Waterpartij en bomen before 1899

This is a photograph titled ‘Waterpartij en bomen’ by R. Bayer. It’s printed in a book, so we’re seeing the image as a reproduction – a copy of a copy. The original negative would have been a fragile glass plate coated with light-sensitive emulsion. The printing process then involves transferring the image to paper. Each of these steps demanded careful control over the materials, especially the chemicals used to develop and fix the image. While photography democratized image-making, it also introduced a new kind of skilled labour. Early photographers were not only artists but also technicians, mastering darkroom processes and the manipulation of light. The grey scale of the print speaks to the chemical processes involved, transforming light into a tangible form. By understanding the making of this image, we begin to appreciate the historical context of photography. It shifts our focus from the subject matter to the means of production and how these affect what we see.