The Frist Center for the Visual Arts
presents The Best of
Photography and Film
a teacher’s guide to accompany
selected works from the exhibition.
Featuring masterpieces of
photography and film from
throughout history, The Best of
Photography and Film Discovery
Tours and Look and Learn Tours
encourage students to examine the
ability of these two mediums to
both document and interpret the
world around us.
What’s in This
Teacher’s Guide?
Preparing for your visit,
page 1
The Best of Photography and Film
Overview, page 2
Innovation and Experimentation,
pages 3–4
Portraiture: Seeing Ourselves in a
New Way, pages 5–6
News from the Front,
pages 7–8
Photography as Fine Art,
pages 9–10
A Social Commentary,
pages 11–12
Transition to a Modern World,
pages 13–14
A Better Eye,
pages 15–16
Color and Beyond,
page 17
The Best of Film,
page 18
Learn more, back cover
Handprint symbols
throughout the guide
indicate discussions and
activities for students.
The Best of Photography and Film
from the George Eastman House
Collection was organized by George
Eastman House International
Museum of Photography and Film.
On view at the Frist Center
October 10, 2008–January 25, 2009
Preparing for your visit …
The Best of Photography and Film teaching packet was designed
to help teachers prepare students for gallery visits and related
activities. This packet contains a teacher’s guide and thirteen color
art reproductions.
Teacher’s Guide
The guide begins with an introduction to the exhibition. The
subsequent sections include information about artworks and
artists that may be used in class or assigned to older students for
outside reading. Designed for adaptation, “Connect and Create”
activities allow students of all ages to relate the material to their
own lives. Activities are accompanied by color reproductions of
the following images.
Color Art Reproductions
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Albert Sands Southworth, Untitled (Unidentified female in a
wedding dress), ca. 1850
William Henry Fox Talbot, Untitled (Lace), ca. 1845
Mathew Brady, Portrait of Abraham Lincoln, 1860
Edward S. Curtis, Bow River—Blackfoot, 1896
Joe Rosenthal, Old Glory Goes Up on Mt. Suribachi, Iwo
Jima, 1945
Gertrude Käsebier, Blessed Art Thou Among Women,
1899
Dorothea Lange, Migrant Mother, Nipomo, California, 1936
Lewis Wickes Hine, Powerhouse Mechanic, 1920
Eadweard J. Muybridge, Das Pferd in Bewegung, “Abe
Edington” (The Horse in Motion, Abe Edington), 1878
Harold E. Edgerton, .30 Bullet Piercing an Apple (A
Microsecond Exposure of a Bullet Traveling 2800 Feet per
Second. This was Used to Illustrate “Doc” Edgerton’s
Lecture on “How to Make Applesauce”), 1964
William Wegman, In, 1993
Clarence Sinclaire Bull, Greta Garbo, ca. 1931
Curriculum Connections
The Best of Photography and Film Discovery Tours and Look and
Learn Tours support the Tennessee Curriculum Frameworks by
introducing ideas relevant to the visual arts, language arts, and
social studies curricula. Specific standards are addressed at ageappropriate levels. You may view connections for all grade levels
(K–12) at www.fristcenter.org.
THE BEST OF
PHOTOGRAPHY AND FILM
from the George Eastman House Collection
From the earliest daguerreotypes to contemporary motion pictures,
photography and film have revolutionized the way we record one another,
our society, significant events, and the natural world. With the ability to
both document and interpret, these two mediums not only make it
possible for us to reproduce aspects of our culture, but also help us to
better understand it. Selected from the world-renowned collection of
George Eastman House in Rochester, New York, this exhibition contains
more than two hundred iconic photographs, films, and film-related
materials that have played a dominant role in shaping our view of the
world and ourselves.
Since its inception, photography has developed its potential as both a
documentary and fine arts medium. The Best of Photography and Film
offers examples that range from the straight documentations of Dorothea
Lange (1895–1965) to the exquisite formalism of Edward Weston (1886–
1958). The exhibition also features leading photographers from the midnineteenth century to contemporary times who have pushed the
boundaries of their medium. Examples of early motion pictures highlight
the achievements of a continually developing technology and the evolving
creativity of their makers—two aspects that have made film one of the
most popular mediums of our times.
