Looking at photographs is as enjoyable for me as taking them. That’s why I still have a sizeable collection of photography books, even after donating over 150 to a local organization. In fact, I just bought a new one as I could not resist its attractive price in used books. I will enjoy Human Canvas by Art Wolfe after I finish this article about another opportunity to see an extensive collection of photographs.
Heritage Photo Auctions
Photo auctions generally offer hundreds of items for collectors to choose from. I received an e-mail from Heritage Auctions about their upcoming auction on October 17, 2023. The mail made a reference to an extensive collection of James Dean pictures and said “The archive anchors an event packed with not only indelible and iconic images of Dean, but also fantastic photographs by Ansel Adams, Robert Frank and Robert Mapplethorpe, George Tice, O. Winston Link and many more.” I could not resist the temptation and eventually scrolled through the entire collection. Some listings had their pictures missing as they had not yet been uploaded. But I had ample choices to enjoy.
All the photographs are published with permission from Heritage Auctions.
Auction Highlights For Me
There are too many to like in the auction listings. However, due to space limitations, I had to make some choices to give you a taste of what awaits you. The tiny collection below will whet your appetite to visit the auction site to see the rest. I listed them in alphabetical order by the photographer’s last name.
The collection starts with a hand-colored piece of redwood trees by Ansel Adams. According to the description on the auction site, the print is larger than Adams’s standards. The Avenue of Giants is a typical Adams, with the giant trees presented with much respect as if saluting them. Paul Caponigro does his magic with Fungus and creates an intriguing abstract.
Ernst Haas shares his admiration of color and texture in Monument Valley, Utah. The warm-to-cool color transition and the detail of the structures are captured true to his style. You will not know by looking at his works that he was reluctant to get into photography early on. But once he found his way to a Leica, then to Kodachrome, he has become a legend, and rightly so.
Horst follows his fashion photography path to create almost a surreal composition with a mixture of three mannequin, and two human hands. While Yousuf Karsh shines his lights on Bogard, Link may remind some good old days of drive-in movies.
If you have not seen Abelardo Morell’s camera obscura works, this may intrigue you enough to look for more. Imagine a whole room being your camera! Elliot Porter manifests his understanding and appreciation of color harmony, especially in nature. His originals are dye transfer prints, like Haas’s.
Stieglitz is seen as the key figure in his era to push photography into art. The Terminal was one of his pictorial-styled works that later became straight photography.
I admire Josphy Sudek’s work for its simplicity of subject selections. This rose bud in a simple glass is typical of his work, and by carefully selecting the surface, background, and light, he stamps his style on the final image. George Tice was a large-format photographer, and his picture of a car for sale shows his comfort with the camera controls as evident in the perfectly vertical lines of the buildings.
The small sample collection ends with a Minor White photograph of a sheer curtain moving in the wind to help him create almost an abstract presentation. The final image, by Brett Weston, is one of the abstractions that he found in unexpected places.
If you want to download a printable PDF catalog, scroll down on the main auction page, look for the link “View or download printable catalog,” and click on it. You can save the PDF file for future viewing as well.
Conclusion
After viewing this small collection, and hopefully, the auction collection later, I imagine you will notice that these photographers were mainly concerned with the photograph, not grain, noise, bokeh, sharpness, and the like. I am sure we can find flaws that are shunned in some circles. But one thing is clear to me. They were interested in recording and sharing what they saw in their own styles. Another thing I noticed after viewing the auction collection is the mostly ordinary places and things they photographed.
Enjoy!
Click on the images to see them larger, uncropped, and read their titles.
Chasing Storm Lee, Rediscovered Rocky Point
Haluk Atamal
Thanks for sharing those amazing captures, Cemal. I have a photography yearbook from 1950 from my father so I am already acquainted with most of those museum-old names.
With all my modern equipment and the available technical / digital opportunities, all I am trying for the last 60 years is to follow their steps and try to be creative in my humble domain, without directly copying their art. Needless to say, Adams is my forte – especially helpful to my images is his zone technique. Nothing comparable to that as a matter of fact – the zone system opened new horizons in my photos for the last 10 years..
..at least that’s how I feel!
A. Cemal Ekin
You are right, Haluk. I also started with Adams’s Zone system back in 1970 and became proficient in it. I think I still have his series starting with The Camera. Collections like these make us remember the days when photographs were more important than photographic gear. One thing is for sure, we are from a different generation of photographers!
Take care,
Cemal
Paul White
Fantastic post and great explanation. The pioneers in photography are great teachers even though they never used a digital camera. They also never needed Lightroom to correct their images. They were truly Masters of their Art.
How can I get the auction portfolios. Once again you have made me more educated
A. Cemal Ekin
Happy to hear you enjoyed the photographs, they are inspirational! Thanks for nudging me about the downloadable catalog. I updated the post and included a paragraph on how to download the PDF catalog.
Enjoy!
Cemal