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Thread: George Hurrell, Documentary

  1. #1

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    George Hurrell, Documentary

    Discussion about Fashion Fotos and Edward Jean Steichen got me thinking about a documentary done on George Hurrell some years ago. The doc appeared on Youtube, then disappeared. Now it has re-appeared. This is a worth while watch for any interested this style of Portrait image making using a LF camera, lighting, composition. Keep in mind George Hurrell started out as a painter, then moved on to photography as a means for survival. Keep in mind, the 8x10 negatives used to create these Hollywood images from that era were "retouched" to extreme degrees in some cases (scrape, fill, pencil and a LOT more) to achieve the PR look needed and expected. This is one of the many reasons why the 8x10 film negative was such an excellent tool for this kind of image making.

    The doc was sponsored by Canon.. which is a bit "humorous" near the end as there is Canon EOS promo near the end.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G7-J0lOncQ



    Bernice

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    Re: George Hurrell, Documentary

    A wonderful documentary!

  3. #3
    Peter De Smidt's Avatar
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    Re: George Hurrell, Documentary

    Yeah, that was fun. Thanks for the link!
    “You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.”
    ― Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know

  4. #4

    Re: George Hurrell, Documentary

    Quite enjoyable. Thank you.
    Flikr Photos Here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/

    “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”
    ― Mark Twain

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    William Whitaker's Avatar
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    Re: George Hurrell, Documentary

    Alas, not a word about lenses. Guess it's just geeks like us, er, uh... me, that care about such!

  6. #6
    Peter De Smidt's Avatar
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    Re: George Hurrell, Documentary

    Looked like a Commercial Ektar.
    “You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.”
    ― Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know

  7. #7

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    Re: George Hurrell, Documentary

    Much of GH images were about lighting-shadows-composition and greater less about camera-lens as camera-lens alone can NEVER produce the results GH got in his images.

    Yes, that is a Kodak Commercial Ektar used by GH in this doc, but GH used a variety of lenses over the course of his work. He also used Mole-Richardson lighting which was very common in Hollywood. Notice the clothesline clip together with cardboard lens shade and curious dark cloth and... GH also used a Canon EOS towards the end of this doc as promo...

    As previously mentioned, what was not discussed-mentioned are the highly skilled negative re-workers that so completely altered these negatives to meet what was needed in the images to be produced. This IS the similar-identical to "Photoshop" of today.


    Bernice


    Quote Originally Posted by William Whitaker View Post
    Alas, not a word about lenses. Guess it's just geeks like us, er, uh... me, that care about such!

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    Re: George Hurrell, Documentary

    Early close up of the front shows a Goerz lens on the camera.
    ” Never attribute to inspiration that which can be adequately explained by delusion”.

  9. #9
    Peter De Smidt's Avatar
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    Re: George Hurrell, Documentary

    Yes, he used a bunch of lenses: A stopped-down Verito, a Goerz Celor, and, in the video, a Commercial Ektar. I bet he'd have done great work with just about any lens. What's most important are his subjects, interaction, lighting, composition, wardrobe, sets, retouching..... Lens make (and no doubt developer used) pale in comparison to the importance of the other elements.
    “You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.”
    ― Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know

  10. #10
    Roger Thoms's Avatar
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    Re: George Hurrell, Documentary

    Isn’t there a Cooke Knuckler in one scene. Also thought I spotted a Dagor, but I’d have to watch the documentary again to be sure.

    Roger

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