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Oaxaca III (4x5)
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Oaxaca III (4x5)


I was a full-on commercial photographer for many years. I stopped doing it around 1995, but I always tried for jobs that would let me do whatever I wanted to do.

In 1986 I get a call from Connie Sullivan of Polaroid. She tells me she would like to send me to Oaxaca to shoot whatever I want. I’m torn and tell her so, “Look, I only shoot Kodachrome. I’m not that happy with Polaroid film.” She patiently explains to me that the point of it all is to promote their Polaroid back that would hold Ektachrome or Fujichrome 4x5 film envelopes. OK, that I can do.

I have to leave immediately and I remember that Joel Meyerowitz, master of 4x5 view cameras, has offered to spend a day with me teaching me how to use it. But there’s no time.

Off I go with my wife L.A., assistant Tom Mason, two big cases of film, and my 4x5 Linhof view camera. We get into the cab, ready to leave for the airport and my gut says bring the 4x5 Graflex.

Now the Graflex is a heavy camera, but not that heavy. It’s like an SLR on steroids–you have to look down into it. The image on the ground glass is glorious and I take all these old 4x5 lenses.

The shoot went well. I probably handheld with the Graflex 80% of the time.

Everybody liked the shoot and they want to do an exhibit of the images. I said I would only do it if the prints were dye transfers. Connie (from Polaroid) then said, “Have I ever let you down?”

“No.”

“Then trust me on this. The prints will be Cibachrome and they’ll be terrific. Trust me.”

I said OK without much enthusiasm because I hated Cibachromes, would not even take them for free, hated them.

When I went to the exhibit, the prints were wonderful. It was as if the printer had gotten into my head and knew exactly what I wanted. His name was Michael Wilder. He is an amazing printer. I’m not technically inclined so I just regard him as a wizard.

When I first got back from the shoot I called Joel Meyerowitz to apologize for not taking up his offer.

I said I loved it. I shot 600 sheets of film in a few days.

I heard him chuckle and then say, “You know Jay, I don’t think you have quite grasped the concept of the big camera.”

P.S. This is Oaxaca III. If you go back to the collections you can see Oaxaca I & II, many are 35mm Kodachrome from the same shoot.

Super Pinocho, Oaxaca
Super Pinocho, Oaxaca
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Reading Newspaper, Oaxaca
Reading Newspaper, Oaxaca
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Doorway, Oaxaca
Doorway, Oaxaca
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Man on Pay Phone, Oaxaca
Man on Pay Phone, Oaxaca
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Three Against Door, Oaxaca
Three Against Door, Oaxaca
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Two Against Door, Oaxaca
Two Against Door, Oaxaca
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Mom, Two Kids, Oaxaca
Mom, Two Kids, Oaxaca
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Man and Metal Piece, Oaxaca
Man and Metal Piece, Oaxaca
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Mom, Dad, Two Kids, Oaxaca
Mom, Dad, Two Kids, Oaxaca
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Boy in Yellow, Oaxaca
Boy in Yellow, Oaxaca
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Woman in Striped Dress, Oaxaca
Woman in Striped Dress, Oaxaca
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Older Woman in Red and Yellow Dress, Oaxaca
Older Woman in Red and Yellow Dress, Oaxaca
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Breastfeeding, Oaxaca
Breastfeeding, Oaxaca
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Woman on Pay Phone, Oaxaca
Woman on Pay Phone, Oaxaca
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Woman and Son on White Bench, Oaxaca
Woman and Son on White Bench, Oaxaca
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Man, Hand to Chin, Oaxaca
Man, Hand to Chin, Oaxaca
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Man on Tricycle, Kids, Oaxaca
Man on Tricycle, Kids, Oaxaca
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Arches with People, Oaxaca
Arches with People, Oaxaca
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Kid in Right Corner, Oaxaca
Kid in Right Corner, Oaxaca
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Servicio, Oaxaca
Servicio, Oaxaca
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Woman with Bag, Blue Wall, Oaxaca
Woman with Bag, Blue Wall, Oaxaca
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Man with Bucket, Shadow, Oaxaca
Man with Bucket, Shadow, Oaxaca
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Red and Yellow Wall, Silhouette Figures, Oaxaca
Red and Yellow Wall, Silhouette Figures, Oaxaca
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Blue, Yellow, Red, Seated Silhouettes, Oaxaca
Blue, Yellow, Red, Seated Silhouettes, Oaxaca
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Boy, Green Buckets, Oaxaca
Boy, Green Buckets, Oaxaca
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Man Against Wall, Oaxaca
Man Against Wall, Oaxaca
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Man with Yellow Rope, Oaxaca
Man with Yellow Rope, Oaxaca
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Man with Sugar Canes, Oaxaca
Man with Sugar Canes, Oaxaca
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Boy on Bench, Oaxaca
Boy on Bench, Oaxaca
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Two Kids Against Wall, Oaxaca
Two Kids Against Wall, Oaxaca
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Colorful Bags, Oaxaca
Colorful Bags, Oaxaca
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Man, Bus, Dusty Road, Oaxaca
Man, Bus, Dusty Road, Oaxaca
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Mna Bending Down, Oaxaca
Mna Bending Down, Oaxaca
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Five Women in Market, Oaxaca
Five Women in Market, Oaxaca
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Man, Plaid Shirt, Grey Hair, Oaxaca
Man, Plaid Shirt, Grey Hair, Oaxaca
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Loading Wood onto Truck, Oaxaca
Loading Wood onto Truck, Oaxaca
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Group of Men, Red Truck, Oaxaca
Group of Men, Red Truck, Oaxaca
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Ancient Tree, Oaxaca
Ancient Tree, Oaxaca
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Woman Silhouette, Basket on Head, Oaxaca
Woman Silhouette, Basket on Head, Oaxaca
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Three Silhouettes, Oaxaca
Three Silhouettes, Oaxaca
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Red, White, and Blue, Seated Silhouettes, Oaxaca
Red, White, and Blue, Seated Silhouettes, Oaxaca
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Circus Tent, Blue Mostly, Oaxaca
Circus Tent, Blue Mostly, Oaxaca
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Linda, Handstand, Oaxaca
Linda, Handstand, Oaxaca
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Older Woman, Head, Oaxaca
Older Woman, Head, Oaxaca
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Two Women, Corrugated Wall, Oaxaca
Two Women, Corrugated Wall, Oaxaca
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Boy, Corrugated Wall, Oaxaca
Boy, Corrugated Wall, Oaxaca
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Yellow Building with Man, Oaxaca
Yellow Building with Man, Oaxaca
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Town Square, Green Lights, Oaxaca
Town Square, Green Lights, Oaxaca
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Bus, Oaxaca Sign, Oaxaca
Bus, Oaxaca Sign, Oaxaca
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Young Girl, Tree in Background, Oaxaca
Young Girl, Tree in Background, Oaxaca
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