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Early 20th century photos

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/b/working-methods-bill-brandt/

Some hints about Brandt in this link. Doesn't specifically mention any camera model or lens. I suspect he would have used a Relleiflex, so possibly 55-60mm (not sure how that equates to 35mm)? There were various 35mm cameras around when he was working, particularly Zeiss and Leica, and large format plate cameras were still popular.

I know all of Cartier Bresson's work was done with a 50mm, as a comparison.
 
Attonine said:
http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/b/working-methods-bill-brandt/

Some hints about Brandt in this link. Doesn't specifically mention any camera model or lens. I suspect he would have used a Relleiflex, so possibly 55-60mm (not sure how that equates to 35mm)? There were various 35mm cameras around when he was working, particularly Zeiss and Leica, and large format plate cameras were still popular.

I know all of Cartier Bresson's work was done with a 50mm, as a comparison.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link. Was very interesting. Sounds like he was using an ultra-wide for his perspective nudes, which was my assumption. My wife and I are expecting a boy this fall and I plan to capture some shots in this style to offset the more boring baby pics I'll be sending out to family and friends :)

More and more when I view photos I find myself thinking "How did they do that?" Running through in my head the choices in focal length, aperture, shutter speed, lighting, etc. While I don't do it as often as I should, I'm also trying to put these little thought experiments to the test. Not caring if my subject or composition will end up producing a stellar image, but consciously trying to emulate the technical aspects of other's work. Having a theoretical understanding of photography is one thing, but putting in the time to translate it into practice is quite another. I often find that countless little details pop up that I hadn't considered.

The more I shoot, the more I realize how little I understand. Put another way, the greater respect I gain for "good" photographers and how much time, effort, and patience is required to master photography.
 
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I'm old enough to remember making images like kallisti's coffee cup one by setting the aperture as high as I could get away with, and then turning the focus ring so that the marking for (say) f/22 was on infinity at one end, and hoping that at the other end the close objects would stay in focus.

I realize there are probably many people who have no clue what I'm talking about here. When did DOF markings disappear? Some time ago, I guess.

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/20f28ais.htm

Here's an image of a 20mm lens. Notice that f/f22 is orange, and then notice that the farthest left and right marks on the silver ring are also orange. OK, so rotate the focusing ring so that the left orange mark is at infinity, and you can see that at the other end you're probably going to be down around a foot.

Oh, and as for interesting old photographers . . . there's Edward Curtis. His stuff was mostly posed, but beautiful and insightful nonetheless.

There's your depth of field, more or less.

So in the old days I would set up my lens like that and then if I was in some kind of action I could hold the camera over my head or in whatever position suited the action, and not even focus. I suppose it was effectively autofocus, except not really. And it should go without saying that it was only practical with wides.

Apologies if I seem scattered. All day painting, only sometimes with a respirator. Mind is mush.

Oh, and as for early photographers -- Edward Curtis. True, he was hardly an action/candid shooter. But this portraits and other scene are quite beautiful.
 
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For those in or near London the Beetles Gallery in Swallow Street has a Martin Parr exhibition on. It finishes on the 30th August so hurry!

This gallery is also the representative for the Vivian Maier prints in the UK, they used to have a lot of her prints hanging, well worth checking out. If your nice to the staff they may let you look through the prints for sale in their drawers at the back of the gallery. Worth doing, they've got everyone!
 
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Attonine said:
For those in or near London the Beetles Gallery in Swallow Street has a Martin Parr exhibition on. It finishes on the 30th August so hurry!

This gallery is also the representative for the Vivian Maier prints in the UK, they used to have a lot of her prints hanging, well worth checking out. If your nice to the staff they may let you look through the prints for sale in their drawers at the back of the gallery. Worth doing, they've got everyone!
Click to expand...

Thanks for this; I'm in London on a short break just now, so I shall try to take this in, too. Many thanks...
 
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