11.3 Major 19th century photographers and their works

The 19th century saw photography evolve from a new invention to a powerful artistic medium. Pioneers like Julia Margaret Cameron and Nadar pushed the boundaries of portraiture, while Eadweard Muybridge and Gustave Le Gray revolutionized landscape and scientific photography.

These photographers developed innovative techniques and artistic approaches that shaped the medium. Their work not only documented historical events and cultural heritage but also explored the creative potential of photography as an art form, laying the groundwork for future generations.

Pioneering Photographers of the 19th Century

Significant Contributions to Portrait Photography

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• Julia Margaret Cameron (1815-1879) pioneered soft-focus, allegorical, and literary-inspired portrait photographs that emphasized the psychological depth of her subjects (Charles Darwin, Alfred Lord Tennyson)
• Nadar (Gaspard-Félix Tournachon, 1820-1910) captured expressive and intimate portraits of notable figures (Charles Baudelaire, Sarah Bernhardt) and experimented with artificial lighting in his Parisian studio
• Other notable portrait photographers include Étienne Carjat (1828-1906), known for his portraits of Parisian celebrities and artists (Gustave Courbet, Charles Baudelaire), and Félix Nadar's brother, Adrien Tournachon (1825-1903), who collaborated with Nadar in his studio

Advancements in Landscape and Scientific Photography

• Eadweard Muybridge (1830-1904) conducted groundbreaking studies of animal and human locomotion using multiple cameras and innovative techniques, laying the foundation for the development of cinema
• Gustave Le Gray (1820-1884) captured the beauty and grandeur of nature in his seascape and landscape photographs, often using combination printing to overcome technical limitations and achieve a wider tonal range
• Carleton Watkins (1829-1916) documented the American West, particularly Yosemite Valley, using a mammoth-plate camera to create highly detailed and impressive landscape photographs that influenced the establishment of the U.S. National Park system
• Étienne-Jules Marey (1830-1904), a French scientist and photographer, developed the chronophotographic gun, which allowed him to capture multiple phases of movement on a single photographic plate, contributing to the study of human and animal motion

Artistic Innovations in Photography

Experimental Techniques and Artistic Expression

• Photographers like Julia Margaret Cameron and Nadar experimented with lighting, composition, and the psychological depth of their subjects, moving beyond mere documentation to create artistic and expressive images
• Oscar Gustave Rejlander (1813-1875) and Henry Peach Robinson (1830-1901) created elaborate allegorical and narrative compositions by combining multiple negatives, pushing the boundaries of photography as an art form
• David Octavius Hill (1802-1870) and Robert Adamson (1821-1848) collaborated to create highly artistic and intimate portraits and scenes of Scottish life using the calotype process, which allowed for a greater level of detail and tonal range compared to earlier photographic processes

Technical Advancements and Their Impact on Photographic Practice

• The introduction of the wet collodion process in 1851 by Frederick Scott Archer (1813-1857) allowed for sharper, more detailed images and reduced exposure times, enabling photographers to capture more spontaneous and candid moments
• The development of more portable cameras, such as the stereoscopic camera and the carte-de-visite camera, made photography more accessible and allowed for a wider range of subjects and settings to be captured
• Innovations in printing processes, such as the albumen print and the carbon print, improved the quality and durability of photographic prints, making them more suitable for display and distribution

Visual Strategies in 19th Century Photography

Conveying Meaning and Emotion through Composition and Technique

• Julia Margaret Cameron used soft focus, close-up compositions, and allegorical or literary themes (Arthurian legends, religious iconography) to create dreamlike and emotionally charged portraits that transcended mere likeness
• Landscape photographers like Gustave Le Gray and Carleton Watkins employed careful composition, the use of light and shadow, and the juxtaposition of elements (dramatic skies, reflective water) to create images that conveyed a sense of awe, beauty, or sublimity in the face of nature
• Roger Fenton (1819-1869), one of the first war photographers, used composition and framing to convey the impact of the Crimean War while avoiding explicit depictions of violence and death, as seen in his famous photograph "The Valley of the Shadow of Death" (1855)

Storytelling and Narrative in Photography

• Eadweard Muybridge's motion studies used visual narrative and sequencing to convey a sense of movement, time, and story within his images, as demonstrated in his famous series "The Horse in Motion" (1878)
• Documentary photographers like Mathew Brady (1823-1896) and his associates used the power of the photographic image to convey the harsh realities and human toll of events like the American Civil War, creating visual narratives that evoked strong emotional responses in viewers
• John Thomson (1837-1921), a Scottish photographer, used a combination of portraits and street scenes to create a compelling visual narrative of life in London's impoverished neighborhoods in his book "Street Life in London" (1877), which he co-authored with journalist Adolphe Smith

Photography's Role in Documentation

Preserving Cultural Heritage and Social Conditions

• Ethnographic and anthropological photographers like Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952) documented the lives, customs, and cultures of Native American tribes, contributing to the preservation of cultural heritage, albeit often through a lens of colonial or Western perspective
• Social reformers and journalists like Jacob Riis (1849-1914) used photography to document and expose the living and working conditions of marginalized communities, as seen in his influential book "How the Other Half Lives" (1890), which helped to raise awareness and inspire social change
• John Thomson's photographs of China and Southeast Asia, taken during his travels between 1862 and 1872, provided a rare glimpse into the cultures, landscapes, and people of these regions, contributing to Western understanding and appreciation of these distant lands

Documenting Historical Events and Natural Phenomena

• Mathew Brady and his team, including Alexander Gardner (1821-1882) and Timothy H. O'Sullivan (1840-1882), extensively documented the American Civil War, creating a visual record of the conflict and its impact on soldiers and civilians alike, which has served as an invaluable historical resource
• Felice Beato (1832-1909), an Italian-British photographer, documented the aftermath of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and the Second Opium War in China (1856-1860), providing a visual record of these significant historical events
• Photographers played a crucial role in documenting and disseminating images of natural phenomena and landscapes, such as the American West, as seen in the works of Carleton Watkins, Timothy H. O'Sullivan, and William Henry Jackson (1843-1942), contributing to scientific understanding and popular appreciation of these regions
• Eadweard Muybridge's photographs of Yosemite Valley, taken in the 1860s and 1870s, helped to promote the preservation of this natural wonder and its establishment as a national park in 1890