Old Vennel, Off High Street 1868 - 1871

Thomas Annan captured this view of Edinburgh's Old Vennel using the wet collodion process, a then-new photographic technique, that coated glass plates with light-sensitive chemicals. Annan’s choice of this process is significant. It allowed for detailed and reproducible images, which had previously been difficult to achieve. Look closely, and you'll notice the tonal range, from the rough texture of the stone walls to the soft, blurred figures. The long exposure times required by the wet collodion process meant that moving objects, like people, appeared ghostly and indistinct, emphasizing the static nature of the built environment. Commissioned to document areas of the city slated for demolition, Annan’s photographs present a stark view of working-class life in 19th-century Edinburgh. The very act of capturing these images was entwined with urban renewal projects, a visual record of a disappearing world, as industrialization, urbanization, and its effects on labor are subtly encoded in every print. Annan's work blurs the boundaries between documentary, art, and social commentary.