Hollywood Portraits, Exhibition.

[Noeyedear]

No doubt lots have seen this exhibition already http://www.npg.org.uk/glamour/index.htm

Well worth the visit. Mostly quite small images which is fine, my only complaint is that the larger prints clearly states something like modern silver bromide from the original negative, Oh really? they look like copies and poor inkjets to me.
The Charlie Chaplin one is very contrasty and you can clearly see the shadow of stipple paper lit when copying. Others I can see banding across the image and they look quite flat.
Still well worth the visit and great pictures how ever they are reproduced, the large prints would of been better if they were an original silver bromide though. I would of liked to see the genuine quality at a large size rather than the muddy prints on show claiming to be new silver bromides.

Kevin.

[jp]

My understanding is that for studio stuff, the workflow was to take 8x10" negatives, touch them up, and contact print them. If what you call small is 8x10, then that's probably an authentic size.

"Hurrell's Hollywood Portraits" has really nice reproductions for a book if you're into this sort of thing.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0810934345

If you want to study some nice B&W portraits of famous folks, find a Karsh exhibit. You won't be disappointed.

[Noeyedear]

My understanding is that for studio stuff, the workflow was to take 8x10" negatives, touch them up, and contact print them. If what you call small is 8x10, then that's probably an authentic size.

"Hurrell's Hollywood Portraits" has really nice reproductions for a book if you're into this sort of thing.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0810934345

If you want to study some nice B&W portraits of famous folks, find a Karsh exhibit. You won't be disappointed.

I reckon they were nearer 8x6 for quite a lot.
I will check out the book, the one with the exhibition was not wonderful repro or I would of bought it.

Kevin.

[Robert Hughes]

You may want to look up Mortenson's "The Portrait". The Anti-Ansel had his ways with Hollywood women, they say...

[Alan Gales]

My understanding is that for studio stuff, the workflow was to take 8x10" negatives, touch them up, and contact print them. If what you call small is 8x10, then that's probably an authentic size.

"Hurrell's Hollywood Portraits" has really nice reproductions for a book if you're into this sort of thing.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0810934345

If you want to study some nice B&W portraits of famous folks, find a Karsh exhibit. You won't be disappointed.

I own some books on Hurrell and Hollywood portraiture. The studios not only had their own photographers, they also had their own touch-up teams. I was really surprised by how heavy handed some of these touch-up artists were.