Jacques Henri Lartigue - Wide angle shots with incomplete coverage... ?

[holmburgers]

I'm curious about these two shots..

http://images.artnet.com/artwork_images/424846672/321071.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eXc_EwBohOg/TA7ebybOkcI/AAAAAAAABpA/MwhBiqxOwH8/s1600/lartigue.jpg

I'm not asking because I want to necessarily emulate or copy this look, but I am left wondering what kind of camera he was using that would've allowed for the circle of illumination ending like it does.

Both amazing shots; so if no one knows, I guess we can at least look at them.

 

[Dinesh]

Agreed. Dude had some skills!

 

[holmburgers]

Thanks to Ian C for this insight -> http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=32841

Some more eye candy...
http://www.lartigue.org/fr2/jhlartigue/chronologie/jhlp-chronoimg34.html
http://www.lartigue.org/fr2/jhlartigue/chronologie/jhlp-chronoimg32.html

 

[Guillaume Zuili]

The portrait in Vence is just a jewel

The link from Ian is spot on.
Also here :
http://www.lartigue.org/us2/jhlartigue/index.html

 

[holmburgers]

http://collectiblend.com/Cameras/ICA/Minimum-Palmos-(9x12,-456).html Something like this I guess?

Ian suggests that he put a 'too-small' lens in there (perhaps less expensive). That seems like a very reasonable explanation.

The pictures don't have the same impact when cropped to remove the vignetting; I really like it!

And yes... it seems that he photographed quite a few jewels :wub:

 

[Richard Wasserman]

I don't think he was concerned about the cost of the lens....

 

[holmburgers]

Why not? He didn't fall out of the womb a famous photographer!

As a young man, he certainly could've been concerned with the cost. Then again, maybe he did it on purpose, but who's to say.

 

[ghostcount]

He came from a rich family and got what ever he needed (per Genius of Photography).

 

[Michael W]

His father owned a newspaper & a railroad. They were loaded.

 

[holmburgers]

You don't say?! Well, that'll teach me to do my homework next time...

But to be fair, some rich people make their kids work just as hard as they had to.

Either way, I'm glad he chose the wrong lens.