All rights to this photograph is reserved the photographer
The photograph is from a long term project documenting the commercial fishing on Lake Erie. This is an industry deeply rooted in the past and tradition with very little beyond the advent of radios and GPS differing from 100 years ago. The lake is considered extremely dangerous to work on due to how shallow it is and when the weather comes in the lake can turn ugly very quickly. It is an interesting fact that more aircraft and vessels have been lost on Lake Erie than in the Bermuda Triangle! The photograph was taken as the sun came up on the lake and the nets were about to go out. George, the skip in the photo, seems to be in a quiet stare down of sorts with the lake. Perhaps thinking “you’re not going to get me this time” or a simple “thanks for what you are about to offer up”. I suppose only George will know. The photograph speaks volumes to me of the bravery, the respect and the almost hero like nature of the men and women working on that lake.
This photograph was taken with a Leica M6 and a 35mm Summicron on Neopan 400.
Why I use a Leica:
I could say I shoot on Leica cameras for the glass. It is extremely well corrected, sharp as you are going to get and resistant to flare. The truth is I mostly have grown to take that for granted now. I shoot on a Leica because I like the form and function mostly. I appreciate the very simple decisions to make… composition, timing, shutter and aperture. composition, timing, shutter and aperture. The rest of the time is spent interacting with the subjects in front of me because that is where great photos comes from, that relationship. That big, brilliant finder lets me see the whole world in front of me and the camera is as quiet and unobtrusive as you’re going to find. It doesn’t make people react a different way. It’s presence doesn’t effect the goings on. Most of the time folks don’t even notice. It also helps that no matter what I throw at these cameras (I use an M4-2 and M6) they just keep rolling with the punches. On occasion I put fresh batteries in the M6 and back to business they go.
John Densky is a photographer based out of Southwestern Ontario, Canada. More of his work can be found on his website at www.galler7.com.
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