Rhonda Gushee (gusheerg@email.uc.edu)
Wed, 28 Jul 1999 17:04:23 -0400
Dear Friend,
You have to know how fortunate that you live in such a special place
where there are Bret Weston photographs available just about anywhere that
has photographs around there! Talk about the Holy Grail! In the "Black and
White" Photography magazine I can only drool over the likes of Imogene,
Margaret, Edward, and the SUBLIME Ruth Bernhard. Do you have any hints as
to who I can contact for such treasures at a reasonable price? So far I
have to settle for posters of Ansel out here in the Midwest.
I have become a photograph addict since I took my first "large
format view camera" (4x5) class here at the University of Cincinnati. (My
major is fine arts with a minor in art education.)
Many thanks,
R.G.
At 08:08 PM 7/25/99 -0700, you wrote:
>Well, I have to punt this in ... .
>
>I use a Kodak 8X10 Master Camera and was gien Brett Weston's Reis tripod on
>an extended loan. Immediately I found excuses to set up and make pictures
>with no, absolutely no hesitation or procrastination.
>
>I have been making a dozen exposures a week, before my last heart surgery
>ten days ago; and if anyone wants to know the results write me at the snail
>mail:
>
>Steve Shapiro
>P.O. Box 4391
>Carmel, CA 93921
>
>It's insporing, and with Brett Weston's prints available just about anywhere
>that has photographs around here, the Reis is a real treasure.
>
>Subject: Re: VAULT 'EM, DON'T BURN 'EM
>
>
>> Anyone who knows me knows that I am a thorough skeptic. I don't indulge in
>> very much that could be called mystical. But I do remember as a kid of 12
>> or 13 (c 1952) growing up in Washington D.C. (Arlingotn Va.) of going into
>> town with a couple of friends. We ended up at the Ford Theatre where
>> Lincoln was shot. In those days it was not a real museum like it is today.
>> It was still a theatre and they had some glass cases of stuff around. We
>> were ooohing and ahhing over one of the cases and some guy in charge came
>> over and started talking to us. He eventually opened the case with his key
>> and let each of us put on the spectacles Lincoln wore the night he was
>> shot. I still get goose bumply thinking about it. Of course no sane museum
>> curator would do any such thing today.
>>
>> I also was at Ron Partidge's house in Berkeley about 10 years ago. Ron is
>> one of Imogene's twin boys. (Imogene who?) One of the rituals at Ron's
>> place is to drink espresso from Edward's espresso pot. (Edward who?)
>>
>> There is some connectedness that we make through objects. I think the
>> German's have a word for this as they have words for all kinds of
>emotions.
>> In English sadly we don't. The same kind of thing connects us to an artist
>> through his art. The glasses were in fact just an old pair of glasses but
>> somehow I still feel as if I made some connection to Lincoln -- I even
>feel
>> it today. Any chemical test on the espresso would show it to be espresso
>> like any other, but in a sense it is maybe the closest thing we have to a
>> Photographic Holy Communion.
>>
>> No one quite cringes over cancelling a plate the same way they cringe over
>> destroying a negative. Perhaps the negative is connected to some bygone
>> reality where the plate is just connected to the artist. Just some random
>> thoughts.
>>
>> --Dick
>>
>>
>> At 01:50 PM 7/22/99 -0700, you wrote:
>> >I do understand your meaning in all this, but there are so many issues it
>> >brings up to say the least. Owning an Ansel Adams print or an 8x10 film
>> >holder? Well if it was not a print done when Ansel was alive with his
>> >signature the answer is quite easy. The film holder, and it would be kept
>> >for special images at that. As far as saving the negatives so people can
>> >share your vision. Well that is part of why I am troubled with this in
>the
>> >first place. My point is the negative is not your vision at all. Just
>> >another tool to get to your vision, the PRINT. The negative is
>information
>> >that you use to create that image with. Just like the developer you use
>or
>> >the lens you choose. All the things that go into the final print the
>artist
>> >included. All these things influence the way that final print looks. I do
>> >agree in many cases where the artist was unknown at the time that it is
>very
>> >important and fullfilling to see thier work even in a diminished way.
>This
>> >debate has gone on and on in the photographic arts for years. And I am
>sure
>> >just like the rest of history it will repeat itself over and over for
>many
>> >more to come. So I will leave it with, it is a personal choice.
>> >
>> >A wonderful day to you all,
>> >
>> >Kurt
>>
>>
>>
>> 505-474-0890 FAX 505-474-2857
>> <http://www.bostick-sullivan.com>http://www.bostick-sullivan.com
>> http://www.workingpictures.com
>>
>
>
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