Important Photo Dates
When was the photo "Wheat–Field in Which General Reynolds Was Shot” taken?
Brady traveled to the battlefield a few days after the battle had ended and arrived on July 3rd. The famous and highest-ranking officer General Reynolds led his men to the high ground and was killed at the Battle of Gettysburg in this wheat field.
What is the Wet Plate Collodion Process?
The process of putting high-quality images onto glass to showcase the photo.
Many photographers used this process to capture the before and aftermaths of war, also taking photos of gruesome fights.
The photos taken left an impact and allowed many around the world to view what war was really like. Almost letting them feel as if they were there.
True or False: The wet plate collodion process released into the public in 1878.
False! It was released in 1839.
Who was AJ Russell?
He was directed to photograph campsites and battlefields in Virginia. After the civil war he was hired by the railroad company to photograph the building of the transcontinental railroad.
Lots of iconic photos have been taken throughout the years in the civil war. Below are some well-known photographs
"Wheat–Field in Which General Reynolds Was Shot”:
Brady traveled to the Gettysburg battlefield a few days after the battle had ended and arrived on July 3rd to photograph where the famous and highest-ranking officer General Reynolds led his men to the high ground and was killed at the Battle of Gettysburg.
"Home of a Rebel Sharpshooter, Gettysburg, July, 1863":
Gardner and O’Sullivan had found a young Confederate soldier lying dead near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. After taking a few photos, they moved the body forty yards to take the iconic picture.
“Grant’s Council of War":
Timothy O’Sullivan’s “Grant’s Council of War,” taken on May 21, 1864, at the crossroads of Massaponax Church, the photographer’s camera aimed at the Virginia landscape.
“Confederate Soldier [on the Battlefield at Antietam]”:
An example of photography created by the wet plate collodion process and portable darkrooms. The photo was a remembrance of the Civil War and helped historians understand the realities of the war.
Important dates!:
In 1839, the daguerreotype process, which produced an image on a metal plate, was released to the public. In 1851, the collodion process, the process of putting high-quality images onto glass to showcase the photo was introduced.
What was the photo “Home of a Rebel Sharpshooter, Gettysburg, July, 1863” of?
Gardner and O’Sullivan had found a young Confederate soldier lying dead near the southern slope of Devil’s Den, near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. After taking a few photos, they moved the body forty yards to take the iconic picture “Home of a Rebel Sharpshooter, Gettysburg, July, 1863.” An example of photography of the aftermath of the Battle of Gettysburg.
What were portable dark rooms?
Portable Darkrooms came in many different forms, some were tents, boxes, or wagons.
The photographers would have to quickly put the glass plate of the wet plate collodion process into the dark rooms so the plates could develop well due to light sensitivity.
This helped people view the conflicts of war well, and let them live through the photos.
In the fall of 1863, a man named George S. Cook was in a team of photographers who helped record army and naval operations in the Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. True or False: He was the first to take imagines of real battle while under fire.
True! Cook helped take two remarkable live-action shots of the Union gunboats in action. Cook’s photos were the first real images of the battle, even when he was also under fire himself.
Who was George N. Barnard?
He was the official photographer for the United States Army and followed the union to photograph the infamous march to sea.
Key terms speed review:
Wet Plate Collodion Process
The process of putting high-quality images onto glass to showcase the photo.
Portable Darkrooms
Forms of tents, boxes, or wagons. The photographers would have to quickly put the glass plate of the wet plate collodion process into the dark rooms so the plates could develop well due to light sensitivity.
Battlefield Photography
Used to record what happened during or after the civil war by capturing images of soldiers, the battlefields, and destruction on the land, and because the cameras are slow, photographers mainly took pictures after the battles.
Stereographs
Early 3D photographs featuring two nearly identical images paired side-by-side on a card
Photojournalism
A type of journalism that tells stories through images. It is important because a single photo can give a view on a topic that words can’t explain.
