Berenice Abbott photographs at City of New York Museum

[Steve Sherman]

I just returned from New York City where I had planned on shooting some LF film most of the day after stopping by the City of New York Museum to see an exhibit by a photographer and friend named Douglas Levere who replicated the works of Berenice Abbott's photographs of the 1930's. The project is here @ http://newyorkchanging.com/index.html

Abbott's original 8x10 contacts were astounding, not one or two, all of them. They had a smoothness, a sharpness, a luminosity and glow that you cannot find in today's processes. I have seen plenty of world class photographer's work over the years, none left me shaking my head in utter amazement as the work I saw today, all made in the 1930's to boot.

If you live in NYC or can get there before the show closes next Sunday, give yourself a treat and go see the show, you won't regret it.

BTW, I only made one negative

 

[Daniel Grenier]

I........Abbott's original 8x10 contacts were astounding, not one or two, all of them. They had a smoothness, a sharpness, a luminosity and glow that you cannot find in today's processes. I have seen plenty of world class photographer's work over the years, none left me shaking my head in utter amazement as the work I saw today, all made in the 1930's to boot......

And why is that,in your estimation, Steve? It is not "just" the paper she used, surely, is it? Was it maybe the way the show was presented? (i.e. the lighting, color of the walls, framing etc.) Was it was simply the shear talent of the Artist who had craft down under complete control?

 

[Steve Sherman]

And why is that,in your estimation, Steve? It is not "just" the paper she used, surely, is it? Was it maybe the way the show was presented? (i.e. the lighting, color of the walls, framing etc.) Was it was simply the shear talent of the Artist who had craft down under complete control?

If I was certain of the reasons why her prints looked the way they did I would be doing the exact same.

I have been on the phone this morning with my friend who owns the 3 Caponigros defending my statement. Her prints had an luminosity in the shadows, a smoothness of tone unlike I have ever seen, friends with me remarked they almost looked like engravings, the highlights seemed to sit higher than the shadows but with a smoothness. Intricate details inside windows from across the street with lens like we all use, Dagors and Artars. And the color was to die for, warm tone, with a golden hue, not the red cast that we see in all modern warm tone papers.

Even when her negatives were enlarged for this show on modern materials and the color was lost, it was apparent her negatives were superior in smoothness and clarity.

I had the exact same feeling when I first visited the Georgia O'Keefe gallery in Santa Fe, I just stood there in utter amazement at the scope of O'Keefe's talent. The difference here is I know photography and have seen my share of world class photography.

Truly inspiring