Weston/Modotti?

[Aggie]

Garry you fogot his first wife!

[rbarker]

I also believe that one must view these situations within the context of the times and their associated social values. Weston was playing around during a period of considerable personal exploration following a period of considerable repression - particularly with respect to womens' rights and such. In contrast, the '50s were more "traditional", motherhood and apple-pie oriented, and the '60s much wilder. But, back when I was doing cave paintings in the south of France, it was very difficult to get women to take off their wooly rhino robes.

[Nick Zentena]

I think it's the 5x7 graflex.

[Chazzy]

I think it's the 5x7 graflex.

If a 5x7 Graflex is a babe magnet, I'm getting one.

From what I've read, Weston was often short on money, so that's not what women saw in him. Maybe it was just that he moved in "artsy" circles, where women were attracted to his undeniable genius and celebrity status.

[Chazzy]

Every photographer has a secret. Edward Weston's was pyrogallo and a total lack of responsibilty to his family. I doubt that any woman could long compete with his love of his dry mounting press.

As a divorced man, I'm in no position to point figures about his "lack of responsibility to his family." But it hit me like a bolt of lightning when I was reading the Daybooks and got to the bit about his first wife sending him money while he was shacked up with Tina in Mexico. She must have been very loyal to do that. I can't imagine my ex-wife doing that. I wish they could have worked things out. But now I'm starting to ramble or preach, or maybe both.

[garryl]

Garry you fogot his first wife!

First wife? I only know of one other than Charis. Did he have three? Am I getting that forgetful?

[Aggie]

you're right, only two. But listen to the interview of Francis Baer that lenswork has. You will have your eyes opened about him. She was his last housekeeper.

[Michael A. Smith]

Edward Weston was always very close to his family--his sons. In his life they came before his women. And his women: really there were very few. And most were when he was single--between the time when he left Flora and when he got together with Charis. And by the standards of the late 1960s and 1970s Weson was virtually celibate. Almost all of the women in his life remained close friends forever--which says something about his relationship with them. And, of course, his sons were very close to him.

Why were women so attracted to him? It wasn't looks or money or even fame. By the time he was famous he was with Charis--who was his last romantic partner. It was that he was a deep and sensitive human being--someone who was passionately involved in his work and someone who cared deeply about other people. It is a truism that you get what you give. Woman were attracted to him because he gave of himself a great deal.

[Charles Webb]

Perhaps I shouldent ask a question on this Weston-Moditi thread, but I am seeing such a world of knowledge being expressed here on this subject that I ask you to forgive me if I am wrong in posting my question here.

Several years ago maybe twenty or more, I remember an advertisement for a book that I think was about Edward and one of his models. She was I believe from Norway, Sweden or somewhere in scandanavia. Any way the book featured images Weston had made of her much like Tina I suppose. I have never seen the publication and cannot find it listed anywhere. I have a strong interest in Weston's work and would like to know for certain that I did not dream up such a book. So am asking do any of you know about this
book. The name Dodi was mentioned in one of the posts, I do not recognize that name, and have seen no images that I know of, of her.

[Michael A. Smith]

Charles, you are dreaming that book. It does not exist.

Dody Weston Thompson was Edward's last assistant and became Brett Weston's wife. She knows more about Edward today than anyone alive with the exception of Charis. Dody just wrote a greatly revised and expanded version of her essay about her time as Edward's assistant and about Edward that first appeared in The Malahat Review in 1970. This updated essay can be found in the book I recently published, Edward Weston: Life Work. Information about the book can be found at www.lodimapress.com. In her essay Dody refutes a number of the myths and popular misconceptions about Edward that abound today (among them the one that he abandoned his family). Dody is an excellent writer and her essay is definitely worth reading.