Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/01/06

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Subject: [spam] RE: [Leica] Tales from yesteryear 4! :-)
From: tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant)
Date: Sun Jan 6 15:24:38 2008

Hi Eduardo,

I?ll keep the language change in mind. :-) It probably would add to the
story.

Thanks,

ted

 

-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+tedgrant=shaw.ca@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+tedgrant=shaw.ca@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of Eduardo
Albesi
Sent: Sunday, January 06, 2008 12:35 AM
To: Leica Users Group
Subject: Re: [spam] RE: [Leica] Tales from yesteryear 4! :-)

 

      Great tale, Ted.

I think Italian or Spanish would be more appropriated than English  

for its title, as the italian or spanish terms for "still life" are  

"natura morta" / "naturaleza muerta"...

 

There was a time (1870-1920/30?)  when making photo portraits of the  

dead was usual

 

ed a.

 

 

 

El 06/01/2008, a las 03:13, Ted Grant escribi?:

 

> Last tale for now. :-)

> 

> 

> 

> Still life

> 

> "Could you take a picture of my mother?" inquired the female telephone

> caller.

> 

> 

> 

> Bill Lingard, my partner and fellow photographer replied, "Yes,  

> when would

> you like to come to the studio, I'm sure we can fit you in during  

> the next

> few days?"

> 

> 

> 

> "I'm sorry it will have to be tomorrow before noon, as the service  

> is at

> two." was her reply. The service she referred to was her mother's  

> funeral

> service.

> 

> 

> 

> She did not have any pictures of her mother and this was the last

> opportunity for a photograph before the coffin was closed.

> 

> 

> 

> So there we were the next morning, Bill, studio lights, ladder, the  

> lady in

> 

> the coffin and me. The scene was right out of a weird horror movie.

> 

> 

> 

> Bill who is a master portrait photographer, tried to light the old  

> lady with

> Rembrandt lighting, but the sides of the coffin created a shadow  

> over her

> face. So he found a pillow, lifted her up and stuffed it behind her  

> head to

> lift it above the edge of the coffin and the lights made her look  

> alive.

> Sort of!

> 

> 

> 

> Bill was up the ladder making his first exposure when the daughter  

> arrived,

> looking at her mother she commented on how lifelike she looked, but  

> wondered

> if Bill could open her eyes?

> 

> 

> 

> For a moment I thought he was going to fall off the ladder, but  

> maintaining

> his Lancashire composure, he explained he would just as soon do the  

> eye

> opening by retouching the negatives.

> 

> 

> 

> I had to leave on assignment before he completed the retouching and  

> when I

> 

> returned I asked how she looked.

> 

> 

> 

> "Not bad, a bit starry-eyed, but the daughter thought she looked  

> alive."

> 

> What more could he say but? "There isn't anything like shooting  

> still life,

> "he replied and smiled.

> 

> 

> 

> 

> _______________________________________________

> Leica Users Group.

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> 

 

 

 

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In reply to: Message from eduardoalbesi at ciudad.com.ar (Eduardo Albesi) ([spam] RE: [Leica] Tales from yesteryear 4! :-))