Camera technique of Robert Frank's "The Americans?"

I believe that he used Leica (M3?). What lens, film, etc did he use?

Thanks.

Bill:

 

Here's some info:

 

http://photography.about.com/library/weekly/aa071000a.htm

Reportedly, Frank used a screw-mount Leica with 35mm and 50mm lenses, mostly the 35mm. Some pictures look like they were taken with a slightly longer lens, probably 90mm. I remember reading something about the films he used, but I can't remember. Common 35mm b&w films of that era were Kodak Plus-X, Super-XX, and Tri-X.

I have a self-portrait of him (a window reflection) where he is using a TLR, but, beyond that, I don't have a clue. Thanks for the link.

some of his contacts are printed in the book, "moving out." those are all plus-x.

50mm Zeiss Sonnar in Leica threadmount.

...and "Storylines" has tri-X and polaroids (typical color....and polaroids B&W negative)........and in four books I have of his, not one mention of the camera(s) used

It is interesting to know what he used but not useful.

 

Photographing in his style will never work because the spirit of those times can obviously never be captured again regardless of equipment or film used.

 

But yes, technically/historically interesting to know.

 

I still dream of finding an original copy of Americans in a second hand book shop for 5 quid. I would love for the publisher to reprint it.

 

Current UK prices run between 100 GB pounds and 1100 GB pounds depending on the edition.

Does it really matter which camera he used? Perhaps a knowledge of his most used lens focal length would be useful though, to better contemplate his images. Perhaps one of his acquaintances in his home on Cape Breton (N.S., Canada) might ask him. But, as an artist, he will probably not remember or even care to.

I recently found the 4th edition on the shelf at Borders (chain megabookstore in the US) new, for the cover price. Not exactly 5 quid, but I was pretty thrilled

I got the same one with a lightly scuffed slip-cover from a book 'clearance' shop. Half the marked price so probably 9.95 can't remember - keep looking Trevor.

His "Moving Out" and "London/Wales" are also not to be missed.

 

Incidentally, there's another "Americans" due out shortly that I just put on pre-order with Amazon (ISBN-10: 8889431687, ISBN-13: 978-8889431689) with collective contributions from various big photographers such as Arbus, Avedon, Frank, Davidson, Friedlander, et al.

 

Here's the description from Amazon of this new "Americans":

 

"A bakers' dozen of the best photographers of the past hundred years, from Helen Levitt and Gordon Parks to Nan Goldin and Ryan McGinley, are brought together here in a series of portfolios expanding on Robert Frank's Americans. Together they consider generations of social upheavals, crises, and shifts in U.S. society, responding to societal problems with attitudes from concerned to ecstatic. Helen Levitt's East Village and Bruce Davidson's are the same, and yet nothing alike, as are Richard Avedon's Texas and Rosalind Solomon's New Orleans, Diane Arbus's periphery and Lee Friedlander's loneliness at the center of the world, Peter Hujar's transsexuals and Larry Clark's boys. While the "concerned photography" of the mid-twentieth century can seem to demand the acceptance of the nonconformist behavior it tracks, and the recognition of social ills, the most recent contributions here avoid those moral undertones, documenting the hedonistic cult of youth, its promiscuity and ideology of fun. They do not judge but may provoke viewers into their own judgments, and always to thought."

As already noted Frank's contact sheets for 'The Amerucans' have been printed in various publications. I found Plus X, Tri X, Ilford HP3 Panchromatic and a hint, "DuPont safety" which might relate to another type.

 

Besides the (mysterious model) Leica used for 'The Americans', I have found references for other model cameras Frank used through his career.

In 1976 he acquired a Polaroid Model 195 for use with Type 665 positive/negative film.

Also in the '70's he used the 'Lure' disposable camera which ran 16mm unperforated film.

I have a photo of him with a Leica M6, 35mm or 50mm lens attached. Somewhere there is also a mention of him using a Rolleiflex early in his career.

 

That's all I can find just now.

I just received and browsed through the other "Americans" I mentioned in my previous post.

 

To set expectations, I doubt that there's a single new image in the book from any of the photographers that hasn't appeared elsewhere before. However, the collection as a whole seems to have been assembled around the theme indicated in the book description above, and holds up very well together. Since I don't own the works of many of the photographers presented in the book, for me, the book is a worthwhile addition to my collection. YMMV.

I will hold out for a re-print either next year or in 2009.

 

Next year will be 50 years since the first publication in France and 2009 will be 50 years from the first USA publication. I am certain there will be a reprint to commemorate at least one of them.

Trevor, I don't know if there will be another reprint in the next couple of years since there was a 1998 reprint already. Bought mine for $30 (USD) last year and I see now going for more than $100 (USD). One never knows. One thing for sure is that this one is a must for any foto library/collection.