Shawn W. Walker, 117 St. (Lenox - 7th Ave), Gelatin silver print, 1963
There was a time when photography was damned hard work: checking light meters and adjusting camera apertures, twirling focus rings. Whether carefully planned or serendipitously snapped, the photographer could never be absolutely certain if the moment the shutter was squeezed was a good one, until after a lengthy darkroom session with pungent chemicals, negative strips, bulky enlargers, and various photo papers — everything bathed in the flat glow of red safety lights.