Clarification

Yesterday I heard from Carole Fevre, who felt that our recent article about Voja Mitrovic neglected to underline the prominence of her father’s role in the history of printing at Picto and of the work of the greats including Henri Cartier-Bresson and Josef Koudelka. Georges Fevre was for many decades one of the stalwarts of Picto in Paris, and he was a very important printer not only of Cartier-Bresson's and Koudelka’s work but of the work of many world-famous photographers. If he wasn’t printing himself, he was involved in the production of prints as the director of black-and-white printing. Peter Turnley remembers Georges Fevre as a wonderful, kind, talented, and generous man, with an enormous passion for photographic expression. Peter says, "It is important that his name receive prominent attention regarding the legacy of the photography lab Picto and his role in the history of photography, and in the printing and production of prints of all of the great photographers who Picto served over the years."

Many different hands helped realize the work of the great Cartier-Bresson and others, and by emphasizing one it was certainly not our intention to diminish any others.

Mike

Comments

[Ben Rosengart]

He sounds like an interesting guy. Someone should write him up for Wikipedia. Even just a brief article to tell us when and where he was born, lived and died, and in broad strokes, what he did.

[Robert Howell]

That was really great of Carole to bring that up, and really great of Peter to give us another great comment. But you know what would be great? If you (and Peter and Ken T) could try writing without the use of "great" for one year and see if it improves your output. It would at least give that great (and sometimes useful) adjective a rest, and may even save it from a not so great redundancy.
And no cheating! "Iconic" is no substitute.
As always,

[Bob Dales]

A book covering the history of Picto, its printers and photographers would be a wonderful project. Peter has given it a good start.

bd

[Mike Johnston]

Robert,
Great comment.

Mike

(You saw that coming.)

[David Stubbs]

When I was a magazine staff photographer, we in the photo and art departments noticed we described a lot of stories and story ideas as "fun". The use of "fun" in such cases was then outlawed by consensus. There was much halting speech as we strained for substitutes for our F word. A realization was made that a new word would emerge and it would soon get the same treatment that fun did. Fun thereby staged a comeback. It was great.

[Mike Johnston]

"Fun thereby staged a comeback. It was great."

Made me laugh.

Mike

[scott kirkpatrick]

Mike, whatever your motivations (Peter's gratitude to Voja for a long friendship and assistance, the upcoming print sale...) you have turned over a rock and cast some fresh light into the seldom explored area of custom printers. Can you tell us more? Who else lives down there, and what role have they played in completing or even creating the styles we perceive as characteristic of "iconic" photographers?

scott

[ctein]

Dear Scott,

HRUMMPH. I do not live under a rock; I much prefer bridges.

trollishly yours,

Ctein

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear David,

When Laurie Edison and I toured the Scottish Highlands in the mid-90's, we both tired of saying, "Oh, look at that neat sheep!" So Laurie proposed a 25p fine for the use of the word, "sheep," to be deposited in the ashtray.

We made valiant efforts at circumlocution and synonymization*, but still the end of the trip we were able to treat ourselves to a (very!) cheap meal on the proceeds.

pax / Ctein

*(ungulate is still our favorite term of choice)

[ctein]

P.S. to Scott-- Although I am a custom printer, I know almost nothing of the history or place of them, collectively, in the photographic universe. I'd love to read such articles, too.