A reflection to past...

   Has Technology changed photojournalism? I stood there with 3 old portraits of my ancestors in my hand that were photographed in the early 1900's and can show you these photos within seconds of taken the picture. With a click of a button from my cell phone camera to the instant upload onto my blog. I can share with you this photo and have this entire blog written, critiqued and submitted in the amount of time it would of taken just for the preparation of these old photos to be shot. Image the process of the wet collodion process compared to the ease of a cell phone photo.

   The process called the wet collodion was invented and introduced in the 1850's by a gentleman named Frederic S. Archer. This Style succeed two other styles of photographer and was produced on glass plates to leave and make a detailed negative to print from. This process was very time consuming and can be broken down in equally critical steps. (Wikipedia).

   Preparing the plate consists of cleaning, dusting the glass plate making sure nothing is left on the plate. Then the mixing of the chemicals to get ready for the photograph, this mixture of chemicals alone after being made had to sit for roughly a week before it could even been used. Sensitizing the plate or "flowing the plate" is where the collodion (chemicals) are carefully poured on the glass plate and spread evenly. The next step of this process is called the "exposure Stage". At this part of the process the photographer is setting up the camera, getting his picture into focus and setting up the lighting etc. After this step is set up it can not be changed without ruining the photo so attention to detail here is crucial. Developing the plate comes next in the wet collodion process. at this stage of the process the glass plats are removed from the camera cleaned, varnished, and finally preparations are made before going to print. This can give you a rough idea how long this process actually took just to take one single still photo. (GettyEdu)

   I think about all the amazing photos I see on a daily basis. I think about how some of the most powerful photos ever taken were taken over 50 years ago. Just image if a soldier in the civil war had even just a cell phone camera to use the images we would have today. Think about how much information we would have about our ancestors and where they came from and what they saw. The information would be endless.

   Words can be forgotten, but a picture can only be misplaced allowing someone else to find that piece of history.


Cell phone mirror picture, photo by, Self.
(Photos within mirror photo are of Rev. George A. Shapley, and his father
George H. Shapley) all photo By, Binghamton, NY Portrait Co.

The photo of my Great-Great grandfather,
George H. Shapley photo by, Binghamton, NY Portrait Co.