddie Butt***

*Made in 1969 :  no beeps, no bells, no whistles, no auto-focus, no auto-exposure, no light meter, no batteries, no charger, no LEDs, no LCD screen, no auto-wind, no shot preview, no shot post-view, no auto-bracketing, no histograms, no focus-check…. It will, very likely, last longer than me.

**made in 1960’s

***made in 1953

Eddie