Gift from a friend.. darkroom gear.

[photomem]

I went over to visit a friend today, a 70+ Yr old crazy sculptor. He was a big buddy of Bill Eggleston's back in the 1960 and 70s and also did some photography with him.

He asked me if I wanted some darkroom gear. Of course I said yes. He pulled out what appears to be a 20X24 mounting press (havent measured it yet) and four steel and enamel 11X17 developing trays. One of the trays has a hole rusted in the corner of it, but some JB Weld and Automotive enamel will take care of that.

The funniest part is that he said Bill actually wanted this stuff 30+ years ago but never came back to get is. What completely floored me is when he said "I don't know why he would want it. For a photographer, he has never spent a day in the darkroom in his entire life, even the one he had built in his house after he started making money..."

End result, I got some free kit and a story to use as ammo when my professor starts on his "Bill Eggleston is the godfather of color photography" spiel.

 

[ron mcelroy]

While I don't know Bill Eggleston, he said in a documentary that he did print his own black and white back in the day.

 

[photomem]

According to a few artists here in town I have talked to, that is marketing. The main person I am speaking of is John McIntire.

 

[ron mcelroy]

I figured you might be talking about John Mc. Hope removing something from his house doesn't create a collapse
I'm a fellow Cooper Young resident.

 

[photomem]

Glad you know John. He has a darkroom sink but it is buried in the shed, he is even scared to climb up there. In other words, I expect a phone call any time now to tell me to come and get the sink