My mother photographed mostly children for 50 years but she also photographed adults. She did this in an amazing way … a bit different than the way that she would photograph children. In my mothers day, especially in the period of the 1940’s through to the 1950’s men had a certain style of dress and demeanor that my mother exemplified in the way of a fine photo portrait.
I am planning to do the same thing. I cannot pose people the way that my mother did but I have a plan. Look at this portrait and see if you would like one very much like it.
What is my plan ? Oh, yeah … I have a 1937 folding camera made by Ziess Icon that can make a picture just like the one you see here . I can see a great portrait suddenly while I am in the process of taking someones’ picture. I am good at this. I cannot pose a subject the way my mom did. You should know that the picture you see here was masterfully set up with two light sources, focus and exposure determination and then my mother would carefully coerce her subject into assuming the pose you see here from her camera position. This process would take up to one hour. my mother would not take a picture until all was perfect … for 50 years !
My plan: My Ziess Icon camera has a fast (instant) firing shutter when I have twenty foot bulb shutter release attached to it. When I see something perfect in the way of my subjects composure I can take a picture instantly with just a slight touch of my twenty foot bulb release. This I will be good at.
To start I will charge $120. This will include proofs and a final print in a frame.
Are we all supposed to look superficial and mindless in all of our portrature … with a big smily face ? Not in a serious fine portrait I say.
George Forss 518 677-3288 georgeforss@yahoo.com
Wait ! Wait until I have a portriat sample to show you. Tune into this blog to see what I am doing.
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