Don’t shoot the photographer!

Telescopic lens, auto-focus, continuous shooting at 30 frames per second, and  – bang! – emotions of the striker who scored a goal can be felt in the minuscule detail of the macro take of sweat beads on his forehead. Close-up shots go as smooth and easy as vodka ones, but without the headache. It has not always been like this, folks.

A close-up shot from a long range once required an assistant, preferably under-sized, and hardy both physically and mentally: he had to be prepared for a barrage of abuse if he so much as twitched his shoulder. It’s not ancient history, it is 1948.

Imagine reaction of the police if they see it, say, pointed at a government official today. There are photographers who love using historic equipment, but someone with this device is likely to have life-expectancy of a moth, possibly shorter.

This photo comes from the Vevey Photography museum in Switzerland. More to follow.