American photogpraher Benn Mitchell wearing a sandwich board in London. COURTESY PHOTO

Photographers live by an extreme version of carpe diem; it’s a second that they look to seize. The good ones can read the tea leaves and sense that moment before it arrives.

For 17-year-old Benn Mitchell, it is the moment a squinting Humphrey Bogart in a pinstripe suit holds a cigarette between his puckered lips, half of his face in shadows, that is worth printing.

Mitchell picked this instant over the climactic moments of ignition and exhale.

Every actor has a mechanism to shed a character they have been playing. In between takes, Bogie decompressed with a cigarette. We know this because Mitchell’s camera snapped the classy star taking a smoke break with the poise that so characterized him. Expression, body language, attire and that glorious jawline achieve perfect harmony in that second. It might as well have been in the script.

This sensual image from 1943 is among 52 timeless photographs featured in “Benn Mitchell Photographs: Hollywood to NYC,” through Oct. 22 at Boca Raton Museum of Art. The exhibition focuses on two bodies of work in the esteemed American photographer’s career: Warner Brothers photographs from 1943 and New York City scenes from the late 1940s to the early 1960s. Judging by the selection, success was a given, but nobody could have predicted it would be early on.

Bogie and Marilyn greet visitors to the second-floor gallery housing photographs by American photographer Benn Mitchell. GRETEL SARMIENTO / FLORIDA WEEKLY

The second-floor gallery houses images of cafeterias, trains, storefront windows, movie theaters, and umbrella holding pedestrians battling weather conditions. There’s the obligatory print of the Empire State Building, which stands tall and powerful against a cloudy sky. Also here standing grand is the lion sculpture outside the iconic New York Public Library; its commanding quality courtesy of a low angle shot. Then there’s the curious inclusion of a gelatin silver print from 1950 portraying three men walking arm in arm. We can count at least three indiscreet onlookers who follow them as the men approach a theater playing “Suddenly Last Summer,” starring Katharine Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift.

 

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The New York City native, who became an avid supporter of the museum upon retiring to Boca Raton until his death in 2021, sold his first photograph to LIFE magazine while still a teenager. Included in the show is a 1943 letter from the magazine advising Mitchell a $25 check for his Chilly Billy photograph — featured in the Jan. 25 issue — is on the way. It, too, anticipates the success that was to come.

“I’ll be looking forward with you to getting some of your pictures in soon again,” ends the letter signed by Ruth Lester.

An eager young Mitchell next headed to Hollywood having been granted permission by Warner Brothers to linger around its studios and document movie stars, extras and behind-the-scenes professionals.

An unidentified actor dressed as a cowboy points a pistol at someone kept out of the frame in one print acquired by the museum this year. His character enjoys being in control and takes his time issuing what we presume to be a warning. Images like this one tempt the dormant voiceover artist in us. A plausible dialogue for this scene could go: “Eeeeeeasy there, cowboy. Is that a threat?” At which time the guy with the pistol says: “No, that’s a promise.”

The museum has not been able to properly identify subjects and movie sets such as this one. Anyone with information is encouraged to get in touch. Until then, feel free to fill in the blanks.

Early in the show, photographer turns subject and human billboard in one black-and-white image depicting a smirking Mitchell sporting a sandwich board. The story goes that while on assignment in London, Mitchell spotted a man on Oxford Street advertising: “Express passports and high-class portraiture.” He offered money to the man to borrow the board and had his wife, Esther, take this amusing photo.

If the above examples don’t entice you to spend a few minutes with “Benn Mitchell Photographs,” consider visiting anyway; if only to witness what bold young minds can achieve and why we shouldn’t rush to dismiss them.

Following his time at Warner Brothers studios and a two-year service as a U.S. Navy photographer, Mitchell returned to New York City and studied at Columbia University. He went on to open his own commercial studio at 25, eight years after that $25 check from LIFE magazine.

LUMBERTON – Award-winning Bill Norment, a colorful character in his day, captured the largely rural world of Lumberton and Robeson County during the second half of the 20th century in stark black and white.

Norment served as a longtime photographer – as well as sports editor, city editor, associate editor and editor emeritus – with The Robesonian. He worked for the Lumberton newspaper for more than five decades before his death at age 66 in 1998.

His legacy is being remembered during the weekend with a special photo exhibit – “Bill Norment: A Legacy in Black and White Photographs” – 2-5 p.m. on Sunday at the Robeson County History Museum, 101 S. Elm St.

Admission is free.

The public is invited, and light refreshments will be offered.

“William Douglas Norment was one of North Carolina’s great photographers,” the History Museum states in a news release promoting the special exhibit.

Some knew him simply as “Billy Doug.”

But Norment’s photos gave life – a corresponding visual component – to the print stories that adorned the pages of the Robesonian over the week during his career.

According to the release, the History Museum was able to procure the Norment collection courtesy of a gift from his children. Photo journalism was shot in black and white during Norment’s newspaper tenure, and his collection of enlarged and printed works reflect that era from the days of yesteryear.

“This isn’t routine newspaper work. It’s art,” Scott Bigelow, vice president of the museum, said in a news release.

“Viewers will see a range of Bill’s work, including sports, law enforcement, family and feature photography,” Faye Middleton, who hung the exhibit, said in the news release. “There is also a collection of historical photos and a selection of his professional work.”