Who was George Eastman?
In the summer of 1887, inventor George
Eastman (1854–1932) began working on a
small, lightweight, easy-to-use box camera
that made the photographic process available
to the general population. The Eastman
Kodak Company advertised the camera’s
simplicity using the slogan “You press the
button, we do the rest.” For twenty-five
dollars, each camera came pre-loaded with a
roll of film capable of producing one hundred
exposures. After the film was exposed, the
customer mailed the camera back to Kodak,
which returned one hundred mounted prints
and the camera, reloaded with film for one
hundred more exposures (processing and
reloading cost an additional $10).
Eastman’s 1888 invention revolutionized the
medium of photography and made it part of
our everyday lives.
Photography courtesy of George
Eastman House legacy collection
2
PHOTOGRAPHY’S EARLY YEARS:
INNOVATION AND EXPERIMENTATION
Southworth & Hawes (American, active ca. 1845–1861)
Untitled (Unidentified female in wedding dress), ca. 1850
Daguerreotype
Courtesy of George Eastman House International
Museum of Photography and Film
Operating independently in
France and England, LouisJacques-Mandé Daguerre (1787–
1851) and William Henry Fox
Talbot (1800–1877) announced
revolutionary image-making
processes in 1839. Though light
and optics had long been known
to have the capacity to generate
images, particularly with the
camera obscura, these two men
devised chemical means with
which these images could be
fixed onto specially prepared
surfaces. Talbot’s technique of
using a paper negative to make
multiple positive pictures became
the basis of modern photography
(before the use of digital
technology), but the
daguerreotype was initially more
common and became the first
commercially successful
photographic process.
Daguerre was able to create an exact visual record of “life” by treating a
silver-coated copper plate with fumes of heated iodine to make the plate
sensitive to light. He then placed the plate into a camera and exposed it to
light for a period ranging from five to forty minutes. The image was developed
by suspending it over heated mercury, the vapors of which combined with the
silver to create the picture seen through the camera. The resulting mirror-like
images are distinguished by a remarkable clarity of pictorial detail and their
status as unique, non-replicable objects. The daguerreotype process was
popular in the 1840s and 1850s, but was eventually replaced by lessexpensive, easily reproducible negative-positive techniques based on
Talbot’s calotypes. Albumen and, eventually, gelatin silver prints were made
possible by technical improvements that offered greater chemical stability and
pictorial sharpness. Common subjects found in early photographs include
portraits, landscapes, and architectural monuments.
For further
investigation …
Daguerreotype:
The daguerreotype was the first successful form of photography, named
after Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre of France, who invented the
technique in collaboration with Nicéphore Niépce in the 1830s.
Daguerre and Niépce discovered that when a copper plate coated with
silver iodide was exposed to light in a camera, then fumed with mercury
vapor and fixed (made permanent) by a solution of common salt, a
permanent image would be formed. A great number of daguerreotypes,
especially portraits, were made in the mid-nineteenth century.
Source: www.brittanica.com
William Henry Fox Talbot, Untitled (Lace), ca. 1845
William Henry Fox Talbot
(English, 1800–1877)
Untitled (Lace), ca. 1845
Salted paper print
Courtesy of George
Eastman House
International Museum of
Photography and Film
In order to perfect his calotype process, William Talbot often
photographed simple objects as a way to capture closely detailed
observations. The intricate texture of lace made it an ideal subject, since
individual stitches within the structure of the material are visible. This
particular work is a positive print taken from a negative photogram, where
the piece of lace was placed on sensitized paper and exposed to light.
Connect and Create: Sunprints
Similar to Talbot’s photogram, a sunprint is an image made by placing
objects on light-sensitive paper and exposing it to sunlight. When the
objects are removed and the paper is rinsed in water, the image will
appear as a white impression on a blue background.
Try it! Sunprints are a fun and practical way to teach photography in the
classroom. For information and resources about creating your own
sunprints, visit http://www.museumca.org/picturethis/sunprints.html.
Camera obscura:
The camera obscura is the ancestor of the photographic camera.
