Steichen

[GoGo]

New work found in a closet...
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/21/ar...ts&oref=slogin

autochrome glass plates, oh so beautiful

[smieglitz]

Steichen is da man! Masterful.

Those look lovely, especially the first one. Is there anything photographic more beautiful than an autochrome?

Joe

[BillSchwab]

Steichen is da man! Masterful.

I cannot agree... more. I love stories like these.

Bill

[smieglitz]

Autochromes are soooo beautiful. I remember seeing one in The Art of Fixing a Shadow exhibition back in what, '89? Steichen's The Pond:Moonlght was in that show too. As was one of Veruschka's Transfigurations. I bet I stared at that latter image for a half-hour. It probably changed my photography forever.

Another Steichen autochrome:

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/rodn/hob_55.635.9.htm

Ilford used to have a very cool page of autochrome images online but it looks like only a couple are up. Here's one:

http://www.ilford.com/html/us_englis...me/auto107.jpg

and another autochrome from another site:

http://www.hospitalityguild.com/Imag...%20grapes1.jpg

Somewhere in a lost Pinhole Resource issue there was an article about a contemporary Mexican photographer doing pinhole autochromes. I wish I could remember the name/issue because I'd like to try this sometime.

I'll also add that I think some inkjet prints on matte papers can have a similar palette and appeal as an autochrome though never as luminous. All the brouhaha abut film vs. digital is pretty senseless IMO. A well done inkjet with muted colors or tones can be very beautiful. It goes astray when the imagemaker does not exploit the strength of the media but only tries to mimic a photographic proces and that is where I see most contemporary digital work failing.

Joe