Some comments about the Van Dykes

These are a sampling of Van Dyke Brown prints made by me in the mid to late '70's. Some of these prints were toned by bleaching in mercuric chloride buffered with a small quantity of potassium bromide, cleared in three baths of 5% hydrochloric acid, and redeveloped in Dektol. I had purchased a 500 foot roll of outdated aerial film for $75.00. This film was 9 inches wide and I used one or two strips to make my negatives. I used to dry the film on a Burke and James flip flop print dryer. During this period I was heavy into John Cage and I think the influence is evident.

The Movie Line Series was taken during the opening night of Murder on the Orient Express in Westwood Ca. I shot with a high powered Rollie strobe on a Mamiyflex camera. I zone focused and walked down the line of folks waiting to go into the theatre. I shot from the waist as fast as the strobe ready light came on..

The Skid Row Flasher Series was taken during the period when the infamous serial killer known as the Skid Row Slasher was active in LA's Skid Row. I roamed the back alleys of Los Angeles Skid Row mostly zone focused and randomly shooting where men were sleeping or drinking. I was only able to work for a couple of nights as I was totally freaking out the cops. They stopped me on the street and told that what I was doing was illegal, something about being a public nuisance. I said "Then arrest me." This even made them madder. My day job involved working for the City of Los Angeles computer department and I was assigned to LAPD projects. Several of the beat cops knew who I was.Word got back to my management and that quickly ended my midnight activities.

Dick Sullivan