On the 28th of February 2001, Buck and Luciene moved to the Amazon Basin of Brazil. We lived in Macapá, right on the equator. Why would a web designer give up his career and take his family from their comfortable life in Columbus, Ohio, USA, to live on the Amazon River? We came with a vision to save the Amazon, to tell people about Jesus, and plant a Vineyard church. We have planted a church, and we are turning it over to the national leaders, heading back to the States in Sept. 2009.

 
Photography Questions

My dream used to be to go to art school, study to become an artist and a photographer, and move to the mountains in isolation to do my art. I pursued all the training I could get, I was an artist and photographer in the army which I joined to get the money for college, and visited art schools to decide which one to go to. God had other plans though. He called me to “Go” to the mission field. I laid those dreams on the altar, and went to Brazil. Of course, I continued taking photos, my artistic bent never changed, but I feel like I buried it somewhat. Ok, a lot.

About eight years ago, when I knew for certain that we were going to be moving to the Amazon River to live, I took all of my camera equipment to the local used camera store in Columbus, Ohio. At the time, I was working as a photographer’s assistant when I wasn’t doing web design, doing wedding photography, interior, product shots, whatever came up. I learned a lot. I had also shot a couple of weddings for friends. Man shooting weddings is a lot of pressure. Before the age of digital really took off, you couldn’t see the results until you got the film developed. Does anybody remember that time?

Well, I had asked around, to find out what equipment would hold up to the extreme conditions of a tropical rain forest. Humidity, heat, mold, and lack of technical help were serious considerations. A friend of mine told me that I should just go with a Leica manual camera. No moving parts, not even a battery. So I loaded up all my equipment, which was considerable.

Three Nikon bodies including the N90 which I just loved, a slew of lenses, filters, everything, I just made a big pile with it, and along with some of the dark room equipment that they were still accepting at the time, and traded it all for one Leica M2 body and one lens. And I still had to pay the difference for the Leica.

Now, at the time, it may have been a good choice. I don’t really regret it. I love that little Leica. But I used to be able to get black and white film, and get it developed. I can’t find it anymore, and someone even gave me some, but I can’t find anyplace that will develop it. I would have to import chemicals to develop it myself, if I can even remember how to do it after all of these years.

So much has changed in 8 or nine short years. I used to say that I would never go digital, that the quality just wasn’t there, I would always be a film man. What a laugh now, huh? Well, at the time, I was probably right about the quality part anyways. But no more. Digital is here to stay. Film on the other hand, is simply on it’s way out it seems.

So I finally got a digital when a friend of mine decided that I needed one- he believed in my photography and wanted to invest in it. And after intensive research, I settled on the Leica Digilux 1. It is a great little camera. I have been very pleased with the results I have gotten from it, and having a digital camera was revolutionary to my photography. I felt more free to experiment, since I didn’t have to develop expensive film. And it really helped us keep more in touch back home too, being able to upload photos right away.

But about a year ago, a part fell off, and I wasn’t able to use the Leica Digilux. I sent it in to get serviced, but the full service to adjust and clean everything was more than I had, and before I could get it all together, they sent the camera back, unfixed. (Not their fault, they were very patient with me.) I am currently using a little Samsung point and shoot that was graciously given to me, or I wouldn’t be taking any pictures.

So, here are some options I have considered.
1. just fix the Digilux and keep it going for another year or two
2. try to get another Leica
3. go with like the Canon EOS or Rebel
4. some other option?

Photographer friends, I seek your counsel! What do you think? What is your counsel?

Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.
Proverbs 15:22 (NIV)

Labels: canon, leica, photography

posted by Eduardo Buck at Saturday, May 31, 2008