The Latin name means “dark chamber,” and the earliest versions,
dating to antiquity, consisted of small, darkened rooms that
admitted light through a single tiny hole. The result was that an
inverted image of an outside scene was cast through the hole onto
the opposite wall, which was usually whitened. For centuries, this
technique was used to view eclipses of the sun and as a drawing
aid. The introduction of a light-sensitive plate to the camera
obscura led to the first successful form of photography.
Calotype:
The calotype is an early photographic technique invented in the
1830s by William Henry Fox Talbot of Great Britain. In this
technique, a sheet of paper coated with silver chloride was
exposed to light in a camera obscura; those areas hit by light
became dark in tone, yielding a negative image. The revolutionary
aspect of the process lay in Talbot’s discovery of a chemical (gallic
acid) that could be used to “develop” the image on the paper. The
developing process permitted much shorter exposure times in the
camera, reducing them from one hour to one minute in length.
Source: www.brittanica.com
Source: www.britannica.com
4
PORTRAITURE:
SEEING OURSELVES IN A NEW WAY
Early photographic processes caused great excitement throughout
Europe and the United States. Entrepreneurs and the public alike
quickly realized the potential of the new medium, especially for
portraiture. Until photography was invented, only the wealthy could
afford to have their portraits made, by hiring and sitting for an expensive
painter. Now, however, there was a technique that recorded, in a
relatively inexpensive and quick manner, the exact likeness of a person.
Photographs could also document special events such as the birth of a
new child or the celebration of a marriage, or even preserve the
memory of a family member at his or her death. Clients could keep
images for themselves, send them to far-away loved ones, and pass
them down to future generations. Given the speed and ease of their
distribution, portrait photographs also became an effective tool in
creating an image or persona for a person seeking celebrity—whether a
politician or an actor. When looking at some of the earlier portraits in
this section, keep in mind that long exposure times required a sitter to
remain still for an extended period, which often added a sense of
stiffness to the pose.
Mathew Brady, Portrait of Abraham
Lincoln, 1860
Mathew Brady’s portrait of Abraham Lincoln
played a pivotal role in Lincoln’s election to
the presidency by helping dispel the notion
that he was a rough and uncouth lawyer who
was “half-alligator and half-horse.” Years
later, when Brady arrived at the White House,
Lincoln introduced him as “the man [who]
made me president of the United States.”
Mathew B. Brady (American, 1823–1896)
Portrait of Abraham Lincoln, February 27, 1860
Albumen print
Courtesy of George Eastman House International
Museum of Photography and Film
\\\\\
Connect and Create: Constructing an Identity
From his statement, it is clear that Abraham Lincoln understood the
important role that photography could play in a presidential campaign.
How did Mathew Brady construct a flattering image of Lincoln? Look
closely at this portrait. Describe Lincoln’s pose and expression. What
does this portrait communicate about him?
Think about the ways in which politicians and leaders are depicted in
photographs and on television today. Find a current image of a politician
in the newspaper and discuss how the person is portrayed. Describe
the person’s expression, posture, and the setting in which he or she is
shown. Is the image favorable or unfavorable? How does the image
affect your perception of that individual?
Edward S. Curtis, Bow River—Blackfoot, 1896
Edward S. Curtis (American, 1868–1952)
Bow River—Blackfoot, 1896–1926 (print 1926)
Photogravure print
Courtesy of George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film
Rather than directly depicting the harsh realities of life on a reservation,
Edward Curtis chose to re-create what he considered the earlier “glory
days” of the Native Americans. Curtis was known to retouch many of his
images, literally erasing signs of contemporary times, such as cars,
clothing, and telegraph poles. As a result, many of his portraits,
including this one, are highly romanticized and represent an idealization
of the Native American past.
Connect and Create: Altered Images
Edward Curtis frequently altered his photographs in order to create
images that communicated a certain idea about the Native American
past. How has Curtis romanticized the subject of this photograph?
Altering an image today is fairly easy to do with the help of computer
programs such as Adobe Photoshop. However, even if you don’t have
access to a sophisticated computer program, you can still explore the
concept of altering images by cutting, pasting, and drawing on an
original image.
For more
classroom
activities about
political portraits,
visit the Museum
of Modern Art’s
Modern Teachers
Resource at
http://www.moma.
org/modernteache
rs/lesson.php?les
sonID=85.
