Large-format photography

[Peggy Wilkins]

>>>>> "Brian" == Brian Sorgatz <bsorgatz@hotmail.com> writes:

    Brian> I'm not a photographer, but I should think that Freytag and Wayda could 
    Brian> train the new Playmate photographers to use large format.  Why couldn't 
    Brian> they?

I recently ran across a profile of PLAYBOY SE photographer Kim Mizuno
in the April 2002 issue of PLAYBOY's Nude Playmates.  He directly
addresses this point in this excerpt:

   Mizuno landed an assistant's job at Playboy's West Coast Studio with
   Contributing Photographer Richard Fegley. "His way of lighting a
   Playmate was a skill not taught in any textbook. For four years I
   watched and kept notes on his masterful control of light and
   shadow. Richard had a unique gift, and with his death last year the
   world of photography suffered a great loss." Armed with newfound
   technical expertise, Kim began testing Playmate candidates, and
   finally got the nod to tackle his own Centerfold assignment with a
   California brunette, Bonnie Marino. "I was pretty much left alone to
   do my thing. I did my best, and Hef gave her the thumbs-up. Bonnie
   became Miss June 1990." But he found working with the large-format
   camera to be confining and stifling. "My style is spontaneous and
   interpretive. I like to watch a girl move--to photograph the natural
   flow of her body. Studio work is too restrictive."

I'd imagine it's quite difficult to find photographers who want to
work in such a restrictive format; though I think the results are
worth it.

I would be very interested in hearing in detail what the current
centerfold photographers think of the pros and cons of large format
and medium format photography for the centerfold.  I hope that the
appropriate people at PEI have asked them, and that they could give
candid responses.

Peggy Wilkins
mozart@lib.uchicago.edu