Bamborough Castle before 1866

Thomas Annan made this photographic print of Bamborough Castle in the late 19th century, mounting it into a book. The image is a salt print, an early photographic process using paper soaked in salt and silver nitrate, then exposed to light through a negative. This results in a soft, slightly faded appearance, quite different from the sharp, high-contrast images we're used to today. Consider the labor involved. Not only the photographer's skill, but the preparation of the paper, the careful timing of the exposure, and the precise chemical development. Each print would have been a unique creation. The choice of subject matter is also interesting. Castles like Bamborough were already historic relics by Annan's time, testaments to a feudal system giving way to industrial capitalism. Photography, a new technology fueled by industrial production, captures this image of a pre-industrial world, creating a powerful dialogue between past and present. It reminds us that even the most seemingly straightforward image is the result of complex social forces, as well as human labor and ingenuity.