Try it! Find an image in a magazine advertisement and consider what
it communicates to you. Then, think about how you could change the
meaning of the ad by altering some aspect of the image. Cut, paste,
and/or draw directly onto the image.
6
NEWS FROM THE FRONT
Photography has been a powerful means of documenting human
conflict since the Crimean War (1853–1856), which occurred just
a few years after the camera’s invention. In the United States, the
Civil War was documented by numerous photographers, including
Mathew Brady (ca. 1823–1896), Timothy O’Sullivan (1840–1882),
and Alexander Gardner (1821–1882). Though the process was
labor-intensive and the equipment difficult to transport, the
unflinching immediacy and reality of these early battlefield images
set the foundation for war reporting throughout the twentieth and
twenty-first centuries. Photography also played a significant role in
documenting wars in the twentieth century. During World War II,
the military, news organizations, and soldiers all used
photographs to convey the experience of this cataclysmic event
from various perspectives. Published photographs, often under
the tight control of the government, reached a large and eager
audience; technical advances had made photographic
reproductions commonplace in newspapers and popular
magazines such as LIFE. During the Vietnam War, in which
guerrilla tactics replaced fixed battle lines, neither the Vietnamese
nor the American
governments were able to
exercise the degree of
censorship practiced in
earlier conflicts and many
photojournalists used
photography to critique the
war. Increased media
access and dissemination
exposed viewers around the
globe to the harshest
realities of the war on a daily
basis.
Joe Rosenthal (American, b. 1911)
Old Glory Goes Up on Mt. Suribachi, Iwo Jima, 1945
Gelatin silver print
© The Associated Press
Courtesy of George Eastman House International
Museum of Photography and Film
What is Photojournalism?
“… Photojournalism is the use of photographs in conjunction with the reporting of news in
media such as print newspapers, magazines, television news and internet reporting.
Consumers depend upon photojournalists to bring them the images that allow them to
feel connected to far-away realities, and to be educated about those realities.
Photojournalism distinguishes itself from other forms of professional photography by its
adherence to the principles of journalism: timeliness, accuracy, fair representation of the
context of events and facts reported, and accountability to the public. While a wedding
photographer may be documenting an actual event, his or her responsibility is to the
client and the presentation that client would like to see. A journalist, on the other hand,
cannot be held to the demands of the photographic subject, but rather he or she must be
concerned with producing accurate news for the public.”
Dillon Westbrook, A Brief History of Photojournalism
Resource: http://www.photography-schools.com/photojournalismhistory.htm
Joe Rosenthal, Old Glory Goes Up on Mt. Suribachi, Iwo
Jima, 1945
On February 19, 1945, the United States invaded Iwo Jima, a
small yet critically strategic island in the South Pacific. Within five
days the battle for Iwo Jima would be won, although fighting
continued in the region for another month. A group of marines was
sent to replace a small, previously raised victory flag with a larger
one, and press photographer Joe Rosenthal was present to
document the essential moment of the group’s collective effort.
Joe Rosenthal’s photograph instantly became a national icon; it
was transmitted around the world as the quintessential symbol of
the perseverance of the United States in the face of adversity.
Connect and Create: “Reading” Images of Conflict
Look closely at Old Glory Goes Up on Mt. Suribachi, Iwo Jima,
and create a narrative to accompany the image. Imagine yourself
in the role of the photographer or one of the soldiers, and write an
account of this event based on what you observe in the
photograph. Describe in detail the actions of the soldiers, including
the setting, the sounds, and smells. If you could look beyond the
frame of the photograph, what do you think you would see?
Think about why this image was so important to people in the
United States at the time. What did it symbolize to them?
Now, repeat the same writing exercise using a current image of
conflict found in a newspaper or magazine. Then, compare the
two images and your accompanying narratives. In what ways do
you think the photographers adhered to the principles of
journalism? That is, how did they provide us with timeliness,
accuracy, fair representation of the context of events and facts
reported, and accountability to the public? Use a Venn diagram to
record the similarities and/or differences in the two images.
