Higher Pictures: “Untitled” by Alfred Gescheidt, vintage gelatin silver print, 1961

In an age when Photoshop seems to be a de facto part of nearly every photographer’s creative process, the ways of in-camera and darkroom trickery - montage, collage, double exposure, hand-retouching and re-photographing - are in danger of becoming a lost art. Alfred Gescheidt was a master of all these techniques and more, although his name has, rather unjustly, become largely unknown in recent years.

Once described by former New York Times photo editor John Durniak as “the Charlie Chaplin of the camera”, Geischeidt amassed a rich body of photographic work that was unique, satirical, idiosyncratic and at times even hallucinogenic. (Field of Vision: Alfred Gescheidt)

Artist’s statement: “According to Discovery Channel, more than 50% of the world population have never talked at the telephone. It makes me though, and some days ago I was worried cause my cell phone wasn´t ringing, it was a fool preocupation, cause there is a lot of people that even don´t know what is a telephone.”

Previously on Skandalon.

“Advert for Western Electric, the manufacturing arm of AT&T.”

About MsBlueSky : “[Her] photostream is a wonderful collection of delightful vintage pictures and vintage-inspired drawings.” Follow her on Tumblr.