Zoom Meetings

Chester Higgins speaks to the American Photography Archives Group. © Stephen Perloff
Since the beginning of lockdown in New York, APAG took its meetings online. Within a couple of weeks it became clear how valuable these meetings were to our members, and how wonderful it was that so many out of town members were able to join in.
We have now hosted dozens of meetings with a variety of interesting and informative guests. The audio from these meetings is available on this website, under Membership / Members Only (for members only! If you haven’t joined APAG yet, the cost is very little, please join and enjoy all the benefits.)
Seen here from left to right are Stephen Perloff of The Photo Review; Chester Higgins, our guest photographer; Randa Cardwell, archivist for David Hume Kennerly; Leslie Smolan, Rodney Smith Estate; Julie Grahame, Karsh Estate, and APAG VP; and Mary Engel, Ruth Orkin and Morris Engel Archives, Founder and President of APAG.
Digitizing Negatives
Our member Ron Sherman shared this in response to our conversations about scanning in the last Zoom meeting.
During our discussion about camera scans and Nikon type scanners, I volunteered to test both, since I have used both techniques. The results are attached, along with my camera, bellows, and lens setup and the lights and camera setup. I determined that the camera scans with my equipment are ok when there is a large number of negatives to be used for reference or archiving. A newer camera and better macro lens would improve the camera scan quality. My Nikon Scanner gave me the results I need for high quality reproductions. I hope this demo gives the APAG members a starting point in their quest for a scanning solution.



Anticipating the Museum and Gallery Landscape Post-Pandemic
An APAG West primer with Alla Efimova.
June 2020
June 26, 2020 – Museum Curators – Sean Corcoran (Museum of the City of New York) and Lisa Hostetler (George Eastman Museum)
The Conditions of the Archive: FESTAC 77

On Monday, January 27, 2020 from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m, curator and scholar Oluremi C. Onabanjo will engage in conversation with renowned artist and APAG member Marilyn Nance about her photographic archive of FESTAC 77, the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture held in Lagos in 1977. Nance photographed the month-long festival, creating 1,500 images of the historic celebration of Pan-African art and culture.
To attend, please RSVP to rsvp@curatorsintl.org with ARCHIVE in the subject line.
This event is accessible to people with mobility disabilities. Please contact ICI for additional accessibility needs.
ICI, 401 Broadway, Suite 1620, New York, NY 10013.
Harlem, Hollywood, Broadway: African American Legends Photographed by Jack Mitchell

“Harlem, Hollywood, Broadway: African American Legends Photographed by Jack Mitchell” opens January 19, 2020, at the Huntsville Museum of Art in Huntsville, Alabama, features 36 hand-selected silver gelatin and color photographs of important African American artists and performers taken by Jack Mitchell over a career spanning five decades. APAG member Craig Highberger represents the Mitchell archive.
The Life and Work of Harold Feinstein
Kodak’s “Kodakery” podcast features APAG member, Harold Feinstein. Harold was born in Coney Island in 1931. When he passed away in 2015 the New York Times declared him: “One of the most accomplished recorders of the American experience.”
“This week we’re talking with filmmaker Andy Dunn and curator Carrie Scott about a phenomenal photographer that you might not know about: Harold Feinstein. Harold began shoot in the ’40s and his images are as powerful today as they were back then. We talk about what place his photography has in history and how Andy and Carrie have both been instrumental in keeping Harold’s story alive.”
16th Annual Lucie Awards
There were many well known winners at this year’s Lucie Awards. APAG founder and president Mary Engel is seen here with Annie Leibovitz, who won for “Achievement in Portraiture”. Other winners included Jay Maisel, Maggie Steber, Stephen Shore, Zanele Muholi. See the other winners.

