A beautiful little bound bundle of visions arrives by mail, a gift from pioneer vernacular photography collector Barbara Levine. Camera is both catalog and book tied to an exhibition running now through Mid-May in Houston and a wonderful stocking stuffer for summer socks!
Only Ms. Levine has the noogies (and has earned the rights) to name a book and project simply Camera Era. She is one of the most important and prominent (thankfully) champions of the found photograph. That this volume comes at a time when vernacular photography is finally being appreciated as something special is appropriate, as Barbara had much to do with the field being recognized. Yes, there is a market for these once common, now extinct beautiful physical objects with surface, form, wear and age. There are images and there are photographs.
Photographic images created digitally are void of much and will never achieve the same legitimacy or authenticity to me…digital images are mere pristine bits and bites which do not really exist. Photographs bend and wear. It is how they show love.
Camera Era is as much a book of photos as it is the standard photographic accoutrements. Love notes, captions, lays to photograph claim and directions for appreciating an image from the long gone souls who took the originals. Labels. Quotes. Arrows. A comely young woman is labeled HOT DOG! and the scribe is right. I recognize at least one photo which has traveled the world wide web without her permission, Barbara now being the legitimate owner of it by her claim. Finders Keepers, Finders Sharers. Show Barbara some love.
Barbara Levine has a blog HERE which tells more about the book. A slim volume big in punch. Learn More about Barbara HERE. Camera era is HERE. Barbara is one of my heroes.
 |
| CLICK TO ENLARGE |
A pinup snapshot! We can speculate. True love on the part of the shutterbug? An artist trying to document his painting in print? But guess what we need NOT speculate...as seen here, that the image
comes from a 1952 issue of Esquire. Thanks to PROJECT B and Barbara Levine, vintage photography dealer extraordinaire for the snapshot. Thanks to Google and my well-trained eye for gams for solving my puzzle.
Original Snapshot 1952 Collection Jim Linderman
ORIGINAL BOOKS AND AFFORDABLE E-BOOKS BY Jim Linderman may be ordered HERE
I am occasionally asked "WHERE did you get that photo?" I'll tell this time, from project b and Barbara Levine, one of those valued and kindred souls with similar esthetics you might be lucky to find when you are engaged in any pursuit, but especially when it is a quirky and personal one such as collecting images. In a field or category with the wide, undefined spaces of vernacular photography, knowing of someone with similar appreciation is especially important. Others have grappled with the perimeter and definitions, Barbara included...I don't even know who came up with the term. But I do know there are billions of photographs and if you are lucky enough to know someone who finds the same joy of the occasional unexpected miracle among them, you are fortunate. You are even MORE fortunate if that person is willing to share them, and if you are a collector and the person is willing to sell them, all the better. Barbara is both! And more.I knew of Barbara as an author before I knew of her as an artist, collector and facilitator of fine photographic finds. Her collections, which she also shares on her website along with the beautiful photographs for sale, will knock off your socks. Just start with "dexterity puzzles" and keep going.
I will never forget receiving a note from Barbara long ago which read "If I had a blog, it would look like yours." Now THAT was flattering. I have selected only a few of the miracles for sale on Barbara's website. Your taste is different than mine, so go select your own, and if you have never visited, I bet you'll buy one (or two). When you order, ask if you can receive her newsletter. It is essential. The current issue is HERE
Barbara Levine runs project b, a curatorial services company specializing in archives, collections, and vernacular photography sales and projects. She is the author of Finding Frida Kahlo, Around The World: The Grand Tour in Photo Albums and, Snapshot Chronicles: Inventing The American Photo Album. She was formerly deputy director at The Contemporary Jewish Museum and director of exhibitions at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. For more information: www.projectb.com Untitled (Oil Gusher) Anonymous Snapshot, circa 1940? Collection Jim LindermanOther images courtesy of project b
