L a - b e a u t é - s a u v e r a - l e - m o n d e ~ D o s t o ï e v s k i

L a - b e a u t é - s a u v e r a - l e - m o n d e  ~  D o s t o ï e v s k i



Sunday, August 9, 2020

A singular and mutable beauty - portrait photographs of Merle Oberon


Three images from the same sitting. This first looks to be inscribed to Oberon's best friend of many years, Norma Shearer.
Two images from the same sitting.
Two images from the same Beaton sitting.
Two images from the same sitting.

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The photographers here include Steichen, Hurrell, Beaton, and others.



4 comments:

  1. Were almost all the photos done in black and white on purpose? eg to make the look more dramatic. Normally colour photography is softer.

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    Replies
    1. Color photographic processes were slow to develop; they were difficult to work with and expensive. It was only in the late 1930s and into the 1940s, with advances in the technology, that color began to be used more frequently in Hollywood portraiture. But it still took a long time for color to become the norm for the film business. It was still more expensive than black and white portraiture, especially with printing, since these images were often meant to be printed in large numbers, available for publicity purposes and the "fans." But another consideration is that it was much harder to retouch a color negative than a black and white one. And you just couldn't get the high degree of "Hollywood glamour" you see in these images without a whole lot of retouching! : )

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  2. Always considered more of a STAR than an actress, I've seen more of her films in recent years and have come away with an appreciation for her talent and range as an actress.

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