Tribute - John Gorman's vintage San Francisco

[Zathras]

It's a cool shot but I don't have any info like what coast that is.

I'm thinking that it is somewhere along the San Mateo County coast, possibly over what is now the Sharp Park district of Pacifica. The hills in the background look familiar to me.

 

[grahamp]

Looks like a Stearman N2S?

 

[Nancy123]

Looks like a Stearman N2S?

It sure does!

 

[Nancy123]

I'm thinking that it is somewhere along the San Mateo County coast, possibly over what is now the Sharp Park district of Pacifica.

A strong candidate!

 

[Zathras]

A strong candidate!

I think so, Nancy. Mills field, now SFO, was just over the hill from Pacifica.

 

[Nancy123]

My dad was a pilot and took numerous photos from the air, The City being a favorite. Those clouds are awesome.

 

[Nancy123]

Anyone remember Weegee?

 

[Ben 4]

Very definitely—just look at those eyes (how did he get them to do that?)!

 

[mshchem]

Anyone remember Weegee?

Speed Graphic and flash bulbs. Love it!

 

[Kino]

This must have been a promotional shot for his tour of "Weegee's Camera Magic"; his foray into 16mm filmmaking.

Weegee’s Camera Magic

“Weegee’s Camera Magic,” ca. 1960 Anyone who wanders into Weegee’s world, is curious and looks closely, notices that there is often a bit of ambiguity, confusion and obfusca…

weegeeweegeeweegee.net

 

[Nancy123]

Very definitely—just look at those eyes (how did he get them to do that?)!

In most of the photos of him on Google Images, he looks just like that!

 

[Nancy123]

Speed Graphic and flash bulbs. Love it!

And movie film. Some guys did it all.

 

[Nancy123]

This must have been a promotional shot for his tour of "Weegee's Camera Magic"; his foray into 16mm filmmaking.

Very likely, Kino. I'll have to look for the newspaper article to see what he was up to in San Francisco.

 

[Nancy123]

Speaking of "Speed Graphic and flash bulbs", here's one of my favorites. I can't be sure my dad took this picture because he's in it. (Standing, on the right). But it's possible he had it on a timer. However, I also haven't come across the negative. In fact, I took a picture of this framed and behind glass because I really wanted to share it, otherwise it would be sharper. I'm sure it was 1953 and related to post #227, Jane Russell getting off the plane. This was apparently Jane promoting the Rolleiflex but that's all I know about it.

 

[Ben 4]

There's a lot going on in this one. I use a 'flex from that era—never knew that Jane promoted them! I know this photo was meant to be fun, but it makes me wonder just how close a Speed Graphic could focus?

 

[Don_ih]

makes me wonder just how close a Speed Graphic could focus?

As close as the lens and bellows will allow. The bellows isn't made for major close-ups. As close as they are to her, the bellows would need to be all the way extended.

 

[Mick Fagan]

And if she used it like that, she would get a great image of the cable release.

 

[Nancy123]

For the San Franciscans: Twin Peaks in 1950, Twin Peaks area (from Google Earth) today. Progress!

 

[Nancy123]

"Let's Be Friends" ~ taken in the '50s. Growing up, I was afraid the poor little mouse was done for but my dad assured me it was a pet mouse, and it and the cat were friends. Proof was in the other photos I eventually saw where the mouse was sitting on the cat's head with the cat pretty casual about it. They really were friends and the cat did not kill the mouse. This picture was published in several photo magazines back then.

 

[mshchem]

"Let's Be Friends" ~ taken in the '50s. Growing up, I was afraid the poor little mouse was done for but my dad assured me it was a pet mouse, and it and the cat were friends. Proof was in the other photos I eventually saw where the mouse was sitting on the cat's head with the cat pretty casual about it. They really were friends and the cat did not kill the mouse. This picture was published in several photo magazines back then.

Amazing photo!

 

[Ben 4]

"Let's Be Friends" ~ taken in the '50s. Growing up, I was afraid the poor little mouse was done for but my dad assured me it was a pet mouse, and it and the cat were friends. Proof was in the other photos I eventually saw where the mouse was sitting on the cat's head with the cat pretty casual about it. They really were friends and the cat did not kill the mouse. This picture was published in several photo magazines back then.

Wonderful photo—and I'm happy to hear that the scene did not have an unhappy ending!

 

[Trask]

Yeah, I dunno -- cats don't usually extend their claws when they're just jumping around a bit. I think yon cat was of two minds up to the very last second!

 

[Nancy123]

Yeah, I dunno -- cats don't usually extend their claws when they're just jumping around a bit. I think yon cat was of two minds up to the very last second!

I'm glad you brought this up. I was told the secret: Someone dangled the cat from above just out of the frame. They did it several times, the cat was performing. I will find the other images that shows the great friendship between the two, really.

 

[mshchem]

I'm glad you brought this up. I was told the secret: Someone dangled the cat from above just out of the frame. They did it several times, the cat was performing. I will find the other images that shows the great friendship between the two, really.

The lighting on that shot is tremendous. These old commercial photographers were wizards. No digital or Polaroid to check exposure and composition. Had to have been an assistant. You hold a cat in mid air it's going to "deploy" it's "4-Wheel Drive"

 

[Don_ih]

cats don't usually extend their claws when they're just jumping around a bit

They'll do it if you hold them by the abdomen and dangle them over the ground.