Julian Tanase
Well-Known Member
There was a time when film cameras lived in a Golden Age. I have heard this somewhere, and I totally agree with the term. There was a Golden Age of film, and certainly there was a Golden Age for film cameras. I am not an art historian (or whatever an expert in these matters is called), but I would say that the Golden Age I am speaking of has existed probably between 1935 – 1975, or thereabouts.
From Dorothy Lange to W. Eugene Smith to Capa to Erwitt to Ian Berry to Adams, (and yes, I need to mention here Vivian “Lady Rolleiflex” Maier), checking so many boxes for war and journalism, famine and racism, sport and fashion, life style and politics. From the Great Depression to Indo China, Soweto to Hanoi, Havana to Korea, a brilliant number of photographers and photojournalists depicted the events, endangering their life in doing so, with many paying the ultimate price.
The article is here: https://juliantanase.com/rolleiflex-2-8-f-a-golden-age-camera/
From Dorothy Lange to W. Eugene Smith to Capa to Erwitt to Ian Berry to Adams, (and yes, I need to mention here Vivian “Lady Rolleiflex” Maier), checking so many boxes for war and journalism, famine and racism, sport and fashion, life style and politics. From the Great Depression to Indo China, Soweto to Hanoi, Havana to Korea, a brilliant number of photographers and photojournalists depicted the events, endangering their life in doing so, with many paying the ultimate price.
The article is here: https://juliantanase.com/rolleiflex-2-8-f-a-golden-age-camera/
I also like to think of all the 'not famous' people who used it, and also one person who was famous but not for photography: the poet, Philip Larkin. I love the book:'The Importance of Elsewhere; Philip Larkin's Photographs', which reveals that he was obsessed with photography, but only ever used it in an amateur way, showing family, friends, lovers, and just a small handful of 'artistic' images. Worth reading, especially if like me you like his poetry.