ANDERSONVILLE - Photographing the Civil War in Georgia

 

From John Frankenheimer's Civil War docudrama "ANDERSONVILLE." A platoon of Georgia Civil War re-enactors

 I was reminded of a great photographic adventure in Georgia; photographing John Frankenheimer's Emmy winning, Civil War epic Andersonville; The story of the Union Army's notorious prison camp for Confederate soldiers. A challenging, period stylish project for my friend, legendary director John Frankenheimer; and commissioned by a creatively open  minded Barbara Griffin, Director of Photography for TNT. 

Everything was shot with Polaroid T55 pos/neg film to produce a Civil War era style photograph.  The only possible camera had to be hand held because of all the action with horses and soldiers; that was when I became familiar with the Speed Grafix press camera, a 4x5" camera from the 1940s with range-finder focus. The Polaroid T55 was a pos/neg film developed by Ansel Adams and Dr. Land in the 1940s. This amazing film is no longer manufactured, causing much sadness to a distinct group of photographers. The negatives had to be pealed away and processed in a bucket immediately, on the spot. Producer Connie Conway kept our little photo train on track.  

Director John Frankenheimer - T55 Polaroid, silver gelatin print

The pictures looked so authentically period. Subsequently two large public exhibitions of the photographs were presented, one at the Director's Guild in Hollywood and another at TNT in Atlanta. 

A Union company engaging - T55 Polaroid, silver gelatin print

 #photography #civilwar #Polaroid #film #Onassignment #fineartphotography #Branding #largeformat

Photographing ROW DTLA: The Southern Pacific Architectural Landmark

 DesignLA the Los Angeles Times new Sunday magazine, created by Michael Wollaeger, former  managing editor of Architectural Digest.  Michael possesses a great knowledge of architecture, interior design, the art community,  and our shared endless curiosity about things LA. 

Built in the era of the streetcars - now across the street from where the buses sleep

Graffiti mural by my friends, RETNA and figurative artist Ricardo Estrada

Looking up towards downtown Los Angeles from Alameda, across Central Ave, from the old railroad produce yards

Massive buildings, millions of square feet - impossible to imagine until you are standing there

Young and happening, great energy - dogs to work.

Previously home to American Apparel

New shops, furniture, fashion and design. New media - game design, video companies