"Remembering Brett Weston"

[Tin Can]

A good day!

Time to raise a glass again to my good friend.

On this date, 110 years ago, Brett was born.

Merg

[rdenney]

I’ve been reading about him in Mary Alinder’s book on Group f.64. Definitely an interesting character, and fit right into the bohemian lifestyle of the group. I’ll finish the book this weekend.

Rick “glass raised” Denney

[Michael R]

Time to watch the movie again. My old DVD copy.

[neil poulsen]

One of finest classes I ever took in any college was on "Photograph Styles" from Gerry Robinson taught at Mt. Hood Community College in Portland, Oregon. He was a lawyer who graduated from Columbia Law School, and his Photographic Styles class was taught in the best tradition of a class taught maybe at Harvard as depicted by John Houseman (as Professor Charles W. Kingsfield Jr.) in the movie Paper Chase.

This class was amazing. Gerry had written the text himself, which was filled with biographical sketches of photographers, how photography progressed from early to modern times, he included some example photographs, and his book was replete with bibliographic references of included content. The research he had done was comprehensive, the book was a tour de force, and Gerry updated it every time that he taught the course. And that was just the text. I always enjoyed listening to stories that he would tell about many photographers that he had known, seeing many 35mm slides that he had collected of photographs, and even seeing actual photographs by some of these photographers. I don't remember them all of course, but they included Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, Ruth Bernhard, Wynn Bulluck, and of course Brett Weston.

Gerry was best friends with Brett Weston, and had all his portfolios, one of which was dedicated to him. These were among the photos to which we were treated in his class, and on occasion, in his home. Gerry reserved Friday afternoons at 2pm for students to visit him in his home, where we would share stories and images. In particular, I really enjoyed seeing images by Brett Weston in his class and at these home events.

[Merg Ross]

One of finest classes I ever took in any college was on "Photograph Styles" from Gerry Robinson taught at Mt. Hood Community College in Portland, Oregon. He was a lawyer who graduated from Columbia Law School, and his Photographic Styles class was taught in the best tradition of a class taught maybe at Harvard as depicted by John Houseman (as Professor Charles W. Kingsfield Jr.) in the movie Paper Chase.

This class was amazing. Gerry had written the text himself, which was filled with biographical sketches of photographers, how photography progressed from early to modern times, he included some example photographs, and his book was replete with bibliographic references of included content. The research he had done was comprehensive, the book was a tour de force, and Gerry updated it every time that he taught the course. And that was just the text. I always enjoyed listening to stories that he would tell about many photographers that he had known, seeing many 35mm slides that he had collected of photographs, and even seeing actual photographs by some of these photographers. I don't remember them all of course, but they included Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, Ruth Bernhard, Wynn Bulluck, and of course Brett Weston.

Gerry was best friends with Brett Weston, and had all his portfolios, one of which was dedicated to him. These were among the photos to which we were treated in his class, and on occasion, in his home. Gerry reserved Friday afternoons at 2pm for students to visit him in his home, where we would share stories and images. In particular, I really enjoyed seeing images by Brett Weston in his class and at these home events.

Neil, you were indeed fortunate to have had Gerry as a teacher. You are no doubt familiar with the book he published in2006, "Photography, History & Science". Within it is an insightful chapter on Brett and his father. The last time I saw Gerry was at Brett's 80th birthday party in 1991.

The home visits sound like fun, what a great idea. Gerry really knew the history of photography, and was also a good friend of Art Wright who made the film (DVD) of Brett.

Thanks for your story.

Merg

[Merg Ross]

I’ve been reading about him in Mary Alinder’s book on Group f.64. Definitely an interesting character, and fit right into the bohemian lifestyle of the group. I’ll finish the book this weekend.

Rick “glass raised” Denney

An interesting character, for sure. You picked a good book to read about Group f.64; an accurate and well-researched account.

Rick, on the subject of Brett, one of my favorite writings is by his friend Richard Miller.


https://www.richardcmiller.com/portf...-a-friendship/

[John Kasaian]

An interesting character, for sure. You picked a good book to read about Group f.64; an accurate and well-researched account.

Rick, on the subject of Brett, one of my favorite writings is by his friend Richard Miller.


https://www.richardcmiller.com/portf...-a-friendship/

Thanks Merg. That's a very touching essay!

[Doug Howk]

Time to dust off a couple of good books on Brett:
"My Time with Brett" by Randy Efros
"A Restless Eye" by John Charles Woods
Also need to leaf thru his portfolios [Lodima Press version]
Happy Birthday, Brett

[Willie]

Might be a good time to check out the opportunity to get one or more of the portfolio books.
I have no business relation with Lodima Press, just a customer with the portfolios.
Worth every penny.


https://www.lodima.org/brett-weston

THE PORTFOLIOS OF BRETT WESTON
A NINETEEN-VOLUME SERIES

Today, Weston’s original portfolios are rare, expensive, and relatively inaccessible in museums, archives, libraries, or private collections.

Printing technology now makes it possible, however, to bring the Brett Weston portfolios to a larger audience in reproductions that, in their rich detail, tonal scale and color, surface quality, and aesthetic appeal, are almost indistinguishable from the original prints. Printed in Belgium by Salto in unprecedented 600-line screen quadtone, and later by Dual Graphics in 400-line screen quadtone (after Salto ceased printing books). Printed on heavy coated stock, the photographs have been reproduced actual size whenever possible.

[Drew Wiley]

The first actual EW (not Brett) print I ever saw was "Willie" - the tombstone shot contact print. Saw lots of Brett's prints later. Unforgettable.