The Photographer Edward Weston question

[Turner Reich]

I have the DVD "The Photographer" with Edward Weston. Does anyone know who the student photographer is that is with him in this movie? She doesn't look familiar and isn't in the credits.

Thank you,
tr

name withheld for personal reasons

[Mike Davis]

I think that it is Dody (his last assistant) and Brett's 3rd wife. There are shots of her in the catalogue of the color show that were shot at the same time as the film.

Mike

[davidb]

Is this something worth watching?

[Turner Reich]

Mike is there a color show, what's that one about? David, it's a very good look the master photographer. Some people complain that it's a propaganda film on America but if you ignore the comments and abstraction you will get a very fine look and be pleased. I watch it over and over for there is always something I get from it. I think the most important is inspiration. It was shot in 1948 and he took his last photographs at Point Lobos in that year and died on New Years day in 1958. You can get the DVD on eBay with no bidding. Everyone doing photography should see this movie.

[Jon Shiu]

I think the "student" is just an actress, judging by how she handles the camera. It seems very apparent that Edward is suffering from Parkinson's by his lack of expression, stiffness and tremors (note how he crimps the paper in the darkroom). Still a worthwhile look at a great photographer.

Jon

[Mike Davis]

Mike is there a color show, what's that one about? David, it's a very good look the master photographer. Some people complain that it's a propaganda film on America but if you ignore the comments and abstraction you will get a very fine look and be pleased. I watch it over and over for there is always something I get from it. I think the most important is inspiration. It was shot in 1948 and he took his last photographs at Point Lobos in that year and died on New Years day in 1958. You can get the DVD on eBay with no bidding. Everyone doing photography should see this movie.

There was a color show in the 80's at the Center for Creative Photography, "Edward Weston: Color Photography." It was from his color work shot between 1946 and 1948. I found a catalog at a used book store. I believe that they have also done a reprint of the catalog.

According to information from that catalog, the shooting for the film began in 1947. Dody was definitely his last assistant and Brett's third wife. There are photos of her in color at Point Lobos dated in 1947 contemporary to the film production. I have not seen the actual documentary in many years. I don't own a copy of it. My memory is that I enjoyed and was impressed by the simplicity of his method (as I was when I saw "Brett Weston: Photographer."

[Greg Lockrey]

I can't answer the question but I have an old pen and ink Graphic Design project that's pretty cool. It's a postage stamp design I made of Weston. Note that it's for $.20 that puts it around 1980 or so.


I know, it's not a large format print, but it's cool anyway.

[Merg Ross]

The actress hired to play Weston's apprentice was Franny Clausen.

[Mike Davis]

The actress hired to play Weston's apprentice was Franny Clausen.

Ah, good information. I always thought that it was actually Dody but as I said, its been years since I saw the documentary.

Is the DVD currently available from a good print?


Mike Davis

[Donald Qualls]

It's a postage stamp design I made of Weston. Note that it's for $.20 that puts it around 1980 or so.

Were you aware you can now order custom-printed stamps with any image you like on them? There are certain guidelines to prevent the stamps being offensive or being used as political statements, but those shouldn't affect a simple facial portrait like that one.