Chapter Two: Pre-Digital Photographic Technology

Photojournalism has not only come a long way over the years, but the way a photograph is taken has also evolved. In 1851 Frederick Scott Archer created the first photographic process, the Collodion Process, during the Civil War. The process to capture an image at this time was very difficult and time consuming for photographers and required a lot of commitment not only from them but to the person being photographed. Britannica Encyclopedia details the process: “The process involved adding a soluble iodide to a solution of collodion (cellulose nitrate) and coating a glass plate with the mixture. In the darkroom the plate was immersed in a solution of silver nitrate to form silver iodide. The plate, still wet, was exposed in the camera. It was then developed by pouring a solution of pyrogallic acid over it and was fixed with a strong solution of sodium thiosulfate, for which potassium cyanide was later substituted. Immediate developing and fixing were necessary because, after the collodion film had dried, it became waterproof and the reagent solutions could not penetrate it”.

Photo by: Robert Fenton

Image source: http://www.allworldwars.com/Crimean-War-Photographs-by-Roger-Fenton-1855.html

Roger Fenton, an Englishman covered the Crimean war with the use of the wet plate collodion process. All his equipment including the chemicals needed, the trays, cameras and tents all had to be carried by a buggy. As mentioned in the tutorial video by Quinn Jacobson, "Collodion photography is both difficult and somewhat dangerous to do".  Not only was it difficult to travel from place to place, he was also limited to what he could photograph. During this time, using the wet plate collodion process meant only having the capability of capturing objects that were still due to the long exposure time needed to produce the image. That meant if he wanted to capture soldiers or an event he had to choose still objects or people who were willing to remain still for a period of time. As John Nordell mentions in his lecture “Not until the 1880’s…there was first ability to freeze motion”. As you can see in the photo taken by Robert Fenton below, the faces of the people and even the horses are blurred due to movement. Being a photographer during this time was very difficult and really required hard work, and even after setting up, and preparing they had to wait for the image to be processed which also took time.

Today, the process to capture an image is so much simpler that it can be done by anyone in the blink of an eye. We now have the freedom to take a picture of anything we desire whether its stationary or flying through the sky. After learning the difficulty to photograph using the wet plate collodion process you learn to appreciate photography and how far it has come. As mentioned in the article about photography during the civil war written by Eric Niller, " ’Each time they moved, they had to secure bottles of chemicals and plate,’ Zeller said. ‘Each time they stopped, it had to be level.’ Photographers also battled flies that were attracted to photo chemicals, ether that made them woozy, and the stench of death”. Today, photojournalists don’t travel with chemicals that need to be secured during each movement, or that make them woozy, they simply have their cameras and are able to capture anything in front of them.

Not only is the process to take a photo simpler, the devices used are more detailed and mobile. There are hundreds of different types of cameras today, you have digital cameras, phone cameras, even cameras that can go underwater. We now have the ability to zoom in, focus, and take multiple photos in an instant. This has made it a lot easier for photojournalist today when in an environment that is chaotic like in a war zone. It allows them to have options to choose from, because there are no do overs, once something memorable has happened it’s over. Just as Arthur Feligg aka "Weegee" stated “News photography teaches you to think fast, be sure of yourself, self- confidence. When you go out on a story, you don’t go back for another sitting, you have to get it”. That is still true now for photojournalists but they have the capability of viewing what they captured immediately after to assure them they got what they needed, that was not an option for Weegee in his time. 

 Photo by: Kelsy Prats

The above photo I captured of the sunset while driving on I 90. I know it is cliché but it proves how easily, although not safely (while driving), a photo can be taken. Now I do believe this photo is absolutely beautiful but not just skyline, but all the cars. Photographs allow us to use our imagination, create stories. As I look at all the cars I wonder, where is everyone going? We all are driving to reach a destination, but where? And then “freeze” you take a photo and everything has stopped, it’s such a beautiful thing. Although it is great that we have amazing technology today that makes it easier to capture an image, it also can be misleading. When you look back at images from the late 1800’s and 1900’s you are seeing that object or person in the purest and rawest form. There was no editing or photo shopping photos then. Which photograph would you appreciate more? The old, black and white, not very clear portrait or the crystal clear, colorful but possibly edited one? Yes, the process and technology was difficult back then the photos were not only made with a lot of commitment and hard work they were left untouched by the human hand.

Photo by: Kishore Sawh
Image source: https://www.slrlounge.com/photoshopped-images-ethical-dilemma/