A few weeks ago I drove to Washington, DC to see the exhibit Power & Light: Russell Lee Coal Survey at the National Archives Museum just before it closed. I left early enough that morning to beat the Philadelphia rush hour traffic, but had to endure the real mess that begins as you approach Baltimore. Nevertheless I got to my destination with a bit of time to spare so I could stay on schedule and beat the afternoon rush hour going home.
Russell Lee is best known for his Farm Security Administration work during the Great Depression, but this exhibit focused on images he made in 1946, just following the conclusion of a national coal strike. The photographs were made primarily in Kentucky and West Virginia. Along with pictures of the miners at work, what really stood out were those of miners and their families, at home, in church and at play. From what I could tell looking at a picture of him accompanying the exhibit, they were made with a hand held 4×5 Crown Graphic, but I know he used Leica’s for his FSA work.
Here’s the thing, the pictures were great, but unfortunately they were displayed as overly large unframed digitally produced facsimiles. One was even cut out and wrapped around the top of a doorway. $#%^&*! I’m sure many found this to their liking, but to me it diminished the importance of his work and the sensitivity of his vision. In short, the pictures, and Russell Lee deserved better … much better! I think a far different approach … silver gelatin prints of sensible size would have yielded a far better result!
After the frustration of the Lee show I decided to take a flyer and swing by a camera shop a few minutes’ drive from the Archives. Photo Pro was a go to for me when I lived in the area and they always had great stuff to tempt me. As I crossed Pennsylvania Avenue I just had a feeling there would be something special with my name on it!
The last time I was there, maybe ten years ago, I snagged a great Leica lens I thought I’d never be able to get, and this time there was plenty of wonderful goodies in the glass display cases. After fondling a Leica M4 and Mamiya RB67 I noticed something you don’t see very often … an absolutely cherry Zone VI modified Pentax one degree digital spot meter!!!! Yes, yes, yes!!! I already own two of them, but I had been thinking about getting another one to keep in a third camera bag … and there it was!!! It even came with a wonderful and useful Zone VI leather holster, and the original box, complete with modification paperwork signed by Richard Ritter, who still calibrates the meters!!!
Not surprisingly, I had no choice, and a few minutes later I was all smiles as I began my drive home with a Photo Pro bag on the passenger seat. What started with somewhat of a disappointment ended with a nice little surprise. The next day I gave Richard a call and arranged for him to recalibrate the new meter as well as my others. Good idea, since I couldn’t remember the last time I had them checked. A few days later off they all went. Hopefully they’ll be back in my camera bags this week.
All’s well that ends well!
Stay well,
Michael