Good morning everyone,

Let me start by telling you my "leica trip" in Paris last December. I was visiting my wife, and we decided to visit HCB at his house in Paris. We didn't have his address to do so at that time. In the meantime, we visited a Leica shop (Boulevard Beaumarchais)and oh surprise:the ownner of the store was exhibiting a check that was signed by HCB (he used to be a client there), and the address was not hidden! So here we are in Paris, very few miles from my dream!! The next day or so, we located his house, met a neihbour that told us that HCB would be very happy to meet young people, so I was quite happy (my wife would say that I was like a child). Unfortunately, no answer at the door and someone passing by said that he went to visit his family for christmas. I am not sure what I would have said to him but I can only imagine now!

About another subject, I hear a lot of people commenting about the slow sync for M6 ttl. Would it be possible to use a density filter to reduce the ligth? Would it help? I have many many more questions but I will stop for now.

Thanks,

Arie

-- Arie (nhaziza@northrock.bm), February 05, 2002

Answers

Imagine you're 90-odd years old, trying to enjoy your retirement, but because a store that you used to shop at took the liberty of posting your personal check on the wall for all to see, people come and bang on your door unannounced.

I understand your enthusiasm but please put yourself into someone else's shoes before doing something like this. MAYBE the store has HCB's permission to post a personal check (would YOU give permission for a copy of your personal check to be posted in public?) and MAYBE the neighbor is right and HCB might be spending his remaining years twiddling his thumbs behind his door waiting excitedly for strangers to show up. But if you respect him at all, err on the side of prudence and leave him be. If you must visit, at least indirectly secure explicit permission and an appointment from him (through the neighbor, perhaps?) before intruding on his privacy.

-- Anon Terry (anonht@yahoo.com), February 05, 2002.

I agree really. I might possible walk past his building and see if I could catch sight of him, but knocking on his door and seeing if he is there strikes me as perhaps a little insensitive. I know if I was him I would be somewhat dismayed.

-- Robin Smith (smith_robin@hotmail.com), February 05, 2002.

Very good answer, I admit it. I was not planning to give the address to anybody of course.

-- Arie (nhaziza@northrock.bm), February 05, 2002.

To make my answer above complete, let me add that few years ago, a man knocked at his door, telling him that he was interested to learn about him. From those meetings, we got the best, and I really mean the best thesis about HCB ("l'art sans art" written by Jean-Pierre Montier). Also, in Paris it happens very often that students visit the masters (I could say that it is in the french art culture). Of course, I also agree with your comments,

Thanks,

Arie

-- Arie (nhaziza@northrock.bm), February 05, 2002.

If you were an Old Master, wouldn't a young HCB knock on your door? No photographer ever achieved anything remarkable by being shy. HCB can take care of himself. If he doesn't want to talk, he'll shoo you away.

-- Preston Merchant (merchant@speakeasy.org), February 05, 2002.

"No photographer ever achieved anything remarkable by being shy."

It has nothing to do with being shy and everything to do with common courtesy. I'd imagine most people don't like to have complete strangers show up unannounced. Getting "shooed away" means you've already invaded someone's privacy without permission. If HCB would like to sit down with you and talk things Leica and photography, you could gain a lot from him. I doubt you'd have much to teach him. So why not seek audience with him using a bit of respect rather than risk pissing him off before he even knows who you are?

-- Anon Terry (anonht@yahoo.com), February 06, 2002.

I dunno .. I have occasionally been in the neighborhood of one of the "stars" in my world of literature and photography, dropped by and knocked on the door. Most of the time, the person I stopped to see was flattered by the notion that someone would want to meet them and was happy to spend a few moments in conversation. On a few occasions, it was obvious that it was a bad moment, they didn't have the time or were indisposed to the interruption, at which point you excuse yourself and leave them be.

Since I converse with a large number of folks around the world through the internet, it is often my pleasure to entertain a drop-in guest who happens to be in the neighborhood too. I never thought it was rude of them to ring me up or knock on the door, although sometimes I have not had the moment to offer them and politely had to beg off from spending time.

I don't think that "celebrities" generally like being put on a pedestal and distanced from the folks who appreciate their genius. Courtesy dictates that one be sensitive to another person's needs and wishes, not that you abstain from making contact with them.

-- Godfrey (ramarren@bayarea.net), February 06, 2002.

I agree with Godfrey...

-- Dexter Legaspi (dalegaspi@hotmail.com), February 06, 2002.

"I was visiting my wife"

Arie,

I don't mean to pry into your personal life but must admit to finding your first line somewhat humorous. Is this perhaps an indication that the whole anecdote is a joke? :-) LB

-- Luther Berry (lberrytx@aol.com), February 06, 2002.

I wrote: "I was visiting my wife": I live currently in Bermuda where Iam an actuary. My wife stayed in Paris to finish her studies (she moved with me on the island last month)

Arie

-- Arie (nhaziza@northrock.bm), February 06, 2002.

Read Russell Miller's book, "Magnum: Fifty Years at the Front Line of History" and you will see a long line of photographers who showed up on HCB's doorstep, contact sheets in hand (he didn't like looking at prints), who were then admitted to the agency. Ah, the good old days!

In all seriousness, meeting him--however you make it happen--is something you will never forget. Having worked for many years with high-brown literary types (who, like photographers, have a very limited but loyal following), I know that these folks enjoy being sought out and paid homage to. It's not the same as stalking a celebrity. The great photographers, writers, and poets have dedicated their lives to their craft. Meeting a respectful and generous stranger is usually a real treat for them--it is recognizing that their work and sacrifices have paid off.

-- Preston Merchant (merchant@speakeasy.org), February 06, 2002.

AND if you do meet him, you can tell him how often his name comes up in this forum!

-- Preston Merchant (merchant@speakeasy.org), February 06, 2002.

re: politesse to celebrities

HCB made a living, and made it into an art, of, in a sense, making regular people into celebrities with his surreptitious brand of street photography. Indeed, there was a series of snapshots done of him by a friend of his, recently, who published them w/o his blessing, and may have ruined their friendship. I say, what goes around comes around.

-- Tse-Sung (tsesung@yahoo.com), February 06, 2002.

Arie, have you ever met Alfie? Just curious.

-- Dennis Couvillion (couvilaw@aol.com), February 06, 2002.

"Courtesy dictates that one be sensitive to another person's needs and wishes,...

Precisely. And until you know what those needs and wishes are, perhaps it would be a good idea, as I said, to err on the side of prudence and assume that the person values his or her privacy, until you know otherwise.

"... not that you abstain from making contact with them."

That's not what I said, I only pointed out that one should treat people with the same courtesy and respect that one expects of others. In this case, that means securing an appointment of some sort rather than just showing up unannounced and banging on the door, especially when you're a stranger and ESPECIALLY when you're not 100% sure that the person consented to have their contact information made public, in the form that Arie described. Sheesh, this should be common sense.

-- Anon Terry (anonht@yahoo.com), February 06, 2002.

www.acronymfinder.com states for HCB hard carbon brush and Hexachlorobenzene. just to let you know...

of course anyone knows who we are talking about.

-- stefan randlkofer (geesbert@yahoo.com), February 07, 2002.

Sacre Bleu! Are you like crazy?The sun he go to your 'ead.i think HCB is away ordering a contract with the Corsicans for DDD. i'd stay away.If i was there,YUP! i try to see the Maitre.

-- jason gold (leeu72@hotmail.com), February 09, 2002.