Mr. Patti,
Which do you think is larger? An Arri BL or a Phillips 8 X 10? A Sony Betacam or a Wisner Pocket Expedition? Which takes a bigger crew to run? And yet how many documentaries have been made with the former two?
What it takes is time and patience. Nixon spent two years photographing at the school for the blind (name escapes me at the moment). Although they couldn't see him, they were certainly aware of him. If you spend days and days and days with your subject, "dry shooting", as Nixon may have, a rapport develops, trust can be built up. Eventually the subject relaxs and "acts natural" or at least as natural as it is possible for anyone to act in this wacky post modern world in which we live.
FWIW, Bebe Nixon, Nick's wife, is a documentary producer and worked on NOVA for quite some time.
If anything, Nixon's use of the 8 X 10 helps create a sense of trust with the subject - he cannot hide what he is doing as he could with a Leica or whatnot.
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