Venn Diagram
8
PHOTOGRAPHY AS FINE ART
The debate about whether photography was best used as an instrument for
documenting the natural world or a means of expressing artistic vision
continued long after its invention. Early believers in the medium’s capacity
to make “high art,” among them the Pictorialists, carefully posed a subject,
paid great attention to lighting, and sometimes even manipulated a negative
in the darkroom to achieve desired aesthetic effects. Advances in
manufacturing (particularly Eastman’s Kodak camera) and marketing
brought photography to a wide audience by the end of the nineteenth
century. Many Pictorialists saw this as a negative effect of industrialization
and wanted to differentiate their work from both commercial studios and
recreational snapshots. They created clubs, exhibitions, and publications
devoted to this cause.
The most prestigious such
society in the United States
was the Photo-Secession led
by Alfred Stieglitz (1864–1946),
who emphasized the
handcrafted, aesthetic aspect
of the photograph over its
mechanical nature. Many in the
Photo-Secession group revived
photographic processes that
achieved a soft focus and
permitted manipulation of the
photographic surface, creating
photographs made to be
perceived as art objects.
Today, largely due to the efforts
of these dedicated artists,
photography has secured its
position as a valid and
important art form and is
collected and exhibited in
museums around the world.
Gertrude Käsebier (American, 1852–1934)
Blessed Art Thou Among Women, 1899
Platinum print
Courtesy of George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film
For further
investigation …
Pictorialists: A style of photography and
imagery based on ideas of beauty and
nature deriving from the picturesque.
Photographs mimicked the texture of a
charcoal drawing or replicated a
watercolor painting in hue and tone.
Impressionistic effects were enhanced
through soft-focus lenses and the use of
screens to blur images during exposure
of printing.
Photo-Secession Group: Founded
with the aim of advancing photography
as a fine art. Known for their use of
soft focus, emphasis on composition
and texture, and adoption of traditional
academic subject matter.
Gertrude Käsebier, Blessed Art Thou Among Women, 1899
Gertrude Käsebier was a cofounder and active member of the PhotoSecession group. The first issue of Alfred Stieglitz’s journal Camera Work in
1903 was devoted to Käsebier’s work, and her images were widely
published in the popular press. Throughout the course of her career, she
produced various photographic “cycles.” This photograph is an example of
the cycle devoted to the theme of motherhood; in it, a woman bends over to
offer her daughter a blessing before she ventures out into the world beyond
her home.
Connect and Create: Creating a Theme
Like many artists over time, Gertrude Käsebier created multiple works
devoted to a single theme such as motherhood.
Select a theme based on your interests. For example, you might choose
family or friendship. Then, think about how to show your idea through a
series of images. Create a set of small sketches to demonstrate how you
would photograph people and/or objects in a way that relates to your
theme.
Artists use the elements and principles of art to
construct their artwork. Those elements and
principles are:
Elements:
• Line
• Shape
• Form
• Space
• Value
• Texture
• Color
Principles:
• Balance
• Contrast
• Movement
• Emphasis
• Pattern
• Proportion
•
Unity
Formal Visual Analysis: The Elements & Principles of
Composition
Resource: http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/3902/
10
A SOCIAL COMMENTARY
The relative ease with which photographs can be reproduced and
disseminated allows them to be effective tools for social or political
persuasion. At the turn of the twentieth century, photography was used to
record the consequences of the rapid social and economic changes taking
place in the United States and elsewhere. Lewis Hine’s (1874–1940)
images of immigrant and child labor in an increasingly industrialized
America became catalysts for heightened awareness and reform. During
the Great Depression, photographers documented the harsh realities of the
economic and environmental situation; under the auspices of the Roosevelt
administration’s Farm Security Administration photographers such as
Dorothea Lange (1895–1965) and Walker Evans (1903–1975) were hired to
expose the perils of common life in 1930s America. Photography also
presented an unwavering presence in the midst of the conflicts of the
1960s: the Civil Rights movement, the Vietnam War, and political
assassinations. Indeed, many of the major events of the decade—the final
years before the role of magazines would be eclipsed by television—are
ingrained into our cultural consciousness. Freelance photographers such as
Garry Winogrand (1928–1984) and Lee Friedlander (b. 1934) also based
their pictures on the surrounding social landscape, capturing everyday
occurrences that reflected the current culture. Whether in critique of its ills
or in homage to its achievements, photography’s comments on social
conditions remains a significant part of our world today.
