35mm Photography, Spring 1979. Bruce Gilden, Robert Mapplethorpe, et al.

Entire issue of magazine, 114 pages, in good condition with cover wear and closed tear on rear cover.  Features include Bruce Gilden (Coney Island), Robert Mapplethorpe (Patti Smith and flowers), Abraham Menashe (people with disabilities), Peter Angelo Simon (Big Apple Circus), Arthur Taussig (color photography with interview); 35mm Pop-Up Flash Cameras; Infrared Film; Enlargers, history of amateur photography by Eaton S. Lothrop, Jr., et al. Cover photo by Herb Breuer.  Summary:

35mm Photography, Spring 1979 is a quintessential late-1970s snapshot of the medium. This issue captures a distinct era when technical consumer breakthroughs—like automated pocket flashes—were democratizing photography, even as fine art practitioners pushed deeper into raw, confrontational, and highly conceptual territory.

Major Portfolios and Artist Profiles

• Robert Mapplethorpe (Patti Smith and Flowers): A major artistic pillar of the issue explores the stark, classical, and homoerotic vision of Mapplethorpe. The feature spotlights his intimate creative partnership with punk icon Patti Smith, alongside his hyper-stylized, sculptural photographs of flowers, emphasizing his signature mastery of light, shadow, and subversive elegance.

• Bruce Gilden (Coney Island): The magazine highlights Gilden’s long-term project documenting the raw, chaotic energy of Coney Island. This early work displays the genesis of his famous, confrontational street photography style—capturing eccentric working-class characters, sunburned beachgoers, and boardwalk life using close-up wide-angle lenses.

• Abraham Menashe (Humanitarian Vision): Known for his deeply empathetic documentary approach, Menashe’s portfolio focuses on people with disabilities. His work is highlighted for its dignity and tenderness, capturing the daily lives, struggles, and inner joy of institutionalized and marginalized individuals without falling into voyeuristic pity.

• Peter Angelo Simon (Big Apple Circus): Simon contributes a kinetic, behind-the-scenes look at the Big Apple Circus. His photographs capture the poetry, sweat, and physical grace of the performers, utilizing the fast, reactive strengths of the 35mm camera to freeze motion in dim, tent-lit environments.

• Arthur Taussig (Color Innovation & Interview): An extensive interview with Taussig explores the intellectualization of color photography. Known for transforming mundane, suburban landscapes into complex, abstract formal studies, Taussig discusses his chemical processes and argues for color film as a serious tool for fine-art expression rather than mere commercial snapshotting.

Technical Reports and Darkroom Craft

• 35mm Pop-Up Flash Cameras: The issue features a comprehensive consumer guide evaluating the newest wave of compact, point-and-shoot cameras featuring built-in, "pop-up" electronic flashes. The article signals a major shift toward automated, foolproof consumer photography.

• Infrared Film Mastery: A highly detailed technical feature explores the surreal world of black-and-white Infrared Film. The piece provides practical advice on using specific filters (like the Wratten 87), adjusting focus for the infrared spectrum, and utilizing the film's signature glowing highlights and stark black skies for artistic effect.

• The Enlarger Guide: Catering to the heavy darkroom culture of 1979, the magazine reviews the latest enlargerson the market. It guides amateurs and pros through the optics, illumination systems (condenser vs. diffusion), and color-head capabilities required for precise printmaking.

Historical Perspective

• Eaton S. Lothrop, Jr.: The renowned photographic historian contributes an illuminating piece on the history of amateur photography. Lothrop tracks how the medium evolved from a messy, dangerous nineteenth-century science reserved for professionals into a ubiquitous, everyday hobby for millions, detailing the landmark cameras that bridged the gap.

Significance

The Spring 1979 edition of 35mm Photography perfectly encapsulates a medium in creative tension. By juxtaposing the underground avant-garde genius of Robert Mapplethorpe and the raw street theater of Bruce Gilden against practical buyer guides for pop-up flash cameras, the issue shows a world where high art and mass consumer technology were rapidly colliding on 35mm film.