Untitled 1855

This photograph, made by Roger Fenton, involves the wet collodion process, which was state-of-the-art for its time. The process involved coating a glass plate with chemicals, exposing it in the camera while still wet, and then developing it immediately. This laborious process, requiring a portable darkroom, was photography’s cutting edge during the mid-19th century. The final print, made on paper, gives the image a sepia tone and a soft, almost dreamlike quality. The tonal range isn't sharp; look at how the light renders the surfaces of the men's dark coats and contrasts with their lighter hats. This process was an emerging technology during a period of rapid industrial advancement, yet it still relied on a high degree of artisanal skill. Photography was a way to document the world, but it also became a statement of progress and modernity, even as it required the careful hand of a craftsman. It blurred the boundaries between science, art, and labor, reflecting a society grappling with the implications of industrialization.