Untitled (older woman seated in chair with magazine, plants on stand to side) c. 1945

This photograph, of an older woman seated in a chair with a magazine, and plants on a stand, was created by Paul Gittings. Photography’s invention depended on chemistry, optics, and eventually, digital technology. What started as a niche practice soon became a mass medium. Yet, the slow, considered work of photographers like Gittings can be seen as craft. Here, the image is a negative, reversing light and dark. The texture of the woman’s dress, the chair, and the magazine become clear, as do the potted plants behind her. We see the evidence of darkroom work: the image carefully composed. Consider the labor involved in making a photograph like this, from setting up the shot, to processing the negative. The history of photography is a story of the changing relationship between labor, technology, and aesthetics. By understanding the material and the making, we recognize photography as more than mere reproduction, but as a skilled, creative practice.