clan hirsch, tonopah, nv
1929: A family orders a family portrait. The photographer pulls up in a year old Ford and begins to set up his apparatus. First the sturdy tripod. A Ries of course. On his solid platfrom he sets up an Eastman Improved #2, 7X11 inch format camera, unusual even in 1929. When he is satisfied that it is level he mounts a Wollensak Verito f4 diffused focus lens of 18 inch focal length. He moves a small lawn bench into position in open shade and pre-sets his focus. Now he calls his group together and carefully places them in position for the photograph. He exposes at least 3 sheets of film so that if something un-forseen happens he has a backup. He dismantles the apparatus and places it again in his car and tells the family he will get in touch when the resulting prints are made. The fee for his service is roughly equal to a days wage, $5 or $6. No one thinks any more about it.
2009: The above (alas sans the Model A) is more like a theatrical performance. The cell phones are out snapping pictures of the photographer and text messages with pictures of the camera are sent to friends that have an interest in photography. It becomes an event. In a world of digital images that vanish in a whish of a hard drive failure at least one family has a hard copy of themselves that will last for generations.
My daughter graduated with the lad second from left last row. He is a fan of good photography and prevailed on me to come and make a special picture of his family on the occasion of the high school graduation of the lassie in front. For this I was handsomely paid with 2 fine bottles of wine and a filet mignon as big as 2 fists.
