Celebrated printer Gene Nocon dies
Gene Nocon, "one of the best photographic printers of his generation", who worked with Terry O'Neill, Cecil Beaton and Terence Donovan, has died. He was 65.
Author: Olivier Laurent
29 Nov 2011 Tags: Obituary
"Gene was a brilliant printer and a very nice guy. In fact, he was the best printer out of all the guys I knew, and his knowledge of printing was amazing," photographer Terry O'Neill tells BJP.
Gene Nocon started his career in photography in the early 1970s. When he moved to England in 1975, "his expertise in the photographic darkroom was recognized and appreciated," says the Royal Photographic Society in a statement. "He worked for many of the most famous names in the industry, amongst them were Terence Donovan, O'Neill, Linda McCartney, Cecil Beaton [and] Norman Parkinson."
"His name is not readily reconized, but his work has been seen by more people than any one single photographer," says fine art photographer Kelly Fitzgerald, one of Nocon's friends.
In 1980, Nocon became the Ilford Printer of the Year, a recognition that he used "to showcase and highlight the role and importance of the photographer printer with an exhibition called The Photographic Print," Nocon once wrote.
He became a photographic advisor to Prince Andrews and organised the photography for his Royal Wedding with Sarah, the Duchess of York. His portrait of Prince Andrew and Sarah was later used for the Royal Wedding Commemorative Stamp.
When digital started taking over from print, Nocon lamented the loss of the "hub". "Digital has changed the community of photography," he wrote. "There is no 'hub' - no center of activity. The photolab is no more. Digital photographers have no place to go. They pretty much work in isolation. There is no distribution of knowledge."
And while he embraced Photoshop, he pursued his quest to promote the importance of the photolab. "Young photographers are lured by the idea that they can print their own photographs," he wrote. "I've seen some results and frankly I question the standard of the work. Perhaps they had never seen what an actual photographic print looks like. The point is that Photoshop, to the uninitiated, is like trying to use a calculator without any fundamental understanding of math."
Nocon moved to the US in 1990 - which ended his collaboration with O'Neill, says the photographer. He died on 20 November in San Diego, California. A memorial service will be held on 02 December at the Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala, San Diego, California, at 10.30am.
Comments
Gene was probably the best Photoshop guru I have ever seen and when he worked on any of the work I did with Zandra Rhodes it just blew me away Gene you will be sadly missed by anyone who had the pleasue of working with you or calling you a friend
Met him once as a young assistant, he made a big impression and he was the inspiration behind my first folio of hand printed b/w images, a lot of them solarised lith prints.
I first met Gene in a pokey little office and darkroom beneath The Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. With the refurbishment of the Royal Opera House he had to move his business to Laystall Street.
I was invloved with him in setting up his new darkrooms and offices, exciting times for him and lots going on.
As well as dealing with his clientele, who always expected miracles from him, he managed to produce a book and probally the best darkroom timer ever made (I still have mine).
Not only was he innovative about every thing he did, without doubt he was one of the best, if not the best darkroom printer around.
Gene always had time for everyone, a wonderful guy a true gent and I will miss him, such a loss.
Stephen Spencer-Smith
I first met Gene at a workshop in Newman st W1 when he worked at a place called Panic, I had just left school and was looking for a job, Gene and his wife then Elizabeth took me on as a courier to deliver the prints to the Photograghers around the west end, I moved with them to Covent Garden when they set up the Photograghers workshop and stayed with them a while there, while I was there Gene always encouraged me to try and work in the dark room but as a young lad I always was looking no futher than the end of the week. I eventually moved on to do other things, but about 18months ago i was talking to my neice who is doing a photograghy course at college about Gene and thought I will try to get hold of him I eventually called him in the states and started talking to him about my time working with him, we were laughing about the things we did at the time he had such a great memory and took time to say if my neice needs some advice to contact him, I was sorry to hear that he had died, but was so glad i got to talk to him for a last time, He was a true gent and I can still hear that accent now, telling tales of when he was serving in Germany in the forces, My thoughts go out to his family and friends you had a great family member and friend he will be sadly missed.
Thanks For the memories Garry Rousseau
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