I've just had another look at some of Brett Weston's prints, and they are magnificant! Even printing on the original Seagull paper and developing in Amidol one doesn't get that kind of prints without having the right negatives. My guess is that they were "fully timed" (ie: overexposed) then over-developed, with the high values kept from blocking up by the compensating and dying effect of his ABC Pyro. Wonder if anyone had a good look at Brett's negatives (before he burned them)?

-- Bill (bmitch@comcast.net), May 31, 2002

Answers

Are you sure you don't mean Edward Weston?

-- Ken Miller (andawyr@hotmail.com), May 31, 2002.

No, it's definitely Brett. Edward's negatives are still intact. In fact, some of them are still being printed by Cole.

-- Bill (bmitch@comcast.net), May 31, 2002.

I have read that he burned all but about 15 or so, as to which ones survived and where they are, who knows? I would check out cole westons website and email him with any questions, it would be interesting to know.

-- mark lindsey (mark@mark-lindsey.com), May 31, 2002.

Maybe this link can help you:

http://www.jbhphoto.com/cwalbum/cwws3.htm

He has a few photos of Brett's negatives.

-- Brian C. Miller (brian.c.miller@gte.net), June 02, 2002.

Twelve of Brett Weston's negatives survive. They are donated to the Center for Creative Photography in Arizona for students to learn to print from. I read that he crossed each one out with an 'X' before turning them over.

-- Erik (xx@xx.com), June 02, 2002.

Twelve of Brett Weston's negatives survive. They are donated to the Center for Creative Photography in Arizona for students to learn to print from. I read that he crossed each one out with an 'X' before turning them over. =============

Well, then there are however many that Cole has. Those have been punched with a paper punch.

I bet there are a lot more than 12 negatives. Brett burned/soaked many, but not all of his negs when he turned 80. But he kept photographing almost until he died several years later, and (even if he had slowed down considerably) knowing how prolific he was that probably amounted to several hundred frames at least. I've never heard that anyone destroyed those.

-- Wayne (wsteffen@skypoint.com), June 03, 2002.