How did press photographers use their Graflexes, Pressmans, etc.?

[Larry Kellogg]

They swung the camera to the left, taking out the guy on their left, then swung right to take out the guy on their right, then they took the picture.

[Tin Can]

They swung the camera to the left, taking out the guy on their left, then swung right to take out the guy on their right, then they took the picture.

Good technique!

[Kuzano]

Very poorly indeed! Have you looked at old newspapers?

[Old-N-Feeble]

TRUE STORY: I met a local photographer when I still lived in my home town. He was a darkroom technician for the local newspaper in the 1950's. One day a photographer brought him two Grafmatic holders full of exposed film. When he processed them he saw they were all out of focus. The photographer flipped out when they saw the negatives and accused the technician of somehow blurring the images during processing. The technician tried to explain that was impossible and most likely the wrong infinity stop was used or the cam wasn't matched to the lens. The photographer refused to accept this explanation and stormed off to ask other photographers for advice. They all agreed with the technician but their advice was summarily rejected. Finally, one frustrated coworker jokingly said the technician must have dropped the film holders and knocked the images out of focus. The next day the photographer screamed at the technician accusing him of that very thing.

That's how at least ONE press photographer used their Graflex.

[Tin Can]

Lol

[Drew Bedo]

The press photographers of days past (the good ones anyway) were an invwbtive and adaptable lot. In the competitive world of pre-WW-II news paper reporting, the only thing that matered was an affirmative answer to. "Did you get the shot?" The follow-up question might have been, "How DID you gdet that shot?" the classic answer (from Weegee?) was, "F-8, and BE THERE!"

With all that said; The process of using a press camera and the gear carried around with it is one reason that the SLR cameras swept through press photography in the 60s and 70s of the previous century.

[Jac@stafford.net]

With all that said; The process of using a press camera and the gear carried around with it is one reason that the SLR cameras swept through press photography in the 60s and 70s of the previous century.

In my modest experience, the medium format rangefinder, along with the acceptance of enlarged photos took down the 4x5 Press camera. The Koni Omega Rapid-M was a killer for quick, lightweight photography. There was even a revolving bulb-flash unit. It cracked me up to see an old guy pumping that camera and popping bulbs faster than I could fire a Leica - before I got a Leicavit.

The Nikon F was the 35mm outfit that did in the larger cameras, in part because Nikon had a powerful Ad and PR effort, including almost giving them away to press photographers to be seen using them. And the F was modular. When we broke a body, we parted it down to the frame and replaced just that part. (Oh, and some wiseguys were taping over the Nikon front logo, really frustrating the company, "We practically give you cameras and you obliterate the logo!???"