65 Years Ago - May 1950

<p>Welcome to May 1950.</p>

<p>Let's start off with some surf photography. This is the earliest article I have seen written on this subject. Look at the equipment they used.</p>

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<p>How does one pick models as photography subjects? Let's ask the pros.</p>

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<p>Let's look at this month's Amateur Report.</p>

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<p>Here is this month's Hollywood and Vine column.</p>

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<p>Here are the latest photographic products.</p>

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<p>Here is an article on the top news photographs of 1949.</p>

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<p>Here are this month's camera equipment ads.</p>

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<p>Here are this month's dealer ads.</p>

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<p>That is it for May 1950. All material was from Modern Photography magazine. All comments and suggestions are welcome.</p>

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<p>Again, thanks for sharing this info.</p>

<p>On the Amateur Report - I enjoyed reading about the Rube Golberg set up to photograph hummingbirds nest . If Fred had a Rollei instead of Speed Graphic, he would have been able to use a rubber bulb release.</p>

<p>Also, a Kodak Retina II was pricey in 1950. It was $197.00 USD, which included federal excise tax.</p>

<p>Andrew,</p>

<p>I always like to see the dedication and resourcefulness photographer go through to get the shot. The surfing article also shows this. </p>

<p>Well done, Marc!</p>

<p>Thanks for a great look back. Especially interesting was the new equipment column. </p>

<p>Many thanks for these fine looks into the past. I enjoyed the surf post - that was really hard work. Not to speak of the model one.</p>

<p>My first serious camera was a Retina II identical to the one in the Kodak advertising.</p>

 

<p>Sunday evening and I've finally got around to clicking the links...Great stuff, as usual <strong>Marc</strong>. The two things that strike me most from this 1950 edition is the total lack of Japanese items, and perhaps how our ideas of feminine beauty have altered in the 65 years past. Thanks for another interesting trip back.</p>

<p>Just been away myself and catching up. Always a pleasure to find your links Marc....do keep them coming! Rollei was right in their ads, they really did dominate back in those times.</p>

<p>Thanks, Marc. Great stuff, as usual. Interesting how few people were shooting surfers back then. I wonder if that has changed. Do more photographers shoot baseball than surfing? Those sorts of statistics would be quite interesting.</p>

<p>Alex S. - Thanks.</p>

<p>Mike - I always find some interesting tidbits in the new products.</p>

<p>Julio - You are welcome. The May 1960 issue has a test of the Retina IIIc. I am just finishing up that post.</p>

<p>Rick - The Japanese items were few and far between. Some issues have several items and some have none. Even during the fifties the idea of feminine beauty changed quite a bit. I will have to make note of that when I am doing my scans.</p>

<p>Tony - I don't know if I have ever done a post without a Rollei ad. They sure dominate my attention.</p>

<p>Karim - I think surfing was mostly in Hawaii. There was some in Southern California but I don't recall it being that popular. I lived in Santa Barbara, CA during most of the fifties and I mostly remember paddle boards and inflatable items. I think surfing really gained popularity in the sixties. By then longer lenses were available at reasonable prices so you could photograph the action from the beach.</p>

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