Dorothea Lange
(American, 1895–1965)
Migrant Mother, Nipomo,
California, 1933
Gelatin silver print
Courtesy of George
Eastman House
International Museum of
Photography and Film
Dorothea Lange, Migrant Mother, Nipomo, California, 1936
In 1935 Dorothea Lange was hired by Roy Stryker at the Farm Security
Administration (FSA) photography unit to make visual records of
California’s migratory labor problem. The study was meant to tie together
scientific records and expressive photographs, putting a human face on the
statistics and supporting the Roosevelt administration’s reforms.
Lange took many versions of Migrant Mother, experimenting with her
composition until the best possible image was made. She applied the
concerns of a working artist to traditional documentary practice in order to
create an icon that has become synonymous with the Great Depression yet
is timeless in its representation of suffering.
Connect and Create: Social Commentary & Current Events
As demonstrated by the FSA study, photographs have the ability to reveal
the realities of certain situations and can lead to social change.
Think about a recent campaign that has brought awareness to a local or
national issue. Look through newspapers and magazines to find an image
associated with a specific cause. Use the following prompts to record your
thoughts about the image you selected. Describe what you see. How does
the image make you feel? Do you think your response is what the
photographer intended?
Response Card
1. Sketch the image you found.
2. Describe the image.
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
3. Respond to the image.
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
12
TRANSITION TO A MODERN WORLD
To many photographers working in the beginning of the twentieth century—
even those dedicated to the artistic role of photography such as Alfred
Stieglitz (1864–1946)—the soft focus approach of Pictorialism seemed out
of place in this era of “progress.” What did images evoking the gentle quiet
of dusk or dreamy faces have to do with the Model T or electric washing
machines? These photographers wanted to make images that were part of
the dynamic present. Modernist photographers embraced the intrinsically
mechanical nature of the medium. Experimentation with photographic
techniques and unusual viewpoints was popular in Europe, while an interest
in the abstract relationships among forms dominated American
photography. Among the many subjects chosen by the Modernists, the
machine was one of their favorites. This was, after all, the machine age, a
time of great enthusiasm for and celebration of mechanical power. The
shapes of industry lent themselves to the Modernists’ interest in
abstraction, a focus of many twentieth-century artists working in other
mediums as well.
Lewis Wickes Hine
(American, 1874–1940)
Power House Mechanic, 1920
Gelatin silver print
Courtesy of George Eastman
House International Museum of
Photography and Film
Lewis Wickes Hine, Powerhouse Mechanic, 1920
After World War I, Lewis Hine redirected his career and began to define
himself as an “interpretive photographer.” Focusing on the theme of labor in
this new, progressive era of industrialization in the United States, Hine
turned to the positive aspects of working life. “Cities,” he wrote, “do not
build themselves; machines cannot create machines unless there is human
intelligence at work behind all of this.”
Hine experimented with various compositions to relay this message. After
many attempts, he arrived at just the right combination of elements in his
Powerhouse Mechanic, which depicts the young, strong, skilled laborer
stationed at the center of the new machine age. The photograph continues
to be widely recognized as a symbol of the industrial era.
“Cities do not build themselves; machines cannot create machines
unless there is human intelligence at work behind all of this.”
— Lewis Wickes Hine
Connect and Create: Symbolism of an Era
In Powerhouse Mechanic how did Lewis Hine visually communicate the
thought expressed in this quotation? What do you think he intended his
image to reveal about the relationship between humans and machinery in
the industrial age? Is one more important than the other or are they given
equal weight?
Think about the current relationship that exists between humans and
machinery or humans and technology. How do you use technology in daily
life? In what ways have humans come to depend on technology? In what
ways does the advancement of technology depend on humans?
Brainstorm a list of words that represent this relationship. For example,
you might use words such as balance, imbalance, dependence, or
independence. Use some of your descriptive words in a short poem and/or
create a sketch that reveals your thoughts about humans and technology.
14
A BETTER EYE
The scientific revolution of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries placed
new emphasis on observation, and optical instruments such as the
telescope and microscope became essential tools of empirical inquiry.
