Re: studio cameras circa 1950s

The camera d'jour was the Speed Graflex. The film was Agfa 400. Then, the
Leica 35mm with most popular Kodak Plus X and Kodak Tri-X that came later.
It was due to the second World War that Magnum agency and those
photographers used the 35 mm camera, mostly. The third and very popular
camera was the Roleflex, a medium format camera, which used film size that
could be cropped without loosing quality.

Large format cameras were mostly studio cameras, if that's the slant of your
question. Magazine photographers in the 1950's would never carry such
equipment around.

Joe Rosenthal got the Iwo Jima flag raising pic. with a Speed Graflex using
Agfa 400, disputed that it was Agfa 100 citing that the film was German and
we were at war with Germany, and that they didn't have 400 speed film at
that time. His statement on the record in several books quotes him as
saying it was Agfa 400 speed film

Morely Baer, who worked with Paul Strand in the US Navy used 35 mm Leicas
and for film "Whatever the US Navy gave us." The Pyro formula varied from
PMK to pure pyrogallol, and processed by another crew of purely lab
technicians.

I used to have the Xeroxes of those formulas and isntructions from Ted
Leadbeter, an Air Force photographer who was in the service at the same time
as Cole Weston, US Navy photographer. Cole used his father's pyro formula
by special permission from his commandant. Again, they used 'film that was
given to them.' Mostly, the companies fought for their film to be used by
these prestigeous photographers. Adds like 'More photographers prefer [our]
film than any other.'

As far as in-house or hire a studio, this remains an idividual scenario. My
friends who owned one of the Time-Life magazines had photographers on
retainer. Al Weber got so much a month, and once in awhile he'd get a call
to do some 'photographs of mailboxes.' Ansel Adams was commissioned to do
views of certain parks and architectural monuments. Both and others on
retainer. But, some guys were hired and on staff, credited as Staff
Photographer. It was unusual for a magazine to name-credit a particular
photographer, which happened on ususual shoots, when the guy or gal got some
real great pictures. Like the coverage of Hearst's Castle when it went up
for sale. (I forgot the photographer's name. He was up on the roof, behind
the place on top of the hills. Mostly making pictures in color with a Kodak
Commercial camera.) The magazines had cameras that photographers or
writer/photographers would use. Some had complete cased Hasselbalds,
Nikons, and Leica. They photographer would grab what suited them,
personally. Plus X was the film d'jour because of the finer grain structure
and it could be 'souped' hotter for a more speedy development in D 76, a
common commercial film developer, less toxic than pyro. Tri-X was
considered too grainy for publication. But, photographers argued with
publishers/editors about this, because Tri-X was more forgiving and could
handle faster shutter speeds for 'grab shots' that required less studied
picture taking.

What's the intent of your curiosity?

Steve Shapiro
----- Original Message -----
From: "kris" <kris@eq-photo.com>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca>
Sent: Monday, May 29, 2006 6:09 AM
Subject: Re: studio cameras circa 1950s

> yes, thanks Bob
> tho i'm curious about the other stuff as well, i was wondering in
> particular about the studio photography of the 50s for a typical photo
> magazine (Europe or U.S.)
>
> i'm wondering if Deardorff was the norm, or if this was more for product
> photography. would they be doing things in-house, or would they typically
> hire a studio to do the work?
>
> again, any and all specifics would be much appreciated
>
> kris
>
>
>
> BOB KISS wrote:
>> DEAR LIST,
>> Though the discussion of Speed Graphics (I still use one as a field
>> camera)
>> and 35 mm has been wonderful, Chris asked about "Studio Cameras" used for
>> magazines. If she literally means "studio" then the camera of choice was
>> the 8X10. In studio, Life, Look, and most of Conde Nast publications
>> (Vogue, etc.) used 8X10s. I also think that the film of choice may have
>> been Super XX in the "early 1950s" though I say this under correction.
>> CHEERS!
>> BOB
>>
>> Please check my website: http://www.bobkiss.com/
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: kris [mailto:kris@eq-photo.com]
>> Sent: Sunday, May 28, 2006 11:05 PM
>> To: alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca
>> Subject: studio cameras circa 1950s
>>
>> hey all--
>> i'm trying to find out info on the types of cameras and films used for
>> work in photo magazines in the early 1950s (such as in Life--both in the
>> field and in studio).
>>
>> either specific resources or places to start would be greatly
>> appreciated--on or off list.
>>
>> all the best
>> kris
>>
>>
>
>
Received on 05/29/06-03:08:53 PM Z