More Eugene Smith -
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From the Pittsburgh project. Deeply influential on Salgado anyone? Up until my work pictures went digital - about 2000 - we printed our own stuff. I used to have a nice side-line printing for other people. The top floor of our house was a darkroom. So - I know how to print black and white pictures - this one is astonishing, this would have taken hours to get it right. The burning in - the dark bits - are the simple part but I think the highlights have been - held back - still fairly simple - but it has also been treated with a dilute bleach solution - with a brush - to bring up the highlights. Salgado's printer - his wife - is a master at this technique. Smith did this himself - he was obsessional about the printing of his pictures. I think in part because he was speeding out of his tits at the time - please pardon my language. Bottom line - it's that good because - he saw the picture and would not let anyone else realise the vision. - it was taken with an old school Leica lens - you can't get them anymore unless you are prepared to sell your house. Carbon glass.
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Smith was a distinguished war photographer too,
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Him in his darkroom, printing the Pittsburgh project. Out of his face - I should imagine - looks like it. Artists are often flawed? Aren't we all in some way? It doesn't look like he put any weight on during it? No shit.
Yours - I.
@Helveticum @Blademonkey @Barry Giddens