Cannot believe it has been two weeks since last class and since I last posted a blog. A lot of things has happened but here is the blog as promised.
Class was a very enlightening and entertaining journey into the history of photography. We all gathered at a table while John Rohrbeck, Senior Curator of Photographs, took us through the start of photography in the 19th century up to the 1890s. It included Daguerreotypes such as this one. The below print is a one-of-a-kind as are all Daguerreotypes. The ladies are unknown but in my opinion they are very charming. Think about it; we know nothing of their lives but they will be able to be seen for as long as this photograph exists. Here is a link to the ACMCC photographs shown on the web ACMAA Photographs. They cannot possibly have all 45,000 prints on the web but you will see a sample. I have borrowed a couple of the images shown on the website to give you a sample.
Class was a very enlightening and entertaining journey into the history of photography. We all gathered at a table while John Rohrbeck, Senior Curator of Photographs, took us through the start of photography in the 19th century up to the 1890s. It included Daguerreotypes such as this one. The below print is a one-of-a-kind as are all Daguerreotypes. The ladies are unknown but in my opinion they are very charming. Think about it; we know nothing of their lives but they will be able to be seen for as long as this photograph exists. Here is a link to the ACMCC photographs shown on the web ACMAA Photographs. They cannot possibly have all 45,000 prints on the web but you will see a sample. I have borrowed a couple of the images shown on the website to give you a sample.
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| Two Women Posed With A Chair - 1850 Albert Sands Southworth (1811-1894) |
I will not attempt to educate you on the different types of photographic processes used in the 19th century as it would just fill up this valuable space with a lot of facts and figures. I will however give you a link from the ACMAA that explains it all in a PDF. ACMCC PDF on photography processes.
In an age where our phones are our way of recording and instantly sharing our lives, down to what we eat, it is difficult to realize how important being photographed was to the people of the 19th century. Even the dead were photographed as a record and for remembrance. Before photography a person would have to have a portrait painter create their portrait and since there were different levels of skill the paintings sometime left a lot to be desired. But being photographed was not easy either as one would have to sit still and not blink for a long time. No wonder most people look stern and at times a little goofy.
Photography was not only used for portraits it did become a way of showing people the great western frontier such as this Albumen silver print.
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| Ancient Ruins in the Cañon de Chelle, N. M. in a Niche 50 Feet above Present Cañon Bed, 1873 Timothy H. O’Sullivan (1840–1882) |
You should keep in mind that the image on paper could only be as large as the negative which was a glass plate. Imagine how difficult it was for the photographer to create images such as above and below. When people viewed these works they wanted to see the West and photographs such as these are responsible for a great deal of the travel west. The photographs also had a great deal to do with the establishment of national parks.
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| Canon of the Rio Las Animas, 1882William Henry Jackson (1843–1942) |
One also has to remember that photography was used extensively to record the Civil War between the states. Since they did not have cameras that could record action they had to stage the shots. It must have been terrible to walk through the remnants of a battlefield with the carnage and smell to take the photographs. Just as photographs of the Viet Nam war made people aware of how horrible war really is, the recording of the Civil War made people aware that it was not the glorious adventure they thought it would be. Since I am a bit of a pacifist and an 'old flower child' I will not go into my thoughts on war.
However photographs recorded much, much more than death and gave us a great history of the Civil War. Check out the National Archives selection at National Archives civil war photographs to see a wealth of photographs on this subject. The photograph above is from their selection.
In January we will have a class on 20th century photography and I will use that class to go deeper into the social aspects of how life and minds were changed by photography and indeed writing. Also we will discuss how photography became an art form. But next is 20th century painting and sculpture. Unfortunate that I missed the first class on this subject but will catch you up the best I can.
In the meantime take a bit of time to explore the wonderful world of photography.
Until later my friends,
Caroline
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| Burying The Dead by Timothy H. O'Sullivan |
However photographs recorded much, much more than death and gave us a great history of the Civil War. Check out the National Archives selection at National Archives civil war photographs to see a wealth of photographs on this subject. The photograph above is from their selection.
In January we will have a class on 20th century photography and I will use that class to go deeper into the social aspects of how life and minds were changed by photography and indeed writing. Also we will discuss how photography became an art form. But next is 20th century painting and sculpture. Unfortunate that I missed the first class on this subject but will catch you up the best I can.
In the meantime take a bit of time to explore the wonderful world of photography.
Until later my friends,
Caroline
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