Re: studio cameras circa 1950s

And to add to Bob's erudite summary and to bring that oh-so-political
note to the discussion w/out an intent to foment.
        In those early 60's, w/dead Kennedy's (63 & 68), Martin Luther King
(68), Malcolm X (65), Kent State (70) and all after the 1950's left
us with J. Edgar Hoover, the 'hunt' for Communists by the House Un-
American Activities Committee (have you seen the recent film, Good
Night and Good Luck?) photography rose to prominence due, singularly
to the 35mm journalist. One could watch television to see one's
brother killed in Viet Nam. The Zapruder film of JFK being
assassinated played over and over like a loop. Riots in Watts (65) &
Detroit (67) and civil rights marches in 63 and 65 (Selma to
Montgomery) were documented and shown in newspapers and magazines.
        These were considered "truths" and felt "immediate", if not
spontaneous. Perhaps even more than the "decisive moment" as
expressed by Cartier Bresson. Sometime in the above period (forget
the year) the New York Times published a b/w image on the front page
and Time magazine switched to color on the inside. Virtually all of
this work was 35mm.
        It is interesting that the "reality" of that time has been usurped,
or superseded, by the notion of the camera 'lying' due to bias of the
photographer. Digital has now aided in what one might call
interpretation of reality. Reality will become a modality seen as a
fictional truth, or, in other words, interpretation of an event might
actually be more interesting than a record of it. One might say this
is illustration but it won't be that either.
        Anyway, I'm wandering off tangent and will finish with the Sir
Walter Scott poem the House on Un-American Activities tacked on to a
report from a conference on world peace in 1949.
Breathes there the man, with soul so dead,
Who never to himself hath said,
This is my own, my native land!
Whose heart hath ne'er within him burn'd
As home his footsteps he hath turn'd,
 From wandering on a foreign strand?
If such there breathe, go, mark him well;
For him no minstrel raptures swell;
High though his titles, proud his name,
Boundless his wealth as wish can claim,--
Despite those titles, power, and pelf,
The wretch, concentred all in self,
Living, shall forfeit fair renown,
And, doubly dying, shall go down
To the vile dust, from whence he sprung,
Unwept, unhonour'd, and unsung.
--Scott

        Yes, passion. That is what is lacking today. Maybe it is a
reflection of the loss of the 35mm camera to the digital one and the
discontinuance of b/w silver-gelatin papers (virtually).

Jack

>
> Jack is right as usual. I had, actually have, a few photojournalist
> friends. The Speed Graphic was used until the 1960s. The format was
> mostly 4 x 5 although there were some 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 and
> 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 models. Century Graphics were also used. These were
> essentialy identical in all ways to the Speed Graphic but without
> the focal plane shutter. B & H also made a 4 x 5 Press Camera
> which was popular and less expensive. The most popular film was
> Kodax Tri-X 4 x 5 sheet film.
> Plate holders, which held two sheets of film were used until the
> film pack was invented. The film pack was used with a film pack
> adapter which fit on the back of the Speed Graphic . I think it
> held 12 sheets of film. You put the film pack in the adapter and
> pulled out the first tab and tore it off. Then you pulled out the
> dark slide and made the first exposure. Then you put the dark slide
> back in and pulled the second tab. Pulled the dark slide and made
> the second exposure, etc.,etc.
> Thuis was faster than plate holders and took up less room.
> Flashguns for these cameras originally used large bulbs which were
> about the size of a 60 watt light bulb and bulky. Later the miniatute
> "Press 25" bulb was developed. It was a little smaller than a small
> egg. Press photogs carried a pocket full of Press 25s in their left
> jacket pocket and a few film packs in their right jacket pocket.
> Jack describes the "sports finder" which was often used but the
> cameras had and optical finder as well as a range finder. Using
> this system a good press photographer could shoot a lot of film
> pretty fast but not, of course as fast as with the 35 mm camera
> with motor drive; however, it did have the advantage of a large
> negative. Some modern 35 mm films are supposed to have the
> resolution of the old 4 x 5 films but, I doubt it. It is also
> interesting that the old flash bulbs put out more light than the
> modern strobes.
>
> Bob Schramm
> Check out my web page at:
Received on 05/29/06-12:13:12 AM Z