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Thread: Historical Photographers

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Jun 1998
    Location
    Garfield, NM
    Posts
    30

    Historical Photographers

    Hi, I have been suprised that there have been no answers to my question about Ca milis S. Fly. Does no one here have any interest in past photographers? I am an outdoor photographer, and concentrate on the Desert and "old west". I have a gre at sense of following the historical artists and photographers, particularly tho se of the early western period. This was one of the reasons I have gone into Lar ge Format. I can not help being amazed and thrilled at the difficulty these brav e, adventureus photographers went through. I am often suprised by this forum, wh en I read how many large format photographers use quickloads and dislike the tro uble of loading film. We need to remember that in the 1800's, photographers had to flow wet emultion onto 8x10 or even 24x18 inch plates, shoot and develop the plates w hile they were still wet, and all this while in the field!

    I hope some of you can see your place in the history of photography, and the tra dition that we are part of. Again I would like to ask if any one has heard of Ca milus S. Fly, or other historical photographers that are interesting and have contributed to the historical past. Thanks,

    Bill

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Feb 1998
    Posts
    287

    Historical Photographers

    I thought about that about a year ago when I was going through the latest National Geographic. An artical about a NG photographer (sorry, dont have the name offhand) who was on assignment in asia around the turn of the century. Apparently NG was going through thier archives and came upon a bunch of 5x7 glass plates from his work. The article told about the conditions he had to go through to take the photos, from dealing with broken glass plates, weather, etc. We do have it quite easy, dont we? I still load my filmholders, at least.

  3. #3

    Historical Photographers

    I confess that I haven't heard of Camilus S. Fly. But I have recently fallen in love with the work of Carleton Watkins. I received a small book about him for Christmas (the In Focus series from the Getty Museum), and later had the opportunity to see the major show about him at the NY Metropolotan Museum of Art and to buy the catalogue. Given all of the limitations of the time (mammoth glass plates, portable dark room, the different sensitivities of emulsions), his work is amazing.

    I think he was one of the most skilled craftsmen among nineteenth century photographers. Truly amazing tonal ranges. And he was also one of the most gifted artists - very powerful compositions (some of which are strikingly modern).

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Mar 1998
    Posts
    1,972

    Historical Photographers

    Have you checked with the local museums? How about with the Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona?

  5. #5

    Historical Photographers

    What about those Old West Renenacting Groups that go out and shoot blackpowder on the weekends?

  6. #6

    Join Date
    Sep 1998
    Posts
    206

    Historical Photographers

    I have never heard of this photographer. Do you have any more references about him? Where he worked, when? I have seen some original Curtis prints out in Seattle. I understand most of them were done on printing-out paper and gold toned. Beautiful things.

    One of these days I would like to take the Polaroid 20x24 and retrace W H Jackson's travels.

  7. #7

    Historical Photographers

    Bill

    i have not run across your historical "Fly" photographer, however, i may pass on a name and email of a person who just may answer your question. His name is Hal Gould, Director of the Camera Obscura Gallery in Denver. Hal is an older gentleman who is an authority on 19th & 20th century photography--is well versed in western photo history and has one of the best fine art galleries in the usa--the oldest. "hgould@iws.net"-- the denver public library as well as the Colo Historical Society have excellent archives--Eric Paddock is the Curator of photo at the CHS. A particular photographer at the turn of the century who lived and worked in the silver/gold mining town of Georgetown, "The Silver Queen of the West"--a place that WH Jackson photographed, is Ben Draper who is of interest to me--if you run across his images let me know. His images are of Georgetown, the Famed Loop, and Silver Plume. Draper's images are not widely known nor did he do much work outside of this local.

    Raymond A. Bleesz bleesz@vail.net

  8. #8

    Join Date
    Jul 1998
    Location
    Kentucky & North Carolina
    Posts
    35

    Historical Photographers

    Bill, You might try the photographic history listserve. I learned about it through the links section of the Royal Photographic Society's website, www.rps.org. FWIW, I am very interested in 19th century photographers. Currently, I'm reading a book about the surveys by Hayden, King, Powell & Wheeler from the late 1860s to the late 1870s. William Henry Jackson and Timothy H. O'Sullivan accompanied three of the four surveyors with hundreds of pounds of glass plates. Jim Worthington

  9. #9

    Historical Photographers

    Bill

    You've probably spent some time doing web searches...but I found a reference to this book which does identify C.S.Fly and many other early photographers. There was another thread about C.S.Fly and his nephew Boone which identifies them with Napa, California. The book seems to be more directly in line with the general interest in old time photographers, their challenges and results. Following links to Wyatt Earp items also leads to references to Fly and his wife Mary.

    Good Hunting

    Fred

    Photographers in Arizona, 1850-1920: A History and Directory, by Jeremy Rowe (Carl Mautz Publishing)

  10. #10

    Historical Photographers

    indeed, bill - i am greatly interested in the history of photography, and have collected a very nice library on the subject. i own about 20 fine albumen prints, mostly the work of the major architectural and topographic photographers of the 19th century, including baldus, le gray, watkins, and marville, along with many others from europe (ponti, alinari, fenton, macpherson) and the orient (frith, beato, sebah, du camp, etc). the name fly does not ring any bells from my readings, and i just browsed through mayb 10 or 12 of my principal references and did not turn up his name. so his significance may be more on a local level, and your best bet might be to contact the state historical society and talk to the photographs librarian.

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