The international photographer (Jan-Dec 1935)

Eight The INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER August, 1935 The Noble Sport of Leicashooting By Hansena Frederickson One doesn't have to wander miles afield to find beautiful, suitable or interesting subjects for his camera. Pictures exist on a busy street, in back yards, in buildings — human interest, pattern studies, pictorial shots are prevalent if we could but see them. In a conversation with a fellow "LEICASHOOTER" the other day, the subject of where to find pictures came up. He said that he had shot 4500 pictures in Europe and couldn't find anything to take at home. I argued that in any clime, at any time there were more pictures to be made than artists to shoot them. He still doubted me, so to prove my point I tried an experiment. I slung my Leica and Weston Meter around my neck, took a sunshade and a couple of filters, a roll of Super X and a roll of Fino Pan film, and started out. 1 walked from the University of California at VVestwood to Hollywood, a matter of 7^ miles. I spent three hours leisurely strolling this distance and took 72 shots, each one of some kind of interest, either as a candid camera shot, an architectural study, or a beauti doubter, he was convinced that there are pictures everywhere, if he would only open his eyes to them. Of course, for such a trek as I took, a Minicam is a necessity, since it would be far from pleasant, for instance, to cart a tripod, a graflex, and 72 plates for three hours of rather warm walking. I'm afraid that the fun and pleasure would cease after the first few minutes. With the Leica around one's neck and 72 inexpensive shots within snapping distance, the walking remains fun and one is ready for adventure. My camera attracted no notice, and I could picture people as well as things. Of course, I saw with the Leica eyes, which impressed everything on my mind and the little three hour walk became an important event to be long remembered. When one sees with the eyes of the camera, his appreciation of events, places, scenes and people increases accordingly. On my walk I found trees and lawns; tall, slim Eucalyptus trees ; squat, full peppers ; bushy, sky-reaching palms ; rose beds patterned against the sky ; huge leaves making patterns against each other ; two small boys wratching a lily pond ; three especially cute, small Scotties and a little girl admiring them; a fountain dripping against the sun; a long lane of Deodars; a swarthy little Mexican boy in a huge, white hat and old, run-down shoes ; a group of flower pots on a window sill ; an apartment group that looked like a bit of Normandy; a flower stand, wTith the sun streaming through an awning; a steam shovel belching smoke into the clouds ; a lad asleep on a park bench. My knowledge of what exists between my work and my home is now more complete. ful picture. I even shot through store windows, if there was something of interest in them. Of course, they were not all salon prints, but they DID have something to say and one shot won third place in a miniature camera club exhibit, the tree print reproduced here. When I showed the rolls to my friend, the The camera can teach us to take events as they come. If, instead of sighing for a ticket to the Orient, or Russia, or the South Seas, we could see what there is in our own backyards, we would be far happier and much better and more productive photographers. There are really too many pictures in one's own small world to fill a lifetime. Please mention The International Photographer when corresponding with advertisers.