Field Cameras
A large, box-like camera that required a tripod and portable darkroom and used the wet plate collodion process
Where was Timothy O’Sullivan’s “Grant’s Council of War,” taken? (May 21, 1864)
Timothy O’Sullivan’s “Grant’s Council of War,” taken on May 21, 1864, at the crossroads of Massaponax Church, the photographer’s camera aimed at the Virginia landscape.
What is Battlefield Photography?
Battlefield photography was used to record what happened during or after the civil war by capturing images of soldiers, the battlefields, and destruction on the land, and because the cameras are slow, photographers mainly took pictures after the battles
Images of the aftermaths of the battles of Antietam-1862, Corinth-1862, Gettysburg-1863, Spotsylvania-1864, Second Fredericksburg-1863, and the burials at Fredericksburg and Petersburg in 1864. True or False: These images helped people become moved by the war and view the important views of the struggle during the war.
True! The photos allowed others to understand the struggles of the war and help us see the hardships back then today.
Who was Timothy O’Sullivan?
He worked under Matthew Brady but later moved and was made chief photographer for the United States Treasury.
Important Events:
In the fall of 1863, a man named George S. Cook was in a team of photographers who helped record army and naval operations in the Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. He took the first live action photo of a battle while being fired at by the opposing side.
The wet plate collodion process released into the public in 1839.
Photos from multiple wars such as the Antietam-1862, Corinth-1862, Gettysburg-1863, Spotsylvania-1864, Second Fredericksburg-1863, and the burials at Fredericksburg and Petersburg in 1864 gave people a bigger perspective on the realities of war.
In the summer of 1863, an American poet named Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. wrote about the photographs from the Battle of Antietam in the Atlantic Monthly article. He told people to see how awful, repulsive, brutal and sickening the war was.
What technique (key term!) was used to take the photo“Confederate Soldier [on the Battlefield at Antietam]” September 1862.
Another example of photography created by the wet plate collodion process and portable darkrooms. The photo was a remembrance of the Civil War and an example of how all races in the country came together to fight
What is photojournalism?
Photojournalism is a type of journalism that tells stories through images.
It is important because a single photo can give a view on a topic that words can’t explain.
In the summer of 1863, an American poet named Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. wrote about the photographs from the Battle of Antietam in the Atlantic Monthly article. True or False: Holmes wrote about how he loved war and thought it was good for the country.
False! "Let those who wish to know what war is look at this series of illustrations,” States Holmes. “These wrecks of manhood thrown together in careless heaps or ranged in ghastly rows for burial were alive but yesterday.” Many people saw how awful, repulsive, brutal and sickening the war was as he showed them how much hurt the war is causing.
Who was Alexander Gardner?
He was a photographer from Scotland and after seeing a battle in the Civil War, he decided he wanted to photograph it. His work was displayed in a gallery after the Civil War.
Important people!
Matthew Brady - often referred to as the father of photojournalism, and his photographs helped contribute significantly to our learning more about the Civil War.
Alexander Gardner - He was a photographer from Scotland and after seeing a battle in the Civil War, he decided he wanted to photograph it. His work was displayed in a gallery after the Civil War.
Timothy O’Sullivan - He worked under Matthew Brady but later moved and was made chief photographer for the United States Treasury.
4. George N. Barnard - He was the official photographer for the United States Army and followed the union to photograph the infamous march to sea.
5. AJ Russell - He was directed to photograph campsites and battlefields in Virginia. After the Civil War he was hired by the railroad company to photograph the building of the transcontinental railroad.
What years were the daguerreotype process and the collodion process released to the public? (DOUBLE POINTS if you can explain one of the processes)
In 1839, the daguerreotype process, which produced an image on a metal plate, was released to the public. In 1851, the collodion process, the process of putting high-quality images onto glass to showcase the photo was introduced. These shaped photography of that era and the future.
What are field cameras?
A large, box-like camera that required a tripod and portable darkroom and used the wet plate collodion process. Pictures and portraits of people in the war were taken and are used today for studying the past
Who was Matthew Brady?
He is often referred to as the father of photojournalism, and his photographs helped contribute significantly to our learning more about the Civil War.