| In 1905, Charles Clayton ("Todd") Webb III was
born in Detroit, Michigan. Like Atget, Webb came to his ultimate
profession late in life in 1939. He had been a successful
stockbroker in the Twenties, then lost his earnings in The Crash
that precursored the Great Depression. During the Depression,
Webb prospected for gold, worked as a forest ranger, and for
about a decade wrote short stories that no one would publish.
Finally Webb went to work for Chrysler Corporation in their
Export Division to further his interest in international
affairs. In 1938 Webb joined the Chrysler Camera Club, where
Webb met aspiring photographer Harry Callahan. Webb and Callahan
embarked on their photographic career together, which began with
a workshop from Ansel Adams. The workshop with Adams reaffirmed
Webb's interest in the sharp focus technique of "straight
photography," rejecting the popular manipulated methods of the
Pictorialists.
From:
http://www.toddwebbphotographs.com/portfolio.html |
