White Sands, Brett Weston

[PhotoHistorian]

I spoke with Kim Weston recently and he said that he does have the Holland Canal negative but that it has been altered as to make it unprintable. He did not dispute that Brett's negatives had been destroyed.

I knew Cole Weston for nearly 20 years. I saw and handled Brett's negatives (Holland Canal, Ford Tri-Motor, Garrapata Beach etc.) on several occasions at Cole's home and darkroom complex in Garrapata Canyon. It is true Brett altered the negatives he gave to Cole and are now in Kim's care. But they are far from unprintable. Brett punched holes (4) in the corner of each negative. He then signed them on one edge, "No Prints Brett Weston." 95% of the image is clear and very much printable. In fact, Cole liked to joke at worksops he conducted and would show prints he did make from a few of the negatives. Of course, none of these prints ever left Cole's hands.
Cole also told me how he and Brett floated the emulsion off the vast majority of Brett's negatives in 55 gallon barrels of water when Brett discovered they didn't burn very easily.

Walker

 

[Petzi]

It is a myth that Brett burned his negatives. Yes, he did try and burn a few ceremonial ones at this 80th birthday party. He discovered negatives do not burn so easily. But the majority of his negative were destroyed. Brett and his brother Cole filled up 55 gallon drums with water and dumped the negatives in. After several days the emulsion floated from the base.

I don't have to understand this, do I?

 

[Shawn Dougherty]

I burn all my crap lf negs over summer campfires, they shrivel up quite nicely... of course that's never more than about 100 at a time. I can only image trying to get rid of as many as Brett had by his 80th!!!

I can hardly wait for the New York Portfolio book to arrive. San Fran and White Sands are superb.

 

[Michael A. Smith]

The books were scheduled to arrive in port on May 11, but the ship was re-routed and is due in tomorrow. And our container is on "customs hold," so the cargo cannot be immeditately released. Aggravation! Aggravation! Hopefully, we will get the books sometime next week. We better, because we are heading out at the end of the week and will be gone for a month. The softbound books will be shipped soon after they arrive here, but the hardbound ones first need to be numbered. If they arrive next week, they will go out promptly. Otherwise there will be a delay of another month. And here we thouht we would have boos in February . . .

We'll be printing the next portfolio, Fifteen Photographs, during the summer. It will be bound in the USA.

We are in the process of totally revising the Lodima Press web site and in a few weeks(?), months(?), it should finally be pretty good.

 

[skillian]

Just got my copy of New York - fantastic as always. I like the binding on this even better than the previous two (referring to the hardcover). This is a must-have for anyone who admires Brett's work.

Thanks M&P for sticking it out with this series. Keep em coming!

 

[payral]

Did someone already get the new Brett Portfolio "New York", soft cover one ?
Any feedback ?

 

[Curt]

Still waiting for the arrival.

 

[Jeremy]

i was charged for it so i hope to receive it any day now

 

[jmdavis]

Did someone already get the new Brett Portfolio "New York", soft cover one ?
Any feedback ?

I received my hardcover June 4th or 5th. But I don't know if anyone has received their softcover. I'm in the same UPS zone as Michael and Paula, so I usually get packages the next day.



Mike

 

[Curt]

i was charged for it so i hope to receive it any day now

..


:confused: :confused: :confused:

 

[Jeremy]

..


:confused: :confused: :confused:

Curt,

I am one of the subscribers to the soft edition of the Brett Weston series so I get charged automatically before they ship the next edition. Since I saw the charge the other day I assume the book is soon following through the mail.

 

[Curt]

Yes, I saw the charge for my soft edition also. They most certainly have it in the works. I only worry that I will come home and find it in the front yard in a rain storm. If it's UPS they do a good job. Fedex will hide it in the back yard and I will just find it next to the garbage can. The post office will leave a slip and make me go to the post office, stand in line and wait all morning. Most of the time they don't even ring the door bell. I am looking forward to the books.

 

[doughowk]

Besides the portfolio series, it would be beneficial if someone published Wood's biography of Brett Weston. The excerpts at Brett Weston Archive are tantalizing. I just got a copy of Interviews with Master Photographers that includes a Brett Weston interview. It occurred around 1977, and he does express some strong opinions.

Also check out an old article on Brett at NY Times by Charles Hagen

 

[Richard Boutwell]

I just saw these new posts about the next Brett Weston book, and I thought that I would give everyone an update. But first, I would like to thank everyone for their patience with receiving this book. It was bound in Europe, which caused more delays and headaches than we thought it would solve.

The hardbound books were sent via UPS so they could be tracked and insured. The soft bound books were sent a few days later by USPS media mail, so they will take a little longer to arrive. The same goes for Planets, the next book in the Lodima Press Portfolio Book Series. Again, thank you to the subscribers for all your patience

Best,
Richard Boutwell
Lodima Press

 

[jmdavis]

Besides the portfolio series, it would be beneficial if someone published Wood's biography of Brett Weston. The excerpts at Brett Weston Archive are tantalizing. I just got a copy of Interviews with Master Photographers that includes a Brett Weston interview. It occurred around 1977, and he does express some strong opinions.

Also check out an old article on Brett at NY Times by Charles Hagen

After reading the Hagan article on the "Voyage of the Eye" exhibit from NYT, I am reminded of Brett Weston's quote about art critics in the audio excerpts from "Brett Weston: Photographer."

"I get so Godd**n sick of talk and prattle about art. There's not enough art around or at least there's just too much talk..."


Mike Davis

 

[Curt]

I just saw these new posts about the next Brett Weston book, and I thought that I would give everyone an update. But first, I would like to thank everyone for their patience with receiving this book. It was bound in Europe, which caused more delays and headaches than we thought it would solve.

The hardbound books were sent via UPS so they could be tracked and insured. The soft bound books were sent a few days later by USPS media mail, so they will take a little longer to arrive. The same goes for Planets, the next book in the Lodima Press Portfolio Book Series. Again, thank you to the subscribers for all your patience

Thank you, our UPS driver is really a terrific guy. I am looking forward to the book.

Curt

 

[brYan]

A few years back, B&W Magazine featured an expanded article on Brett which mentioned that he did soak his negatives until the emulsion became dislodged from the gelatin base.

 

[matt miller]

Has anyone received their soft bound copies yet?

 

[Curt]

No, not yet, I keep looking for the soft bound copy but no delivery yet. I'm on the west coast, I don't know if there any method to the delivery.

Curt

 

[PaulH]

I have not received my copy either and I am only a couple of hundred miles away.

 

[PaulH]

I got my softbound copy this afternoon.

 

[doughowk]

Received my softbound copy today - I'm glad I don't have a smaller mailbox else my lazy postman would probably have folded it in half rather than merely bending it. Beautiful images of NY & continued excellent quality of reproduction. Looking forward to the next installment this Fall - Fifteen Photographs.

 

[Curt]

Postman? I thought they were being sent by UPS?

 

[matt miller]

In post #38 above, Richard Boutwell told us that they were sent via USPS media mail. Must still be by horseback, because I haven't received my copy yet. Maybe today.

 

[Curt]

UPS or USPS or what ever method, I ordered the series, got the first book then nothing, Mr. Smith called to get the credit card number for the second book, got the second book, when the third book came out and it was posted here I checked my account and found that on the 30th of June, 07 the amount for the book was paid to Lodima. Yesterday I received an email from Richard that a credit card number was needed. I had been waiting for the book as seen in my posts to this thread. I thought I had ordered a “series” of books which included a slip case etc.. I haven’t got the time to mess with it, maybe a book will come and maybe not, I don’t know what the mailing scheme is but some here and some there does not seem very good.

Curt