Marilyn Monroe Photoshoot Transparencies - What Camera?

On an old UK edition of The Antiques Roadshow yesterday, one of the items was a set of colour transparencies of a photoshoot of Marilyn Monroe, by Bert Sterne. It was described by the expert as her last shoot although I found references to a later one by George Barris.

 

Now these transparencies were large, hard to tell the size exactly from the screen, but at least 8 by 10 inches, perhaps more. Each carried two different pictures of Marilyn. On one side the image was the right way up, on the other, it was upside down. I've done a mock up to show what is meant – sadly without the benefit of photographing the original subject.

 

It wasn't clear whether they were the original transparencies from the camera, copies, or some kind of intermediate stage prior to publication.

 

I wonder how these came about. Perhaps using a very large format camera, with a rotating back so that two images could be made on each sheet of film?

 

Any thoughts?

 

First of all, what episode? Most of the old ones are on Youtube and can be searched by number.

 

Now ... what I suspect is that there was an 8x10 piece of film that was used half a sheet at a time using a special "half plate" camera and holder that I'd heard of but never seen. (during my own time in NYC photo studios in the seventies and eighties). But that's just guesswork and faded memories. It was pretty normal to shoot people in the studio with large format in those days and there were many devices around to help things along.

 

Bert's website (www.bertstern.com of course) says nothing about technique although there is at least one documentary film of him at work, but of course, this could have been an enlarged copy transparency too. I'd love to see that episode!

Thanks for the response Brian, that's interesting. The item was right at the end of the programme. It was from series 36, one of two 2013 episodes recorded at Eastbourne Bandstand. Eastbourne Bandstand 1 was Series 36 Episode 3, and Eastbourne Bandstand 2 was Series 36 Episode 4 - at least according to UKTV Play Yesterday TV channel website. I think it was on the first of the two but I can't be sure.

 

If it was a copy, why would the two sides have opposite orientations?

You're welcome! I now know what my evening entertainment will be.

 

And why would the copy have "opposite orientations?" Because the original did? The copy may have been enlarged, or it may have been a contact copy of the original large format transparency - something commonly done back then. Thinking back to the studio culture of the time and trying to recall the techniques we used is fun in itself.

I reckon it was a copy of the originals. I don't really find the opposite orientation strange, by reversing one, it makes you concentrate on the right way up one. If both are the same orientation, you are constantly comparing the two.

It was on the first of the two Eastbourne Bandstand episodes. I just watched the second episode.

 

I just remembered that some of the transparencies has editorial notes written on them, supporting the idea that they were copies.

Edited January 15, 2021 by John Seaman

Sorry John, I was unable to find a whole episode online. It doesn't matter though, I love watching old Antiques Roadshow episodes anyway.