Book Review
Modern Color, Fred Herzog
Modern Color, Fred Herzog
Fred Herzog was not interested in glossy fashion photography, or striking product images. Herzog was a photographer for whom the day-to-day held far more fascination. “Nothing interests me as much as everyday reality”, (documentary, dir. Bob Barrett). This is evident in Modern Color (2020), which celebrates Herzog’s masterful eye for colour.
Fred Herzog was born Ulrich Herzog in southern Germany in 1930. In 1952, Herzog sailed to Montreal, took a train to Toronto, and by 1953, had settled in Vancouver, the city where he spent the rest of his life. Fascinated with photography, Herzog and his 35mm Leica motorbiked around “seedy and colorful” Vancouver, photographing architecture, the city’s inhabitant and urban landscapes using his favoured film of Kodachrome.
Double page spread of Modern Color.
Kodachrome was notoriously tricky to process, as it was only developed by Kodak; independent labs were not permitted to develop it, as Eastman Kodak wanted to maintain total control over their product. Though the cost of the film included development fees, it was still expensive, as users had to post the film to Kodak for developing. The US Government found this practice to be in violation of anti-trust laws, so Kodak, forced to provide development licenses to other labs, sold the film, with customers having the option to choose whether they wanted development costs included. Despite the limitations of his preferred film, Herzog remained true to Kodachrome and as a result, his vivid colour photographs stood out against the swathe of black and white images that were so prevalent at the time.
Red Stockings. Fred Herzog, 1961
Modern Color's introduction provides valuable contextual information on Herzog’s life and work, which is thoughtfully reproduced in German at the rear of the book. The photographs range from night time shots illuminated by vivid neon street signs, to subtly-coloured images of weatherworn clapboard houses, the peeling paint adding extra textual interest. A quick peek at the Instagram feed of almost any self-styled street photographer will reveal Herzog's influence; the man in the barber’s chair having his hair cut (U.R. Next, 1959), legs, from the knees down (Red Stockings, 1961), and the architectural images of stairs, framed by strong shadows (Staircase, 1958). Hands up if you’ve photographed one or more of these. I may be sticking my neck out a little here, but I bet many photographers have, at one stage. I know I have. Sorry.
Ferry Barber Shop. Fred Herzog. 1959
Man Walking, Antigua. Fred Herzog, 1964
Herzog documented everything in his adopted hometown of Vancouver with a practiced eye, and his archive has become an important historical document, recording the growth of the city in the aftermath of World War II. He may not be as well known as some of his contemporaries, like Saul Leiter or Gordon Parks, but Herzog’s style has inspired many digital photographers to the point that many are creating their own Kodachrome-inspired digital presets.
In a book entitled Modern Color, it comes as a surprise to see several black and white photographs interspersed with the colour ones. There’s no obvious explanation for this, but I can attest that the black and white images act as a visual palate cleanser after imbibing copious amounts of rich, eye-popping colour, and act as a reset before the next course. Fans of black and white photography might dismiss Herzog’s work, but in the canon of post World War II photography, Herzog is definitely an innovator, paving the way for colour photography to become a legitimate art form.
Truck Bus, Guatemala. Fred Herzog, 1964.
This a hefty book which will look great on your coffee table and add to your knowledge of the great photographers of the 1950s. It costs around £30 from good and evil booksellers.