Civil War Images With 19th Century Processing

[rpcrowe]

I was playing with the various B&W Vintage Filters in Perfect B&W 8.

Albumen Print was the first commercially exploitable method of producing a photographic print on a paper base from a negative


Calotype or Talbotype was developed in 1841


Platinum It was 1873 before the first patent for a platinotype process was granted, to William Willis (British Patent No. 2011, June 8, 1873)


Cyanotype The English scientist and astronomer Sir John Herschel discovered this procedure in 1842


This is no specific process, I just used the NIK yellowed 2 filter and placed a vignette and a image edge.

[Mike Buckley]

It must have been fun making them, Richard.

You might want to try adding a much stronger blue cast to the cyanotype. By the way, though Herschel is generally recognized as the first person to describe the process, I don't think it has ever been documented exactly who invented it.

You mentioned that the albumen print was the first commercially exploitable paper-based print made from a negative. I suppose that depends on how the term, "commercially exploitable," is defined. Printings of Talbot's Pencil of Nature produced in six installments from 1844 -1846 are still in existence today and they were printed in book form on paper using his calotype/Talbotype process. The albumen print process wasn't presented to the French Academy of Sciences until 1850.

[Shadowman]

Nice series.

[IzzieK]

Very interesting study, Richard...

[deetheturk]

Very good Richard,and not a dog in sight!

[bnnrcn]

Very nice series Richard

[Marie Hass]

My dad would have liked these a lot. He was a big civil war buff and loved reenactments.

Marie

[travis4567]

Really nice Richard, thanks for the photo history lesson.

[rpcrowe]

Marie, I run hot and cold regarding photographng Civil War Reenactments because, it is often very difficult to get "realistic" shots. One of the major problems is the evidence of the 21st Century (such as power lines, modern buildings, etc.) which I try to avoid.

A second problem is the prevalence of heavy-set (oh heck, I'll call a spade a spade: "fat") reenactors. I am a history buff and have thousands of images in books and on CD's of Civil War soldiers and I have never seen an image of a Confederate enlisted man who was anything but gaunt and thin

Another thing which can ruin the authenticity of an image is a reenactor, male or female, wearing eyeglasses with modern frames. I sometimes don't notice this and shoot the image anyway...

[Brownbear]

Richard... Just to say I think that these are all stunning. Photographed beautifully (as all of your images are) but I especially love these for the light, character and mood captured.

[rpcrowe]

Thanks Christina... The head and shoulders shots of these reenactors are one way to stay away from any 21st century evidence in the background. I also like doing head and shoulders shots.

I photographed these using a 70-200mm f/4L IS (my favorite people lens) with a -1 EV fill flash from a Canon 430EX. I shot using aperture priority with ISO 160 at f/4 I used high speed sync so I could access a higher shutter speed at f/4....

I did not modify the flash but, have just purchased a nice softbox from eBay for a hotshoe flash at the amazing price of $10.27 U.S. Dollars. It is amazingly well built for that price and includes an internal baffle. I will carry this setup the next time I want to shoot head and shoulders shots.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/251308668401...84.m1497.l2649

Even though I now own a 600EX RT (which I love) I will often carry the 430EX because it is a bit lighter in weight than the 600EX RT and I am getting old and arthritic...

[davidedric]

Nice conversions Richard. My niece is taking us to Antietam on memorial day, so I hope to get some re-enactment shots

Dave

[AndrewMcD]

Very nice series with interesting treatments and a history lesson to boot. Thanks Richard!

Andrew

[flashback]

Richard,

While the technical aspects of the images are excellent, therein lies the problem. The last thing I am is an expert on Civil War photography, second to last is an expert on photography, but in viewing your images there was something that bothered me. I finally figured it out: your pictures are too good and, too close.

I googled Civil War photography and the images that I found are significantly more blurry and (I've yet to find) nothing less than at least a 3/4 shot; either standing or sitting, from the waist up. So I guess it's the close up, portrait style that seems to ring less than true.

Were you to shoot subjects (no pun intended) full figure or sitting and then apply your techniques I thing you would have some really great shots, both in techniques as well as historical authenticity. [Please note, I'm not dissing your images, only the relative authenticity of them.]

P.s. this was my attempt, clearly I'm in no position to judge :-)

[rpcrowe]

I tried this using the NIK Analog Wet Plate Filter with some additions such as scratches and a lens vignette.