Lot 24: KURT HUTTON (1893-1960)

KURT HUTTON (1893-1960)
Care free, 1949
gelatin silver print
annotated in ink (verso)
photographer's credit and 'KC9063' stamps (verso)
image 9 x 6¾in. (24.5 x 17cm.)
sheet 10 x 7in. (25.2 x 17.7cm.)

Kurt Hutton, Speaking Likeness, Focal Press, London. 1947, p.73.

The caption notes: 'The photograph nearly drove me mad. The editor asked for some pictures of Southend fun fair, so I raomed all over the place and took an endless number of photos. Then the editor said: 'They're no good. I don't want to a series. I need one striking picture.' Southend seemed a long way to go again...so I went to Hampstead Heath. To make sure I took a pretty model with me. This time the editor said the photos were all right, but the girl was modelish - not really full of life, joy and laughter. 'Well,' said the editor, 'get something on the caterpillar. You know the sort of thing. It's quite easy.' I felt like asking 'Is it?'...so the next day I set off for Southend with a young actress. The photographs were very nice. 'This is it,' said the editor. 'Only I'd much rather have two girls. And this girl is fine but she looks more like an Oxford undergraduate than the Southend type.' By now I was beginning to feel slightly irritable...Next morning I met the two girls I had chosen and found one presented no problems, but the other was far from faultless to photograph. As we neared Southend the storm broke...so we just waited. Eventually it did clear up and with a wind blowing at a somewhat rude angle and with the right side of my difficult model's face to the camera, I got my picture. An easy picture such as you might pick up with a bit of luck any fine day.'