Yousuf Karsh... I never knew

[John Conway]

Just about every book on photography that passed through my local library has been in my hands. The bookshelves in my home are loaded with books on photography. I have always been impressed with portraits of Hemingway and Churchill, but somehow never realized the genius of Karsh.

[jp]

You should check out the actual prints sometime!

[Frank Petronio]

And those old timers used earlier cameras and lenses (and lights) that a lot of us would snuff at too!

[Jim Jones]

The quality of reproduction in books varies widely. In 1959 the University of Toronto Press issued a large first edition of Karsh's Portraits of Greatness. It was printed in Holland on heavy paper with the rotogravure process that yielded velvety blacks and fine detail. Each page can easily be removed for framing. Subsequent editions are often printed in halftone, which rarely does Karsh justice. Unfortunately, most booksellers have wised up to the value of the first edition, and they are usually expensive. Occasionally a dealer slips up and lets one go at an affordable price. Of course the large original prints are even better. I saw some in 1978, when they were priced at a mere $600 to $1200. The same gallery had framed Cole Weston 20x24 color prints and his contact prints from Edward Weston negatives for $225.

[cdholden]

And those old timers...
<snip>


Pot... kettle... black...

[Heroique]

I have always been impressed with portraits of Churchill...

Here’s his portrait of Winston Churchill, 1941.

Would you drop bombs on this man’s city?

[rwhb1]

Does anyone know what combination of camera, film etc. were used by Karsh?

I often look at these old masters and think how did they do that, especially of the great film studio photographers.

Russ

[cowanw]

Much of that detail is in this biography. This is really the best of any of his biographies.
Portrait in Light and Shadow: The Life of Yousuf Karsh

[Helen Bach]

Here’s his portrait of Winston Churchill, 1941.

Would you drop bombs on this man’s city?

Would you take this man's cigar away?*

A friend of mine has an original print of this portrait - it is rather good.

Best,
Helen

*Karsh famously took Winston's cigar off him immediately before taking the picture.

[George Richards]

Does anyone know what combination of camera, film etc. were used by Karsh?

I often look at these old masters and think how did they do that, especially of the great film studio photographers.

Russ
Here's a link to some of his cameras.
http://www.sciencetech.technomuses.ca/english/collection/karsh5.cfm

[Tony Karnezis]

Also, if you have >$300 to spare, check out a more recent book: Yousuf Karsh, Regarding Heroes (2009).

http://www.photoeye.com/bookstore/citation.cfm?Catalog=go055

[rwhb1]

What great information! Thanks.

Russ

[Vaughn]

I have seen a couple of his prints - amazing.

[Michael Graves]

I had the opportunity to see an exhibition of Karsh's work a while back. While the print quality was better than average, it wasn't the print quality that made the images amazing. Nor was it the amazing mastery of light that he demonstrated. It was both of them together, combined with his nearly supernatural ability to transfer some of the sitter's personality onto the printed image. That last part is kind of hard to learn.

[George Richards]

http://ww3.tvo.org/video/162795/karsh-history

If you've got a few minutes to spare this is a nice documentary...

[ic-racer]

Also, if you have >$300 to spare, check out a more recent book: Yousuf Karsh, Regarding Heroes (2009).

http://www.photoeye.com/bookstore/citation.cfm?Catalog=go055

If you have $300 to spare you can just get this and start making your own photographs :p
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-Original-case-Graphic-View-Ventage-Camera-Two-Film-Holders-/160709007501?pt=US_Vintage_Cameras&hash=item256b00d88d#ht_500wt_1206

[Tom Monego]

I met Karsh 3 times, 1st time was a funny story involving coffee. The next two were with photo sessions for 2 doctors I worked for. The first ws for the founder of the practice, quite famous as a physician and as a French partisan in WWII. I was one of the staff photographers and had the assignment to make sure Karsh had everything he needed from us. Wasn't much, spoke with his assistant for a while and was allowed into the room we were using for a studio while they were setting up. At that time he was using an 8x10 with what looked like a Commercial Ektar, wasn't allowed close enough to see what focal length. Was not allowed in the room while he was working with the doc. This was all color, didn't have the drama of his B&W.
The second session was for another MD in the practice, a Canadian also famous due to surgeries and research he had done, he insisted on having Karsh do the shoot. This one Karsh used a Hassleblad, it was about a year before his death, I was not impressed with the proofs, this MD was very self conscious and it looked it in the photos. Hard thing to have to tell someone, you don't like the images he just paid handsomely for. The interesting thing here was I could have had Arnold Newman do the session and he had a link to the doc, his son was a research MD at the institute affiliated with the practice and the doc had operated on a relative. I had called Mr Newman, it took him a couple of days to get back to me, by this time the doc had called Karsh.

Tom

[Robbie Shymanski]

I saw a show of his a couple years back at AIC. Turned me into a believer. Big prints. 8x10. Studio flashes. He had a thing and it worked!

[lenser]

http://ww3.tvo.org/video/162795/karsh-history

If you've got a few minutes to spare this is a nice documentary...


Is there some trick to getting this to play?

[Allen in Montreal]

Karsh tidbit, Karsh sued his brother, another photographer, to prevent him from using the family name, Karsh.

Only after Karsh's death did my mom tell me that the Karshs were stamp collectors and my parents would often see them when visiting Ottawa, mom and Mrs. Karsh would have tea.

When I asked why they never told me, I would have tagged along in an instant!
Mom replied something along the lines of: he wasn't a photojournalist, I thought you would not have cared. :( :(

[Mike Anderson]

http://ww3.tvo.org/video/162795/karsh-history

If you've got a few minutes to spare this is a nice documentary...


Is there some trick to getting this to play?

Video doesn't work for me either.

...Mike

[Frank_E]

I wonder if it is a copyright issue

often when video links to the UK and some to the US are posted I can't see them when everyone else seems to be able to

this is a link to a Canadian web site (TVO is a government of Ontario owned station with a format like PBS) and it could be that viewing is limited to those in TVO's viewing area (which I happen to be). I had no trouble viewing it a few minutes ago.

you will notice that George Richards who posted the link is also Canadian (but in Nova Scotia)