Beautiful WW2 4x5 Kodachromes

[EASmithV]

This website has a few really nice B-25 pictures

http://intersections.anu.edu.au/issue8/mchoul.html

But then I found out where they came from...

http://www.shorpy.com/4x5-large-format-kodachromes

Absolutely gorgeous...

 

[Mike Crawford]

They all come from the Library of Congress website which has thousands of hi res historical images which you are allowed to download including Walker Evans and other FSA photographs.
http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/catalog.html

 

[Ektagraphic]

Kodachrome is amazing stuff! Imagine 8X10 Kodachromes!

 

[Jeff Bannow]

Has anyone ever ordered prints from the LOC? Looks like an interesting and reasonably priced service. You can even order negs?

 

[BetterSense]

Was this 25 speed film? Any estimates as to how expensive shooting 4x5 kodachrome was at the time? Many of those shots look to be lit with flash; flashbulbs I presume?

 

[Fredrik Sandstrom]

Was this 25 speed film?

No, Kodachrome sheet film was ASA 8 for daylight and ASA 10 for type B. Faster 25 speed Kodachrome was introduced in 1960, long after Kodachrome in sheets had been discontinued.

 

[nickandre]

I read in some comments that the photographer used regular daylight balanced floodlamps. The lighting is the most impressive since he was working with such slow film.

 

[Mike Crawford]

Has anyone ever ordered prints from the LOC? Looks like an interesting and reasonably priced service. You can even order negs?

I remember a client bought some prints about 25 years ago includng Dorethea Lange's 'Migrant Mother.' Obviously contemporary prints but certainley then they were good quality.
http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/list/128_migm.html

Also saw an exhibition in Germany of Walker Evans' FSA work which had been printed as large format inkjets.
http://www.martsonhilleditions.com/WE1port2.html
Now of course people here will start crying Judas, however the prints were excellent quality and fascinating to see the work presented in pristine condition. As they called them, 'New Translations.' Also John T Hill was a long term friend, printer and colleague of Walker Evans and as he pointed out, Evans was very interested in the latest technolgy and methods of reproduction so he might well have approved.

 

[skyrick]

Wow! Absolutely Wow! So the '40s really were in color! Nothing has ever demonstrated that to me as clearly as these amazing Kodachromes!

Yeah, what Ektagraphic said, "Can you imagine 8x10 K-chromes?"

Did I say "Wow!" yet?

Rick

 

[phfitz]

Just think, they were all shot with UNCOATED lenses. I love the slightly saturated Kodachrome look they have.

 

[Slixtiesix]

These pictures are astounding :-o I have never seen pictures from WWII of that quality before. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Ektagraphic]

Kodachrome in 35mm is amazing too!

 

[EASmithV]

Viva la Kodachrome! I'm going on a trip to the UK this summer, and am sure to bring plenty of Kodachrome (Don't worry, I've heard about UK weather and have gotten an f1.4 lens).

 

[Fredrik Sandstrom]

It's sad that Kodachrome sheet film was discontinued around 1951. This is the reason there's hardly any good large format color photographs from the 50s; the Ektachromes have all faded badly!

 

[EASmithV]

I just realized that the first link I put up was wrong-

This I the link I thought I put:

http://freeforumzone.leonardo.it/discussione.aspx?idd=7155592

I really wish I could have a 20x24 Cibo of that first image uhuhuhhhh

 

[lightwisps]

Wow, if anyone has some 4X5 Kodachromes we can work out a special deal on Ilfochrome prints. I have seen a lot, but never a 4X5 Kodachrome. Don

 

[EASmithV]

Wow, if anyone has some 4X5 Kodachromes we can work out a special deal on Ilfochrome prints. I have seen a lot, but never a 4X5 Kodachrome. Don

Anyone have the phone number for the library of congress?

 

[AlexG]

"TITLE: [Servicing an A-20 bomber, Langley Field, Va.]"


http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/I?fsaall:1:./temp/~pp_B8pi::displayType=1:m856sd=fsac:m856sf=1a34949@@fsaal

Hit Bibliographic Info on the top of the page to view its stats...The 194Mb version looks AMAZING!


Just remember...the pictures on that Italian website have been dodged, burned, and color corrected. The original transparency looks a bit "rough".

 

[benjiboy]

I saw a 10"x8" Kodachrome studio portrait about twenty years ago of Captain Clarke Gable when he was serving in the U.S A.A.F. in England during WW11, the quality was amazing.

 

[EASmithV]

I saw a 10"x8" Kodachrome studio portrait about twenty years ago of Captain Clarke Gable when he was serving in the U.S A.A.F. in England during WW11, the quality was amazing.

uhuhuh

 

[Anscojohn]

Wow! Absolutely Wow! So the '40s really were in color! Nothing has ever demonstrated that to me as clearly as these amazing Kodachromes!

Yeah, what Ektagraphic said, "Can you imagine 8x10 K-chromes?"

Did I say "Wow!" yet?

Rick

*****
IIRC, it was available up to 11x14.

 

[Anscojohn]

They all come from the Library of Congress website which has thousands of hi res historical images which you are allowed to download including Walker Evans and other FSA photographs.
http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/catalog.html

******
Intriquing to me is the image by Prokudin-Gorskii, shot in color, in Russia, in 1910. I had modern book of his photographs--all in color, shot pre-World War One. He used a single-lens, three color camera of his own design which took virtually instantaneous photographs.

 

[EASmithV]

******
Intriquing to me is the image by Prokudin-Gorskii, shot in color, in Russia, in 1910. I had modern book of his photographs--all in color, shot pre-World War One. He used a single-lens, three color camera of his own design which took virtually instantaneous photographs.

Do you have a picture of it?

 

[bobwysiwyg]

This includes photos and discusses the process.

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/empire/

 

[Anscojohn]

This includes photos and discusses the process.

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/empire/

******
Thanks for that link, Bob. I remember being intriqued by the book. And there is a bit of drollery which accompanies a few of the three rapid exposures: I remember one image where it was obvious a donkey was flipping it's ear, because there were three sligtly blurred color at the end of the ear. Note the moving water, also. Great stuff. Thanks.