Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/08/12
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]The time frame recounted to me dealt with the WWII material to somewhat later. The editors had a hard time getting the negs from Smith to meet deadlines. I understand that the LIFE lab did a lot of the printing. When that was no longer available he printed his work himself. I've never been comfortable with his 'interpretative' printing styles. Smith's over manipulated images remind me of the hand tinting school of photography, meaning if it can stand up on its own-tint it. In his case, burn and dodge, and then burn some more. Slobodan Dimitrov "B. D. Colen" wrote: > > Just out of curiosity, who was the printer responsible for taking them from > the work print stage to the final stage - the prints that resulted in > Smith's reputation as a darkroom wiz? > > B. D. > > -----Original Message----- > From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us > [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of S Dimitrov > Sent: Sunday, August 11, 2002 10:41 PM > To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us > Subject: Re: [Leica] Eugene Smith's problems > > I once spent an evening with one of Smith's photo editors from LIFE. The > one that rehired him after he bombed out at LOOK. The one thing that he > was emphatic about was Smith's ineptitude in the darkroom. Having seen > many of Smith's workhorse prints in the original, I certainly wouldn't > send anyone to see his work as an example of printing expertise. > Slobodan Dimitrov > > tm wrote: > > > > There is a fascinating article in a supplemental magazine issue from the > > publishers of Photo Techniques Magazine, "Mastering The Black & White Fine > > Print" (special issue #11) about W. Eugene Smith that I highly recommend > > reading. Besides discussing Smith's mental problems, it reveals how his > > most-known prints/images were not straight prints; rather, via photographs > > included in the article, the author of it reveals how Smith used darkroom > > tricks to comlete a lot of his prints even though his fans never realized > > (until this article) that this was so. One of the photos in the article > > shows Smith with two Leica screwmount bodies and lenses around his neck. > The > > most surprising finds in this article for me were how he manipulated his > > famous "Spanish Wak" print and his "Tomoko in her Bath" print to arrive at > > the finished products. Having first seen both of these images in my youth, > I > > was shocked upon reading this article at what he had failed to communicate > > to us about said manipulations, for I always assumed they were from > original > > negatives exposed by a fortunate photographer. This does not mean I am > > attempting to vilify him herein, however. > > > > Terry > > > > -- > > To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html > -- > To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html > > -- > To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html