Michael A. Smith

[Andrew O'Neill]

Just saw on FB that he has passed. Very shocked and saddened to hear this. Condolences to his wife, and family.

 

[rgeorge911]

Oh, no. Just met Michael and Paula this year. Such great artists and people.

 

[BrianShaw]

Oh, what a loss. Condolences to his family and friends.

 

[Alan9940]

Sad news. My thoughts are with his family and friends.

 

[doughowk]

That is truly sad news. He was so open to sharing. And a very decent person, too. My condolences to Paula & family.

 

[removed account4]

wow, so sorry to hear this
my condolences to his wife, friends and family.

 

[Jerevan]

How sad - my condolences! - a true inspiration in so many ways.

 

[Photo Engineer]

How sorry to see this. My condolences to his family.

PE

 

[mark]

Bummers

 

[Rick A]

Though we mourn his passing, we should also celebrate the lifetime of memories he was kind enough to share with the world through his photography and teaching, God Bless and keep him,
Requiescet in pace.

 

[Zelph]

Below, from a friend who posted on the Large Format Home Page - posted here with his permission.


Michael A. Smith has passed away


We lost a great friend in the passing of Michael A. Smith. An excellent photographer and teacher. Opinionated, irascible and absolutely convinced Azo and Amidol was given from God for fine Photography - Michael will be missed.

He had not been in good shape as the result of a series of Strokes. Paula Chamlee, his wife - an excellent photographer, artist and teacher informed me of this as I have kept up with them as friends for some time. Both photographed with Large Format gear. Michael with the 8x10, 8x20 and 17x22. Contact prints were the goal - prints of the highest quality they could make.

http://www.michaelandpaula.com is their website. You might go on and check out the writings and images. No need to send flowers. Best thing one could do it buy a book or their cards to help with the expenses to come and to have some work of this fine photographer.

Michael was a friend and I am glad to have known him. He was abrasive at times and so sure that Azo and Amidol was the finest presentation of B&W photographs possible - later to be Lodima and Amidol - with Lodima paper the creation of He and Paula after Kodak stopped making Azo for B&W printing. His zeal and passion at times got in the way for some. For others it signaled his single minded dedication to printing of the highest order. Everything in life that could interfere with fine photography was discarded as he worked towards perfection in vision, technique and prints. A single minded dedication to excellence was what Micheal was about. In this he had the perfect Wife in Paula Chamlee - if anything - even a better photographer and teacher. To Michael's "East Coast Brusque" she is Texas laid back charm. Just as dedicated to the art of fine images she is a painter as well as a photographer, a truly talented artist.

They were a fine couple who lived from the Fine Art they produce.

Remember Michael as photographic excellence and support Paula during this time. And yes, buy a book or print rather than send flowers. The finest memorial to an excellent photographer is to have their work in your library and on your walls. I know Michael would approve. He was all about fine images.

I have been enriched tremendously from knowing them both.

Paula will put something up on their website shortly. I talked with her before posting this and have her permission to let folks know of Michaels passing.

Dan Smith

 

[Peter Schrager]

I'm so sorry to hear this. Quite upset actually. I spent a great day not too long ago with both of them at their house in Pennsylvania. They are good friends and I had talked with Paula recently after my brother passed several weeks ago. Michael is with the photography gods now
Bless you for your contributions and the guts only see great vision
Peter Schrager

 

[Merg Ross]

A sad day. Michael had the necessary dedication and passion to accompany his excellent vision and craft. He contributed greatly to the medium he loved, and his knowledge was generously shared. I fondly recall our good times together over the years. I will miss Michael.

My heartfelt condolences to Paula and family.
Merg Ross

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I’m saddened to report the passing of Michael A. Smith. I gather from facebook that it happened November 16, 2018.

Michael will be remembered by those who knew his work for his luminous large format contact prints and for the books he produced with his wife, Paula Chamlee, under the aegis of Lodima Press. Printed to exacting standards, these books sought to bring the aesthetic values of fine printers in the tradition of Edward Weston to those who did not have the good fortune to spend time with the originals.

