What does "F8 and be there!" REALLY mean?

[Heroique]

“F8 and be there!” says a lot in a few words.

And like a rich proverb with unaccountable power, it probably means more than it says.

One person might hear, “Know your equipment before heading into the field.”

Or another – “Don’t worry about technique, just get out there!”

And what about “Be there”? Does that urge physical presence at a scene, or emotional and intellectual presence of mind? Perhaps both?

What’s your take? (And BTW, is there an original source – or context – for this omnipresent quote?)

[Gem Singer]

Very common expression among press photographers in the 1940's and 50's.

Most of them used Speed Graphics.

It was more important to be there at the newsworthy event with a camera than it was to create a photographic masterpiece. If a newspaper was first to publish a picture of a newsworthy event, it sold more newspapers. A very competitive business then. Still is.

[Mark Sawyer]

There's some debate as to who really said it, but it generally goes to Weegee (Arthur Fellig). It would make sense, as with the old 4x5 press camera, film and flashbulbs, the right exposure for his usual distance range at night (when he almost always worked) was probably around f/8.

So given the event-dependant nature of his work, the two most important things, besides his own eye, were simply "f/8 and be there".

Today it would be "Autofocus, program mode, and be there."

[Mike1234]

I prefer "F/8 and don't be late!!".

[BrianShaw]

Most of them used Speed Graphics.

... and flash bulbs. They knew their distance range and as longa s they were in that ballpark and resonably focused they'd have a publishable image. Remember - newspaper quality is quite forgiving!

[Bob McCarthy]

I've taken the expression to mean.

F8 provides plenty of DOF and a shutter speed that will normally stop action in daylight with most films.

So f/8 is an "automatic" f/stop - esposure that doesn't require forthought

And "be there" means the when the opportunity to get the shot appears, you are ready to take a shot without the necessity to adjust the camera.

I didn't realize the comment came from a LF shooter, I assumed it was related to 35mm where it works perfectly.

I never shoot at f/8 with sheet film.

works for me,

bob

[rdenney]

“F8 and be there!” says a lot in a few words.

And like a rich proverb with unaccountable power, it probably means more than it says.

One person might hear, “Know your equipment before heading into the field.”

Or another – “Don’t worry about technique, just get out there!”

And what about “Be there”? Does that urge physical presence at a scene, or emotional and intellectual presence of mind? Perhaps both?

What’s your take? (And BTW, is there an original source – or context – for this omnipresent quote?)

It means to me that it is far more important to be at the scene worthy of being photographed than any of the myriad of technical decisions which we might allow to distract us.

I've always held that the decisions we make should reflect the following priorities:

1. Where we point the camera (this includes issues of perspective, lens choice, composition, etc.).

2. Focusing on the subject.

3. When we push the button.

18. What film we choose.

27. What aperture we choose.

46. What shutter speed we choose.

I'm not sure what the 45th most important thing is (or all the others), but I'm reasonably sure that it's more important than the choice of shutter speed, etc.

"Be there" encompasses the top priorities. The arbitrariness of "f/8" suggests its relative unimportance.

Rick "often so wrapped up in technique that he forgets to make music" Denney

[Tim Meisburger]

I have always heard this in relation to WeeGee, who was asked about the technique he used to make his outstanding images. That may be apocryphal, but he was, after all, nicknamed WeeGee (Ouiji) for his seemingly psychic ability to be in the right place at the tright time. Also, as Mark mentioned, f8 with focus preset at eight or ten feet is perfect for nighttime flashbulb exposures with the Speed Graphic he normaly used.

By the way, he was the most influential photographer of the 20th century IOM.

[Peter Collins]

Fred Picker, in one of his books, had an image of a football receiver leaping to catch a pass--the ball was almost in his hands, nearly everything about him in sharp focus--he was in the end zone or near it, there's a bunch of players ("bit players" in this case) in the mid-ground and background, and the fans in the far background. A great photo, made more easily now with what's currently available than when he did it.

In the caption, supplied by himself, under the photo, he said it was a case of "f8 and be there!" And in this instance, a bit of timing, and the luck of in the right position to capture the moment.

[Drew Bedo]

I always thought it was like asking Mallory why he wanted to climb Everest: "Because it is THERE!" Meaning If you have to ask me that, I cannot possibly explaine it so that you will understand!

I have alwayse understood "f8 asnf be there" to mean that you have to pre-scout the location, then get up before dawn and stand in the weather till he sun comes up to get that great sunrise shot. Or be willing to risk your equipment and health to get the storm waves breaking around the lighthouse etc, etc.

Another way to say it is rude and blunt: You have to know how to make a good exposure and you have to put in the effort to get the shot.