This is all really quite remarkable. I'm always amazed to see the few pictures we have from this era in my family, and those are developed prints!
This is all really quite remarkable. I'm always amazed to see the few pictures we have from this era in my family, and those are developed prints!
I don't relly mean to cast aspersions, I'm just naturally skeptical.
Why would someone attempt to take a photo ( shooting into a bright window ) with ASA film (plate) speed of ~1-10, indoors? Surely they would have known how long of an exposure would have been required and would have moved outside. It looks bright outside.
Also, I suspect that even an amateur would have known to place his(her) subjects facing the window in order to maximize the light falling on the subjects, if the photographer was truly concerned about the exposure duration.
On the other hand, someone using modern high speed film taking a picture of people dressed up in 100 year old clothes wouldn't give shooting indoors a second thought.
Just asking questions, not making accusations.
"On the other hand, someone using modern high speed film taking a picture of people dressed up in 100 year old clothes wouldn't give shooting indoors a second thought."
Well, none of them are fat for one thing. It's pretty hard to get a group of seven Americans together today without a generations worth of McDonalds, Donuts Coke and Pizza and the couch potato life style showing it's effect.
...it's amazing to think that someone 100 years ago took this little slice of life in the Central Valley, and now we're able to share in that experience. Thanks for allowing us to enjoy your find!!!
Hi Jon. I live in Caldwell, ID. now, but I was born in Fresno, and graduated from high school in Porterville Ca., and know that (Wasco) area well. A very cool find, despite the shortcomings of the photographer. In his defense, he might not have wanted to place his generously dressed subjects in the blazing Wasco sun!
Ken,
1. the negative was glass, which eliminates the possibility of a modern high speed film.
2. A modern amateur or pro would know as well to place his subjects facing the window as one from the turn of the 19th century, regardless of the duration of exposure. I suspect that the location of the bench determined the arrangement of the subjects, with the location of the window being an unfortunate coincidence.
Yep -- bad photographers are not a new phenomenon. I've seen family picture collections where the shooter consistently managed to shoot right into the brightest light source available. Of course, maybe this photographer wasn't such a dunce -- after all, the negative was never developed. Maybe s/he realized "D'oh! The window!" and then moved the group outside for the keeper shot? Anyhow, it's pretty cool!
I just have to say this is one of the coolest threads I've seen in a long time. I was thinking the same thing as Dan - perhaps this was a reject, and that's why it was never developed? What a terrific surprise!
Hi Jon!
You get to have all the fun! :P What amazed me as much as anything was the flare seemed minimal for the circumstances, and so did the heat damage. I'm working on some old glass negs (from the local county historical society) with my job -- I found you can flat bed scan some then reverse them using photoshop.
Mike
(BTW, he ain't heavy, he's my brother.)
This experience reinforces that there really isn't any such thing as "time" as we understand it.
What an incredible find and image.held up so well,aged like a fine wine.!!as for your glass plate,I have been experimenting with lith film about 6-8 asa.I like Adox MQ developer(diluted 1-1_.I mix this myself from scratch.D76 1-1 works well too.you can heat up the developer to get another stop.also extend the time to get another stop.or just set your flash meter or light meter to asa 1or 4, and go with the f stop it recommends and dev. as normal in D76 1-1.(11 minutes).
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