Photography Handbook No. 8. Fawcett, 1941. Alexander Alland, et al.

Edited by Norman C. Lipton. Wraps, 146 pages.  Good condition with some wear on cover, and some spotting lower outside corner of pages. Numerous articles organized in chapters, For Better Pictures, Technique, Foto Fun, Build It Yourself (including invisible flash for blackout photography using infra-red film), Photography in Brief, and Pictorial Salon, featuring photos printed in sepia tone, some of which were award winners, by Alexander Alland; Woodrow Wilson (not the President), Gustave Anderson, William Martin, Walter G. Pollak, Paul Garrison, John Allen, Ward Hutchinson, Martin Harris, Jack Wright, Earle Forbes, Mildred Hatry, Joseph Costa, Thomas O. Sheckell, John H. Jockwig, and Harvey A. Falk.  Includes statuesque female nude by Alexander Alland.  Summary:

Photography Handbook No. 8 (Fawcett, 1941) highlights the intersection of fine art aesthetics and rugged DIY engineering, featuring a notable shift toward studio figure studies and technical precision.

Key Highlights

• Alexander Alland’s Figure Study: Moving away from his street photography, this issue features a female nude by Alland. It serves as a technical lesson in lighting and form, showcasing his ability to apply "straight photography" clarity to the human figure.

• The "Salon" Portfolio: A curated collection of award-winning images that emphasizes pictorialism—high-contrast, dramatic compositions designed to inspire amateurs to elevate their hobby into "Fine Art."

• Advanced "Home-Built" Gear: Extensive blueprints for constructing professional-grade darkroom equipment, including enlargers and specialized lighting rigs, catering to the resourceful hobbyist of the early 1940s.

• Chemical Formulas: Detailed instructions on "kitchen chemistry," teaching readers how to mix their own developers and toners to achieve specific archival and artistic effects.

Concise Summary

This edition focuses on artistic technicality, using Alexander Alland’s nude study and salon portfolios to teach readers about lighting, shadow, and form. It remains a quintessential "maker’s guide," providing the mechanical and chemical blueprints necessary for the 1940s photographer to achieve studio-quality results at home.