Encampment of the 71st Regiment 1855

Roger Fenton made this photograph, Encampment of the 71st Regiment, using the wet collodion process. Glass was coated with a light-sensitive emulsion, exposed in the camera while still wet, and then developed. The resulting image shows a camp with wood huts, tents, and soldiers amidst a sparse landscape. But the real story here is the process itself. Photography was a relatively new technology, and Fenton's work represents a fascinating intersection of art, science, and labor. Each print required meticulous preparation and immediate development, a process that was labor-intensive. This required a portable darkroom, chemicals, and skilled technicians, reflecting the resources of the British military and the growing industrialization of warfare. Considering the material conditions of its making invites us to reflect on photography as a pivotal technology, shaping perceptions of conflict, and also on the immense labor involved in producing these images. It highlights the significance of process and context in understanding both the image and the larger narrative it represents.