He was generous in sharing his methods and formulas with the analogue photography community, investing his and Paula Chamlee’s own resources in the ongoing manufacture of a silver chloride paper (Lodima) after Kodak’s discontinuation of Azo.

Learn more about Michael and Paula at http://michaelandpaula.com

Michael and Paula’s books, prints, paper, and other resources continue to be available at http://lodima.org

 

[Sean]

Thanks for the post David, I wasn't aware. Michael and Paula stayed with us for a few days in 2016 when they came through NZ. I had heard he was battling strokes but seemed well at the time. I could say something about their photography or contributions to photography, but for me what stood out most for was how lovely a couple they were. I feel very sad for Paula's loss. R.I.P. Michael.

 

[Doc W]

That is very sad. Michael once loaned me a crucial piece of one of his Kodak Master cameras so I could get it copied by a machinist. He didn't know me at all and it was his suggestion. What a kind and generous man he was.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

My search failed to turn up the earlier thread on this topic, so I’ve merged the earlier one with mine and relocated the combined thread to the “In Memoriam” subforum.

 

[Tony Egan]

Thanks for the post David, I wasn't aware. Michael and Paula stayed with us for a few days in 2016 when they came through NZ. I had heard he was battling strokes but seemed well at the time. I could say something about their photography or contributions to photography, but for me what stood out most for was how lovely a couple they were. I feel very sad for Paula's loss. R.I.P. Michael.

Thanks also for this thread, David. Thanks to Bob Kersey and Mary Meyer at Black Mountain Photography Workshops, I did their Vision & Technique workshop in Australia in 2009 and their affection and strength of the partnership was evident while each pursued their individual artistic course.
My condolences to Paula.

 

[Tom Duffy]

I remember being fortunate to attend one of their weekend workshops back in 2000. Both really loved sharing every bit of knowledge and experience they could. I recall a great home cooked meal they prepared for the workshop attendees. For some reason, I particularly remember the spice rack in their kitchen that seemed to cover an entire wall. As a Kraft macaroni and cheese kind of guy, I found it to be amazing. My condolences to Paula.

 

[Merg Ross]

Received this today.

https://www.lodima.org/

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Update on Michael A. Smith’s memorial service posted by Lodima Press on Facebook:

Renowned photographer Michael A. Smith passed away last November. A memorial to honor his life and the legacy of his photographic career will be held at the Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, on Sunday, April 14, from 2–4 p.m.

Michael was a master of large format photography and the contact print. His influence and impact on the medium was wide ranging from his photographic mastery, vision, and exquisite prints, to his extraordinary dedication and passion for sharing his knowledge through teaching and publishing, over a more than 50 year career.

In 1980 he founded LODIMA PRESS, an independent fine art press dedicated to publishing photography books of exceptional quality. In 1981, the first publication was awarded Le Grand Prix du Livre as the best photographic book of the year at the Rencontres Internationales de la Photographie in Arles, France. It was the first of many books published by LODIMA PRESS over the following decades in masterful collaboration with his wife, photographer Paula Chamlee.

In addition to his publishing efforts, Michael also over saw the fabrication and manufacture of a new silver-chloride contact printing paper, also named LODIMA, to replace AZO when Kodak ceased its production.

The origin of the name LODIMA, you ask? A reflection of Michael's sense of humor and his dedication to his craft and favorite developer - AMIDOL. Michael was a consummate artist who never wavered in the pursuit of his photographic vision and commitment to fine art photography.

In honor of Michael's extraordinary career and his lasting contribution to fine art photography we invite you to visit and like the Facebook page for
LODIMA PRESS
https://www.facebook.com/lodimabooks/

The LODIMA web page
https://www.lodima.org/

And the web page for Michael A. Smith and Paula Chamlee
http://michaelandpaula.com/mp/html/photographs.php