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Narration: Fritz Henle had a characteristic style as a photographer.
He utilized the classic twin-lens Rolleiflex camera,
and his near-exclusive use of the camera distinguished him from
the other photographers of the time and earned him the nickname of "Mr. Rollei."
Unrestricted by popular trends,
Henle's characteristic square format images provided him with the technical proficiency
which allowed for detailed, sharp, and vivid images.
Tina Henle: He just totally believed in the square format for composition,
and he just believed aesthetically it was the most beautiful.
And the size of the negative.
He could print just incredible images from that versus 35.
And it was in existence before 35.
He often said he'd love to be able see what he was composing in a frame of glass.
He rarely shot like that,
even when he was doing portraiture he was looking, looking down.
Narration: Henle's uniqueness as a photographer carried over to his techniques.
His precision and attention to detail, coupled with his unique artistry and timing,
allowed him to create his images with just a single shot.
Tina Henle: His main and only instruction I ever got from him was ‘don't overshoot.'
And basically what he went on to say was
to try to see what you want and be in the moment with it.
Martin Henle: If the composition wasn't there visually in his lens, he wouldn't take it.
Narration: Henle's expertise with the photographic medium also afforded him a
tremendous versatility with all parameters of the art.
Depending upon the demands of the assignment
and the remarkable breadth of his personal vision,
Henle would often alternate between the use of both
black and white and color films in nearly every project.
Marguerite Henle: He always photographed one camera with color,
the other camera with black and white. All of the time.
All over Europe he did the same thing.
Roy Flukinger: So he always had two cameras around his neck?
Marguerite Henle: Always. Sometimes three.
Narration: Henle once said,
“One thing an artist can do in this world is to remind people that there is so much
beauty, that you only have to see it.
Ultimately, Henle's simple manner of finding beauty
in even the most unexpected places
is amplified through the artistry in his individual exposures.
Tina Henle: He'd look for beauty in destruction and trash,
although it wasn't like he was just focused on that at all.
I mean beauty was really important to him...
It's just who he was, as an artist.
He could have been doing anything and it would have been that theme.
He wouldn't of had to have been a photographer.
It was about just showing the most high parts of life.