J. Thurman, Photographer

I feel the need to talk briefly about one major struggle I'm having as a photographer. There was a time not too long ago when a certain brand of camera, what we professionals call "Leica," was simply a dream far off in the distance. With a ~$5,000 price tag, it wasn't something I saw myself ever owning. Besides, the first digital version, the M8, wasn't an exact match to the classic spirit of the original 35mm cameras. On 9/9/09, my life changed dramatically. The Leica M9 was released, and I'm afraid to say that it was love at first sight. I have to have one. I've been thinking hard about where I'm going to get the 7K, and that number seems smaller and smaller every day. Who can put a price on a dream? I can't stop looking at the stupid thing. It's my desktop image. It's on every photography site I frequent. Clearly, it's a sign that I'm supposed to have one. Cartier-Bresson, Garry Winogrand, Joel Meyerowitz, and now me. Oprah, if you're reading this, and you were planning on giving me some kind of lump sum, now is the time to do it. I'm even moving to Chicago soon, so I can just stop by and get it. Thanks, Oprah.