"Figure 8"

Central Park, New York

photogravure

Important representative of the American pictorialism. Fassbender was born in Germany and time and again returned to the Black Forest or Tyrol to take pictures.
(Fritz Simak)

Winter in Central Park, New York City. Early morning, only a few people realized that there would be ice and snow in the Park. The haze was lifting and I found this young lady busy making her perpetual Figure 8. Ice skating is real fun at the foot of the city skyscrapers. It is real fun, too, taking pictures on such an exhilarating morning, except for the comfort of my finger tips and toes.In the distance is Columbus Circle if one wishes to penetrate the thin haze which lingers like winter’s icy breath over the town.
Composition:
The open space between the figures and the tree in the foreground provides an excellent entrance to the wintry scene, which is enhanced by the interesting group of modern skyscrapers in the background. The tree on the lower right is most important in the balance of the composition. Also the slight darkening of the sky on the upper right, conveying the blue coming through, helps to add to the necessary weight at this point.
Technical Problems:
In the foreground there was a fence which had to be removed via retouching. Otherwise one would have to jump over the fence to reach the picture. The tree on the right was too light and had to be darkened via reduction on the negative. A texture was introduced in the printing to convey the feeling of the delicate haze, noticed when making the picture. The vicinity around the skating figure had to be lightened to distinguish the lady from her surroundings. The ice looked too dark, especially in the distance, and had to be brightened.
Data:
Camera: Jewell A 9x12cm
Lens: Zeiss Tessar
Stop: f.11
Film: Agfa Super Plenachrome
Filter: Light Yellow
Exposure: 1/10, on tripod
Print: 14x17 Tuma Gas, blue toned
(Adolf Fassbender, 1937)