"Norman" - undated portrait of Norman Randall, with well lit face floating in black cowl. Norman Randall, Virna Haffer's third husband, was an engineer and artist. Haffer never remarried after his death in 1950. (A Turbulent Lens: The Photographic Art of Virna Haffer, p. 61- information on Mr. Randall)
ca. 1933. "Onya la Tour" - portrait of person gazing upward. Dangling hoop earrings are in contrast with long dark hair. According to the book "A Turbulent Lens: The Photographic Art of Virna Haffer," title of a bas relief print which featured the same person was "Onya Latoor." It was possibly photographed in California. (A Turbulent Lens: The Photographic Art of Virna Haffer, p. 80)
ca. 1928. "Robert" - portrait photo of young child, circa 1928, wearing a polka-dotted jersey with a large collar shirt. In 1930 Haffer received her first national exposure when this photograph of "Robert" was reproduced by the American Annual of Photography. (A Turbulent Lens: The Photographic Art of Virna Haffer, p. 106)
ca. 1930. "Study -Kay Harshberger" - portrait of person with head distorted, circa 1930. According to "A Turbulent Lens: The Photographic Art of Virna Haffer," this work was also titled Caricature. The distorted image was created in the darkroom by rotating the horizontal printing frame slightly on its vertical axis. (A Turbulent Lens: The Photographic Art of Virna Haffer, p.19)
"The Unknown" - photogram. Probably created during the 1960s when Virna Haffer transitioned to camera-less photographic processes, particularly photograms. (Virna Haffer Collection)
ca. 1928. "Tilley-O"- multiple exposures of a smiling woman in sepia toned and B & W. This circa 1928 photograph shows exposures of the same woman placed in a circular format with what may be a mound of thickish black hair in the center of the circle, thereby either hiding the woman's actual hair or was an enlargement of her hair. (Virna Haffer Collection) (Bullock: A Turbulent Lens, p. 40-picture only)
ca. 1960. This self portrait of photographer Virna Haffer was made circa 1960. Apparently she had greased her face with vasoline and then patted her face with paper. Her profile emerges from a black background with eyes seemingly shut tightly. (Virna Haffer Collection) (Bullock: A Turbulent Lens, p. 40)
Portrait of fortune-teller. The dark haired woman has a weary smile on her face. She is holding a lit cigarette in one hand. Part of a deck of cards is scattered on the table before her. The photograph's background is dark and muted and the picture itself may be purposefully out of focus. (Virna Haffer Collection)
ca. 1935. Distorted head. This untitled work is of Newell Griffith, circa 1935. Mr. Griffith can also been seen in another of Haffer's pieces, series VH, image ALBUM 2-35. (Virna Haffer Collection)
Brightly lit head of man with deep dark-set eyes and black background. Area below the sharply etched cheekbones is in darkness. Forehead and nose area highlighted. (Virna Haffer Collection)
ca. 1935. "Untitled" (Newell Griffith) - portrait of person's (Newell Griffith) head split with mirror, circa 1935. (A Turbulent Lens: The Photographic Art of Virna Haffer, p. 74)
Includes photographic works by Haffer organized into a series of titled bound volumes. Each volume includes typewritten descriptive notes. Also included are additional photographs not included in the volumes, newspaper clippings, and correspondence.
ca. 1934. This is believed to be Virna Haffer's "With a Weird Spark," an abstract composition of a man and woman and pattern in "sky" (sea shell), circa 1934. (Virna Haffer Collection) (Bullock: A Turbulent Lens, p. 132)