Photographing Deborah Cavendish, The Youngest Mitford Sister

[@johnny5805]

I only just found this channel by accident, and think it is fantastic. I think the fact that it is a Dad and his son working together makes it more poignant. When the photos of a young Fred occasionally appear on-screen, taken by his father. I can't help thinking that now, how the roles have been reversed, and now it is the son behind the camera, as Harry alludes to how time has rendered his subjects as inconsequential and exposed them to the frailties of being human (Mrs Thatcher). Just as time has rendered his role as a father more moot with each passing year.

[@fredandharryborden]

Quite a touching comment, thank you! Albeit a slightly sad truth at the end there. I guess that is how life goes! Glad you enioy the videos and thanks again 😁

[@DusanPavlicek78]

Lovely story. I like your videos, I must admit I've been binge watching them over the past couple of days 🤭

[@bala1000mina]

Thank you so much Harry for sharing! Minute by minute of this video is so inspiring for me! God bless you man!

[@fredandharryborden]

God bless you too!

[@bala1000mina]

@@fredandharryborden Thank you so much Harry!

[@ddimento8790]

Really enjoyed this story too. Very impressed by Harry's ability to "pull something out of the bag" with very little time. Even the first couple of images, taken of her at the door, are strong. Would be great to have a video of Harry covering a few basic lighting "go-tos" sometime. Keep the videos coming. Thanks

[@fredandharryborden]

Thanks for the great comment and suggestion. I will try to get a video along those lines filmed, maybe with some examples of when Harry has used each lighting setup.

[@ddimento8790]

@@fredandharryborden Thanks so much. What's great about Harry's insights and your videos is they show how important people skills and quick thinking are in portraiture. Would love to see some of Harry's really early portraits too- gives great inspiration to aspiring portrait photographers to see the development of others' work. Loved the "Survivors" images too btw, very intimate and gentle series of portraits, felt much more personal than many images I've seen of Holocaust survivors.

[@fredandharryborden]

Another great suggestion - we will definitely make a video about his early work. Thanks a lot about the Survivors book too, that is up there with Harry's most proud piece of work.

[@SandroLendler]

Beautiful!

[@antifencer]

I've got the fuji 6x7 version of that rangefinder camera. Always had a problem focusing it... This is probably a dumb as dishwater question but do you have any tips? Love the channel. Only recently stumbled across it (and your other one) but I've binged the lot. Thanks again, love hearing the stories - they're really great.

[@fredandharryborden]

I will get @Harryborden to respond to this! Glad you are enjoying the channel. Thank you! We currently only have one channel I wonder what the other one is?

[@harryborden6077]

Hi, sorry for the delay, I've had a busy few days! It should be straightforward. I'm sure you know you have to line up the 2 images in the rangefinder. I usually focus on the eyes of my subject and attempt to try to find a line or some contrasty element in the area I want to focus on (such as glasses). It can be tricky but I never had any issues. Perhaps the camera might need a service? Sometimes, if it's had a knock the rangefinder focusing system can become unaligned. Good luck and glad you enjoy the channel. 🙂

[@antifencer]

​​@@harryborden6077I didn't expect a reply! Maybe I've just been spoiled by autofocus through the years and lack the patience needed. 🤔 For me, I'm short sighted and left eye dominant so using range finders can be a bit of a chore. Was wondering if you'd found some neat trick, but I'll just try harder! Thanks very much for coming back to me!

[@harryborden6077]

@@antifencer My pleasure. It is tricky as you get older. I had a detached retina in my right (dominant) eye, so have switched to my left. I'm mostly spoiled by autofocus too and have given away or sold my Fuji rangefinders. I kept my Hasselblad and Rollei twin lens which I find even harder to focus!

[@antifencer]

@@fredandharryborden Fred, the other channel would be Harry's personal one. There's some videos on it.

[@justinhaslam-lucas8711]

Why didn't you mention Unity?

[@fredandharryborden]

You're right.. It would have been good to mention her and her antics... Harry and I make these videos from me interviewing him so its not necessarily scripted and more an edit of our conversation so sometimes things may be missed. Sorry! :)

[@justinhaslam-lucas8711]

I just thought being of English parentage with her second name Valkyrie, being born in a canadian town called Swastika, and a pal of many senior Nazis including Hitler might have amused some of your viewers :-)@@fredandharryborden

[@fredandharryborden]

@@justinhaslam-lucas8711 To be honest I didn't know all of this! Anyway, we don't want to become a gossip channel or too specific about celebrities. Photography is Harry's passion and out of the sisters, he has only photographed Deborah! Thanks for the comment though! :)

[@rosebarry]

Deborah, Duchess of Devonshire was a unique and unusual lady. And indeed she was a lady in every possible sense. As an employee of Chatsworth I met her quite a few times and found her to be kind, funny and self deprecating. She is much missed.

[@jamiegray3245]

After Unity retreated from Nazi Germany with a bullet lodged in her skull, she convalesced in Rugby, at a parish priests home just half a mile from where I grew up. Very sad story really. But this story is wonderfully told, hearing Harry try hard to build a relationship in such a short amount of time. The aristocracy can be prickly, but he managed to charm her.

[@billstory8034]

They Kardasians were nothing like the Mitfords. The Mitfords were unendingly interesting and (some of them) had real talent. The Kardasians? You're telling on yourself, and it's not good.

[@fredandharryborden]

In the sense they were always in the limelight and people really cared who they married etc.

[@harryborden6077]

I agree. but the 1940s are nothing like the 2020s. Don't you think we get the 'it girls' that best reflect the times we live in?