A. Aubrey Bodine: The Photographer Who Made Pictures, Not Took Them

A. Aubrey Bodine (1906-1970) was celebrated as one of the twentieth century's finest pictorial photographers, renowned for his artistic approach that transformed photography into a creative discipline. Beginning his career in 1923 with the Baltimore Sunday Sun, Bodine traveled extensively throughout Maryland, producing exceptional documentary images that combined technical mastery with artistic design and lighting effects far surpassing typical newspaper standards. His work earned him top honors in national and international salon competitions, establishing his reputation in photographic circles worldwide.

Bodine's innovative techniques set him apart from his contemporaries—he famously declared that he didn't take pictures but made them, treating his camera and darkroom equipment as tools akin to a painter's brush or sculptor's chisel. He experimented extensively with dyes, intensifiers, pencil markings, and even scraping negatives to achieve his desired artistic effects, often photographically adding clouds or making other elaborate manipulations. His philosophy centered on creating the perfect image rather than capturing reality exactly, working from models and selecting features that suited his sense of mood, proportion, and design.

The extensive collection of Bodine's work, including the featured "The Winter Sports Move South (1937)" photograph of Deer Valley, PA, is available for viewing and purchase through www.aaubreybodine.com, which hosts over 6,000 images spanning his 47-year career. The website also features the full biography "A Legend In His Time" by Harold A. Williams, Bodine's editor and closest friend, providing comprehensive insight into this remarkable photographer's life and legacy. Visitors can order reprints and note cards while learning more about this influential artist whose work continues to inspire photographers and art enthusiasts alike.