Donnie Douglas, a former sports editor and former top editor at The Robesonian, said when he first arrived at the newspaper that Norment was the staff photographer.

“He was an accomplished photographer,” Douglas said Wednesday. “From my memory, he was kind of a grandfatherly figure in the newsroom. He got along well with people. He had a good eye for photography. And he was always helpful. He stayed holed up in the darkroom. He was a real pleasure to be around but not someone to bring attention to himself. That was his nature.”

In 1974, the N.C. Press Association named Norment Photographer of the Year. He was also selected as Southern Photographer of the Year during his extensive tenure at the paper.

In 1958, a series of Norment’s photographs of the Lumbee Indians historical rout of the Ku Klux Klan was published in Life magazine and distributed worldwide, the news release said. The KKK had tried to intimidate Lumbee tribal members in Maxton, but the Robeson County-based Indians fought back at what is remembered as the Battle of Hayes Pond.

They drove the Klan out of town.

Mike Doares, past president of the History Museum, helped move the Norment collection from his Lumberton home to the museum. It was Doares and his wife, Monica, who organized the collection for exhibit.

“When I was in high school,” Doares said in the release, “Bill paid me $5 for sports photographs. That was a lot of money then, and he was great to work for.”

Bigelow worked for Norment as a reporter at The Robesonian.

“Bill was a master photographer,” Bigelow recalled, “and in those days, that meant he was a master of the dark room. He was a patient and soft-spoken teacher.”

“Bill had a great eye as viewers of this exhibit will see,” Bigelow said in the release.

A near life-long resident of Lumberton, Norment attended Catawba College where he played football and served as editor of the school newspaper.

He also served his country in the Army.

Norment participated in Golden Gloves boxing, and he was known to be an avid radio-controlled model airplane enthusiast.

“I think everybody liked Bill and appreciated the work he did,” Douglas said. “He was a little bit of an institution in Lumberton.”

On Thursday, Sept. 15, Rowan’s photography club held its first meeting of the semester. In room 105, Westby Hall students of various majors, including RTF, graphic design and digital media were all welcomed to 2 dozen boxes of Dunkin’ Donuts and Lay’s chips as the e-board members prepared an introductory presentation.

Room 105 proved to be an optimal space for the photography club as it featured a greenscreen area, multiple lighting fixtures, and long tables for the workshop. Though the e-board members assumed the teacher’s seat while preparing their slideshow, President Kevin Myers started off by stating that he and the board consider themselves on the same level as all other members. 

“The time spent in this club is not a time for me up here lecturing at the board but a time for every member to work on something they haven’t been able to finish during class or some project at home they want to bring to life on campus,” said Myers, “It’s a workshop for everybody. Even if they have nothing to do and just want to come here to sit around, it’s another reason to come by. That’s what us photographers do, after all, sit around for inspiration.” 

During the slideshow, Kevin wrote down the different types of photography on the whiteboard and laid out the separate parts of a camera. He also noted that during the semester the club would be venturing outside to do “Photowalks” where members have the opportunity to find campus spots and get inspired for their projects.

Kevin also opened the floor to contests they could do within the club so that more photography students get the well-earned recognition they need for their portfolios. 

After the introduction was complete, the members were prompted to join a Kahoot game. Because Kahoot charges for more than twenty people to join, the members were asked to share their phones and work with a partner to come up with responses. 

This proved to be an effective way of introducing photography knowledge and a fun icebreaker to get to know each of the members. One of the True/False questions was “The higher the number (millimeter) on a camera lens, the more zoomed in it is.” When it was revealed as being true, those who got it correct exalted with shouts of “yes” and fist bumps while those who got it wrong sighed and whispered, “I thought I knew that”. 

The e-board also mentioned that they’re in need of a new senator for the club. Vice President Matt Mastej vouched that members should not feel daunted by its responsibilities.

“All you have to do is show up to the SGA meetings, and don’t get me wrong, they’re long meetings, but it’s a good position to have on your resume. The biggest thing is just communication with the board, tell us you’ll be there on time and what meetings you can attend and you’ll be in our good graces,” said Mastej. “Most of the time you won’t even have to talk at the meetings so you’re more than encouraged to bring homework. Did I also say that they usually give out food?”

When asked about the mission of Rowan’s photo club, President Kevin Myers took a moment to collect his thoughts, then responded, “Our mission is to ultimately create another space here on campus where students can relate to each other and gain knowledge from making those connections of shared interests,” said Myers, “As a film production major, some of the best connections I’ve made were here on campus from the clubs I joined. We need these types of clubs to push students into connecting with each other because that’s how ideas start to form.” 

Compared to some of the older clubs at Rowan, the Photography Club is one of the newer additions to the campus as the club first met back in 2020 before COVID ended in-person meetings. Since then, the club has taken a hiatus, and this semester marks their return.  The Photography Club and its members breathe new life into the campus, and provides students with a space to inject their personalities. 

To get in contact with the e-board, all you have to do is go to the club’s website. You can follow Rowan Photography Club on Instagram @rowanphotoclub and join their discord. To officially sign up for the club you must sign up through the Proflink.

For questions/comments about this story DM us on Instagram @thewhitrowan or email the.whit.arts@gmail.com

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