Bog River falls 1891

Seneca Ray Stoddard made this photograph of Bog River Falls, using the wet collodion process. This process, popular in the mid-19th century, involved coating a glass plate with light-sensitive chemicals. The plate had to be exposed and developed while still wet, demanding speed and precision from the photographer. The resulting images have a distinctive tonal range and clarity, a testament to the photographer's skill. Think about Stoddard lugging his equipment into the wilderness to capture this image, and the labor involved in this process. His photographs weren’t just artistic endeavors; they were also tied to the burgeoning tourist industry and debates around land use in the Adirondacks, as you can see in the facing page, with its discussion of property rights and warnings against trespassing. By considering the materials, the making, and the context, we gain a richer understanding of this image, challenging any separation of fine art and craft.