Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/07/15

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Subject: [Leica] invisibility
From: "Dan Honemann" <ddh@home.com>
Date: Sun, 15 Jul 2001 23:03:25 -0400

There was a stretch of time during my twelve hour shootfest yesterday when I
was in the zone, nailing nearly every decisive moment I stumbled across
effortlessly, spontaneously--that whole zen naked lake-wading business.

What was most astonishing about this was that no one seemed to notice me at
all (or cared).  Ordinarily, I'm opaque, but in these few moments (about 1
roll's worth of shooting) I was utterly transparent.  I could get as close
as the composition demanded without fear or hesitation.

I think Johnny and Stephen must experience this often.  You can see it in
their photos.

Don't get me wrong: this disappearing act doesn't mean dissociation from the
scene.  Just the opposite: it's a kind of seeing that's so intimately
connected to the scene that there is no distance, no separation, and so no
photographer vs. subject.  There is just seeing.

At some point toward the end of that roll (roll 11 of 22, it turns out), I
noticed this taking place and in the noticing--or directly on its
heels--there came a seed of self-consciousness that grew to separation and
opaqueness again.  And then suddenly the 35 felt way too short; even the 50
didn't provide a comfortable enough distance.

Dan