technique to get the "Karsh, Hurrell" look from sharp lenses??

[mdarnton]

We have a giant Hurrell print in our shop, and to me it just looks like an enlargement made through a stocking, like I used to do printing portraits in the studio I worked at in high school in the 60s, except we did it for 50% of the exposure, and the print looks like 100%

[jp]

I think he started with a verito and eventually moved to the celor lens. Vieira's book on p51 says with the celor lens, diffusion was added in the darkroom, and a new retouching artist was hired because it was sharper than needed. Prior use of the verito made retouching easier. I think elsewhere it says he took only his verito with him when he changed studios previously.

[Peter Yeti]

What puzzles me most is why he got a Celor at all. This lens was outdated a good 20 years when he started business and I doubt it was very common in the US. The Dogmar was way more widespread but also disappeared soon after the fusion of Zeiss and Goerz in 1926. Maybe this was just a random pick and not that important to him due to the other parameters in his work flow.

Peter

[richardman]

On a FB group, this subject came up a few weeks ago and I mentioned that Hurrell used retouching extensively and a Russian photographer says that he has done portraits for over 20 years using the same lens etc. and got the same results etc. without retouching etc. etc. I'm not much into debate so I just let it passed.

[Willie]

Don't forget the lighting. Hot lights were used often by these photographers.

[Lightbender]

Regarding the diffusion.. there are also filters designed to add diffusion, or a cross-screen, etc.

[Jac@stafford.net]

What puzzles me most is why he got a Celor at all. This lens was outdated a good 20 years when he started business and I doubt it was very common in the US. [...]

Perhaps he used the Celor (if that is what he used) because suited his technique or habit. As many here will testify, later technology does not insure greater aesthetic qualities.

About hot lights - incandescent bulbs are diffuse unless put through a fresnel. They have a beautiful diffuse quality - at the expense of the model's discomfort. They were not on all the time.

And as many here have noted, his pre-visualization included extensive retouching, pencil and scalpels.

[Tin Can]

In the back of my Karsh book 'Portraits of Greatness' he says he primarily used only 8x10 camera with 127mm to 14" Ektar, occasionally 4x5, TLR, Leica. He says he prefers tungsten lighting and used strobe when abroad. Page 207 paraphrased.

Every page in this book could be cut out and framed. Made in Netherland by sheet fed gravure, I bought this 1960 reprint for $13 in excellent condition 6 months ago in a hipster bookstore.

I really should stick them all on my wall.

[Jac@stafford.net]

Every page in this book could be cut out and framed. Made in Netherland by sheet fed gravure, I bought this 1960 reprint for $13 in excellent condition 6 months ago in a hipster bookstore.

I really should stick them all on my wall.

Another reason to visit Randy.
.

[CropDusterMan]

I'm a little confused with the Karsh part of the OP's original Q...I have seen some Karsh prints in person, and although
it was years ago, I do remember them being very sharp...look at the portrait of Hemingway for instance. The lighting
was spectacular...a lot of technique there...flagging, serious light control and critical focus, not to mention an obviously
well done neg and awesome printing.