Photographer Brings back old days

When you think of Hollywood in the 1930s, you think of photos of people like George Harrell. Shot in Bogart, Hepburn, Crawford, and Cagey ... kings and queens of black and white screens. But the painstaking engineering that went into these recordings do not seem to be seen much in this digital age. 

Hollywood of the 30's, Dallas Photographer Mark Tristan has created "Hollywood/1935".  

"We have always loved Harrell’s work," says portrait photographer Tristan, "and a couple of years ago we studied with Michael Greco, the great portrait photographer from Carmichael showed us the Mole-Richardson's and other old-style constant lighting. We found some of the old Mole's on eBay and started working with them. “But to get the true effect, Tristan decided to resign from digital and return to the movie camera. But not just a movie camera. 

"It is a 4 x 5 Speed Graphic from the U.S. Army Signal Corps from World War II. It is the same model camera, Joe Rosenthal used to take the famous Iwo Jima photo. It 's well over sixty years old and still attaches great photos . A 4 × 5 negative gives a detail and a softness you will not get digital. " 

The old time look is starting to catch on in Dallas, where former sports caster Oristano has been shooting engagement shots, senior portraits and much more in Hollywood/1935 style. 

"They look at their faces when they see the shot is worth it. they really have no idea, after the long styling and shooting session, how great their shot will come out." 

Shoots takes about twice as long as an average portrait session because it is a delicate lighting. The techniques, while relatively simple to figure out from the old Hollywood pictures, are often difficult to replicate. But with enough practice, you may be throwing shadows with the best of them and do not look like a star.