Marion Warren was a plain-spoken man. As he traveled around the Chesapeake Bay on assignments and personal projects, he became known as the man with the 4 x 5 Crown Graphic with an eye for simple, but strongly composed images. His love for the hard-working watermen and fishermen of the Chesapeake was evident, with sheet film after sheet film exposed on some of the most difficult scenes. Weather is the thread that binds the waterways of the Chesapeake and Marion used it to his advantage. His body of work in black and white large format is what Warren became know for, particularly his iconic Bay Bridge photograph under a full moon.
But when Kodachrome was introduced in 1935 as one of the first successful color materials for 35mm still photography, Warren took to using his Leica in ways the Crown Graphic couldn’t perform. Leaning over boats, racing to catch the last rays of sun, people in the act of living was all so difficult with a large format camera as compared to this light-weight precision German camera.
This hidden treasure trove of Artist Proofs have been in my studio for many years now and it is time for me to release my private collection. My memories of Marion and I leaning over these gorgeous color prints is still in my mind. He took almost childish delight to see his color images on large sheets of archival cotton paper, with a vividness he had never achieved until these last years of his life. Enjoy.
Richard Olsenius, Gallery Owner