Research query - colour photography lessons in 1933-1935?

[Michelle Henning]

If I wanted lessons in colour photography in 1933-1935 and was willing to pay, where would I go? Full disclosure: "I" am László Moholy-Nagy, my ex-wife Lucia Moholy has set up the lessons in the UK for me (probably in London) and I go on to use Dufaycolor, Vivex and the Finlay colour processes among others. Could I have got lessons through the RPS colour group? Who was not just using these processes, but teaching them at the time? Lucia would go on to teach at the London School of Printing and Kindred Trades (later London School of Printing and Graphic Arts) and the Central School of Art and Design, in case either of these are possibilities? All help appreciated and credited!

[Michelle Henning]

Hi Anne

Thankyou so much, this is really interesting - I will look up more about Mme Yevonde and her employees, and the Regent Street Polytechnic. In May 1941 Lucia Moholy talks about seeing photographer who used to work for her and "Everybody is safe, no one was hurt" which I think refers to a recent bombing in London, so I am also following that up. 

[Anne Strathie]

Hi, Michelle

I've written a biography of Herbert Ponting, who was active in still photography until c.1920, but suddenly restarted in the late 1920s/early 1930s, including with a portrait photograph using Vivex technology (Ponting was old enough to have used Lumiere plates c.1910). One photograph (later published) was taken using Vivex technology; the caption mentions Mme Yevonde, so perhaps she or her employees were happy to introduce established photographers to the new technology. The photograph is the full colour one posted here, where you can see the captions, which mention Vivex  https://theatricalia.com/person/sff/glae-carrodus. The photo was later published in a trade magazine, so there was obviously interest in Mme Y's process at the time. The other institution it might be worth checking is the Regent Street Polytechnic, which was quite active in photography training (camera designer Arthur Newman was involved with their courses). All the best with your research.

[Michelle Henning]

Brilliant thankyou Michael! Moholy was quite well-known at this point, so it is likely he could have had special lessons set up that were not generally advertised. I did wonder about someone in the photography circles Lucia Moholy moved in, or someone like DA Spencer at Vivex (or maybe Clark at Kodak??), or someone at Dufaycolor (then owned by Ilford I think). Don't go out of your way - it's quite a minor point in a very short thing I am writing, but interesting that it seems to be unknown in the various books on Moholy-Nagy I have looked at. The fact that he came to England specially to study it is interesting too!

[Michael Pritchard]

Hi, Michelle. The BJP doesn't seem to comment on specific teaching of colour photography. The City & Guilds syllabus/exam papers I have from a slightly later period only detail with b/w photography. That leaves one-on-one tuition from amateurs (members of the RPS Colour Group might be a possibility along with other acknowledged colour workers from the amateur world) and those working with colour professionally such as Madame Yevonde. I'll need to re-read her memoirs to see if she mentions assistants or teaching.  A third possibility might be that manufacturers of colour material might have run short courses focused on their materials although I don't recall seeing them advertised.