My profound interest in photography dates back to my childhood, especially during the Polaroid period.
I purchased my first SLR, a Yashica, in the late 1960’s and had it for many years. The images from that camera were always crystal clear. It was a sad day when it was pilfered from my home during a burglary in 1981. Along with that camera, they got a Nikon F2 Photomic. In their places, I have used a Hasselblad 500cm and Nikon N90S ever since.
In the very early 1970’s I wanted to learn more about production of my own images and signed up for small classes in printing (and a little shooting too) given by Life Photographer, Yale Joel, at his home in Croton-on-Hudson on weekends. Those classes were very exciting. Yale was a gentle man who taught well, and helped each f us to focus on what he was teaching: how to make our own art through the negative.
Since Yale was a photojournalist mist of his adult life, both in U.S. Army as a combat journalist, and thereafter when he joined the staff of Life Magazine, it felt only natural that he would follow up with photojournalism workshops too. The classes were given in Manhattan at various locations, depending on where he could access space enough for himself and a few students in the evening. One of those seasons, I was able to obtain the use of my future father-in-law’s travel office in Midtown. Reflecting on those sessions always brings back the curiosity it provoked, the kind that is almost indescribable…hence, the usefulness of the photograph.
Many years later, in 1978, I was selected to join a master printing class given by George Tice at The New School. I still have all of my notes from those sessions, and still refer to them, albeit they are written in Pittman shorthand which I still read and write.
In the years since, the digital method has taken over photography, but nothing can take the place of being in a darkroom and twisting the light to produce a new image.
In addition to shooting new, and printing old, negatives, my husband, Neal Rosenthal, and I are almost into our 40th year as fine wine importers and distributors. This page isn’t long enough to describe the richness of life we have enjoyed through this business of ours.
I hope you enjoy this small sampling of my photos. This group of images was taken by me at home and abroad over the last decade.