A Fine Day in Montclair
It’s not just Gen Z that’s into analog photography.
A departure from photographing dead beech trees or veggies composting in deli containers was due. The inspiration to make a photograph with people in it came from my friend Frank (pictured below with the big Deardorff camera), who shared an Irving Penn group photo of Vogue fashion photographers from 1947 (scroll to bottom). I thought I’d seen everything the master did, but not this one.
What caught my eye was that it seemed eerily similar, though scruffier, to an area in my back yard garden that could easily accommodate a group arranged much like those in Penn’s photo - with matching afternoon sun, to boot. Wouldn’t it be cool to pay homage to Penn’s pic, I thought. Fortunately, I have photographer friends who live in the area. After many emails, and prodded with the promise of beer and finger-food afterwards, this first-class bunch showed up on a hot mid-August Sunday afternoon willing to suffer for my art. Most brought their analog cameras to use as props. A few of us still use them. What a blast. Must do again.
Left to right: (Sir) Phil Cantor, Ellen Denuto, Frank Schramm, Steve Hockstein, Christine Back, Dan Epstein, Mike Peters, and me.
A few departures from the original image were essential. First, a prettier setting; wouldn’t you agree? Maybe that was Penn’s back yard, poor lad. Unlike the 1947 group photo, which includes just one woman (a model, not a photographer), everyone is a photographer in the picture taken 76 years later. Furthermore, we’re a happy bunch. Why so serious in 1947? No party expected after the shoot, I’m sure (Horst looks like he could use a drink). Lastly, where is Irving Penn in this photo? No room for him? Camera shy? Didn’t trust an assistant to press the button? I had a remote trigger, so I’m in mine.
Left to right: Serge Balkin, Cecil Beaton (not yet Sir), George Platt Lynes, Constantine Joffe, Dorian Leigh (model and Suzy Parker’s sister), Horst P. Horst, John Rawlings, Alexander Liberman (art director), Erwin Blumenfeld
The photo was taken with a Sony aR7iii. I used a huge white translucent beach umbrella illuminated with flash for just enough fill light.
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