As part of our photojournalism program at University of Texas in Austin in the early 70s we learned in the ins and outs of view camera work. For those not familiar, a view camera is one of those very large bellows-operated things that requires use of a tripod, with the photographer ensconced under a black cover, focusing on ground glass that is upside down and reversed. While making exposures on 4×5-inch sheet film could yield amazing results, one of the reasons for the class was to make us slow down and really “see” what we were framing. It was a grand idea. I can’t speak for my fellow students, but when I returned to a 35mm camera, I really did see things more clearly. These photos were among a few taken in the East Austin neighborhoods in 1973, back then a working-class neighborhood. The neighborhood’s still with us, but now has become gentrified, way too pricey for many of the area’s long-ago residents. One thing this post doesn’t do is give you a sense of the detail obtained from a large-format camera.
Back in Time to 1973 East Austin, Texas
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