Five men in a shady hallway looking outside, the one in the middle wearing a yellow jacket.

The Simplicity of Photography

Simon Wheatley and the Leica M6.

11/09/2023
Portrait of Simon Wheatley and his Leica M6

The Leica M6 is such a simple camera and it has probably been part of my life’s lesson that simplicity is the best way.

Simon Wheatley, a London-based documentary film photographer, is well known for his intimate images of London and the people who inhabit the city. Having bought a Leica M4 in 1997, within a few years his go-to kit quickly became his two Leica M6 cameras.

Portrait of Simon Wheatley and his Leica M6

“When I first used a Leica camera, it felt like I had a necklace rather than a camera hanging around my neck. I have always valued this discretion as it allows me to be less intrusive when I’m photographing.”

"Being present is important and I like the rangefinder because I’m more involved in the situation I’m photographing than if my face was behind a larger camera body."