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Last Updated on: 29th November 2023, 04:24 am

RARE VINTAGE PEOPLE ON AGFA Graphic Arts Professional Photography QUALITY REDEFINED by AGFA Advertising Supplement Booklet

The collection is a curated testament to the symbiotic relationship between the artist’s vision and Agfa’s dedication to photographic excellence. Each piece embodies a narrative that extends beyond the frame, offering a glimpse into moments captured with an almost palpable authenticity. The meticulous attention to detail, from the nuanced tonal warmth of Graham Ford’s “Grapefruit” to the poignant capture of corporate ennui in Brian Griffin’s “Bureaucracy,” speaks to the discerning eye of both creator and viewer.

Agfa’s materials, lauded for their fidelity and robustness, are not merely backdrops but active participants in the creative process. They provide a canvas where the subtle interplay of light and shadow becomes a language, and the gradations of colour a narrative in itself. This is exemplified in the rich, textured portrayal of Jacqueline and Juliette Lott by Bob Carlos Clarke, where Agfa’s film delineates every thread and pigment with astonishing clarity.

These images are not just photographs; they are the confluence of technical mastery and artistic ambition. Robert Farber’s fashion series, shot on the streets of New York, utilises Agfa’s versatility to render the gritty reality of urban life into something sublime, while Fi McGhee’s portrait of Angus McBean immortalises a shared artistic legacy with a depth that transcends the medium.

For collectors and connoisseurs, the allure of these works lies in the intimate dance between light, chemistry, and texture. Agfa’s role is pivotal, ensuring that each captured vision is not lost to the vagaries of process or time. The result is a collection that stands as both a tribute to the photographers’ artistry and a celebration of Agfa’s unwavering commitment to preserving the integrity of every hue and contour.

These are not mere images; they are enduring echoes of the artistic spirit, rendered eternal through Agfa’s meticulous craft. They invite a deep appreciation from those with an understanding of what lies beyond the visible—a resonance with the art of photography itself.

Quality. Redefined by Agfa.
 
PROFESSIONAL FILMS.
The new range of Agfa films, in colour and black and white, are now regarded by many as quite simply the best in the world for colour saturation, fine skin tones
and sharpness of image.
 
COLOUR PAPER.
Agfacolour Type 8 negative paper resists dark and light fading to a degree that was previously unimaginable and is unbelievably easy to use. 
 
BLACK AND WHITE PAPER.
The qualities of Record Rapid and Portiga Rapid fibre based papers are renowned throughout the galleries of the world. The qualities of the Agfa PE papers, too, are increasingly appreciated by professionals. 
 
CHEMISTRY.
Agfa provide a complete choice of E6, EP2, C41 compatible chemicals and achieve quite remarkable levels of consistency and purity. The new Tar-Free RT developer (AP92 CD-R Prof. Neu) is ‘out in a league of its own’
 
AGFA PROFESSIONAL DIVISION.
27 Great West Road, Brentford, Middlesex, TW8 9AX
Telephone 01-560 2131
 
Designed and produced by Hogan Lennart Associates.
Reproduced on Agfa Graphic Arts Film by The Colour Assembly Ltd.
Printed by Ventura Ltd.

Brian Griffin

A ‘BOY FROM the Black Country’, Brian was born and brought up in Lye, in the West Midlands of England. After working for 6 years as an engineering draughtsman, Brian broke away to study photography at Manchester Polytechnic. Since then, he has produced work covering astonishing range of themes and areas, with each image reaching far beyond the obvious attributes of the subject. Capturing elements and implications which normally remain unseen or unspoken. 
 
The image printed here, taken from his exhibition entitled Work, startingly reflects Brian’s view of people in an increasingly corporate society.
 
Particularly apt, as it was originally taken to support editorial in Management Today. Brian invariably prints his black and white images on Agfa Paper. In this case, he used Agfa Portriga Rapid, a cream-coloured fibre-based paper renowned for its comparatively warmer range of tonal responses. 
 
And, as Brian himself puts it, “to produce good pictures,  it’s no good worrying about your materials, you must be able to rely on them every time. 
That’s why I use Agfa “.
 
Bureaucracy.
Originally taken for Management Today magazine, this picture is now part of Brian Griffin’s exhibition entitled Work.
Paper Agfa Portriga Rapid.
Developer Agfa Neutol.

