Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/05/10
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I have a copy of a book titled "Photograms of the Year [sic] 1934-5" edited by F.J. Mortimer of the Royal Photographic Society (United Kingdom). What is interesting about this book is that it has page after page of stilted and formal set pieces, landscapes, portraits, and illustrated allegories taken with large format cameras on sheet film. Suddenly, one turns to plate XXXVI in the middle of the book and you find Eisenstaedt's "Gala Evening in the 'Scala' Milan." It is absolutely stunning to discover this one lively image...taken with a Leica...among all of the static pictures which dominated the "Art" of photography in that era. This book documents a moment of great change as the mainstream world of such organizations as The Royal Photographic Society acknowledge the art of small format, candid photographs and photojournalism. Buzz Hausner