Bob Carlos Clarke
 

Hailing from County Cork in Ireland,  Bob came to a photography via Journalism, advertising and graphics. His highly individual images often evoking aspects of feminine mystery– reflect the hours he spends working on his prints in the darkroom, as well as his meticulous attention to detail
 
Bob invariably  prints his images on Agfa Record Rapid fibre-based paper, as it is superb tonal range, ruggedness and detail are ideally suited to his extensive darkroom manipulation and colouring. 
 
Dark Sisters, the front cover photograph (featuring the Rencontre twins for an Ozzie Osbourne LP cover), shows Bob’s darkroom technique and his use of varied hand tinting. When Bob shoots in colour,  as he is now doing more and more frequently, he uses Agfachrome Professional 100RS film.
 
This image, featuring by coincidence yet another set of twins (Jacqueline and Juliette Lott) was shot recently for Hunza swimwear. The accurate, neutrally balanced colour, and excellent fine grain detail capture every subtle nuance of cloth texture and skin tone. 
 
Jacqueline and Juliette Lott for Hunza swimwear.
Film Agfachrome Professional 100RS.

Fi McGhee

Born in Royston, Hertfordshire, in 1963, Fi McGhee has worked in numerous locations around the world. Now based chiefly in London, Fi works mainly on portraits, advertising and editorial photography.

This portrait of Angus McBean, taken from Fi’s acclaimed book Photographers and their images, was printed on Agfa Record Rapid Paper, to capture the full breadth of tones that’s so essential to her style.

In preparing this image, Fi deliberately chose the black and white paper that’s widely regarded as the best in the world. Record Rapid fibre-based paper offers a wide, slightly warm tonal range, is fully predictable and totally reliable. It’s even resilient enough to allow hand tinting and further treatment if you wish, giving you total control over the final image. After all, when you’re photographing the world’s greatest photographers, the end product mustn’t be anything less than perfect.

Angus McBean.
Taken at his home in Suffolk, for the book Photographers and their images
Paper Agfa Record Rapid.
Developer Agfa Neutol.

Graham Ford

Originally from Maidstone, Kent, Graham has been running his own London studio for over 12 years. Having made his reputation by shooting classically simple still-life picturesprincipally for mainstream London advertising agencies, he enjoyed the challenge of achieving that classic look
again with this picture. 
 
Called Grapefruit, the image was one of a series, each with a different fruit and character, for Tropicana fruit juices of France
 
Agfachrome Professional 100RS 8 x 10 was the film Graham chose, because in his own words, it offers “good speed, extended shadow and highlight detail, and excellent rendering of delicate skin colour, which I find is unbeatable with this kind of strong lighting. “I also find that it’s absolutely consistent during processing. This is particularly helpful when I’m shooting people, as I spend more time testing than shooting, and I rely on each sheet exactly matching my tests. With Agfachrome Professional 100RS though,
that’s never a problem.”
 
Grapefruit. 
Taken from a series of shots for Tropicana fruit juices of France
Film. Agfa Professional 100 RS 8 X 10.

Robert Farber

Based in New York and Los Angeles, Robert Farber’s photographic career stems from Fine Art photography, rather than the usual commercial routes. His work is widely admired throughout the U.S.A and Europe, and is increasingly appreciated in the UK.
 
Farber’s utilisation of light and form to accentuate images and moods has been likened to the work of Vemeer and Degas
 
He invariably works with Agfachrome reversal film because tonal qualities apart, the choice of speeds available gives him the basic flexibility of approach his photography demands. 
 
This image is one example. Farber’s brief was to take a series of fashion shots for Loden Frey (the Harrod’s of Munich) using the gritty reality of genuine New York locations
 
This meant that he could fully exploit the vital ingredient of this Agfa film. The ability to function perfectly in a very wide variety of conditions. Using only available light- both indoors and out- these images show no colour bias,  even when they’ve been pushed hard to produce a grainy effect. The results were wholly predictable- even when he used films from different batches. Thereby helping to produce a series of highly memorable images- all as arresting as this example here. 
 
A remarkable tribute to Agfa film, Robert Farber and the bravery of Loden Frey. 
 
Launderette.
From a series for Loden Frey on location in New York using only available light. 
Film. Agfachrome 1000RS pushed 2 stops.


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