Once optics and chemistry were combined during the nineteenth century,
the new science of photography began. The medium was quickly employed
by scientists to document events that the human eye could not accurately
see or record. William N. Jennings (1860–1946), for example, made the
first photograph of lightning in 1882, which presented the public with a
factual image of a nature that could be observed and studied. The images
produced by cameras became an unquestioned standard of accuracy, and
for decades, belief in the truth of photographs remained largely
unchallenged. Scientific photography not only brought unprecedented
accuracy of observation, but also a new kind of beauty and artistry. Building
on the achievements of Eadweard Muybridge (1830–1904), who sought to
capture motion through sequential still images in the late nineteenth and
early twentieth centuries, Harold Edgerton’s (1903–1990) striking images of
milk drop coronets and bullets bursting through objects represent a merging
of science and art made possible by photography.
Eadweard J. Muybridge, Das Pferd in Bewegung, "Abe Edington"
(The Horse in Motion, Abe Edington), 1878
In 1872 former California governor Leland Stanford hired Eadweard
Muybridge to settle a bet: Do all four hooves of a galloping horse
simultaneously leave the ground or not? To record the gait of the horse,
Muybridge devised a complicated arrangement of boards, springs, lenses,
and a single camera. Those first photographs have not survived, although
he reported that the horse had indeed been airborne. In 1878 Muybridge
produced a group of new photographs, including the series shown here,
that conclusively proved his earlier claims.
Eadweard J. Muybridge (American, b.
England, 1830–1904)
Das Pferd in Bewegung, “Abe Edington”
(Translated title: The Horse in Motion,
“Abe Edington”), 1878
Albumen print
Courtesy of George Eastman House
International Museum of Photography
and Film
Harold E. Edgerton, .30 Bullet Piercing an Apple (A Microsecond
Exposure of a Bullet Traveling 2800 Feet per Second. This was
Used to Illustrate “Doc” Edgerton’s Lecture on “How to Make
Applesauce”), 1964
Dr. Harold E. Edgerton (American
1903–1990)
.30 Bullet Piercing an Apple (A
Microsecond Exposure of a Bullet
Traveling 2800 Feet per Second.
This was Used to Illustrate “Doc”
Edgerton’s Lecture on “How to
Make Applesauce”), 1964
Color print, dye transfer process
© Harold and Esther Edgerton
Foundation
Courtesy of George Eastman
House International Museum of
Photography and Film and Palm
Press, Inc.
Edgerton first showed the photograph of a .30 caliber bullet piercing an
apple in 1964 during a lecture entitled “How to Make Applesauce at MIT.” In
this instance the strobe was triggered by the sound of the bullet.
Surprisingly, both the entry and exit of the bullet are shown to be outward
explosions; moments later, the apple collapsed completely. As Edgerton
would later explain, it took only one apple to achieve this remarkable image.
Connect and Create: Capturing Motion
Cameras have the ability to capture moments the human eye could never
see. Advances in technology enabled Muybridge and Edgerton to
document split seconds in time.
Try it! Capture motion by creating a flipbook. Think of a specific movement
that you would like to record—such as a person walking or throwing a ball.
Then, create a series of still images (photographs or sketches) that show a
step-by-step progression of that movement. When you stack the images
and flip through them very quickly, you should be able to observe the object
or person in motion.
For more information about creating your own flipbook, visit
http://www.haringkids.com/lessons/envs/live/htdocs/lesson142.htm.
16
COLOR AND BEYOND
Color photography was invented in the early 1900s,
but was slow to be accepted by art photographers.
By the second half of the century, however, technical
improvements in materials and a more open attitude
toward what constituted an artistic photograph led to
color gaining widespread approval and use. During
the seventies, the number of professional art
photographers grew dramatically, with photography
courses available in universities in every state and
more venues interested in exhibiting and selling their
images. Approaches to photography and subject
matter grew more diverse. Not bound by the limits of
illustration or reportage, photographers could use their
work to explore questions of personal and social identity
and to broaden the aesthetic boundaries of the medium.
William Wegman (American, b. 1942)
In, 1993
Color print, internal dye diffusion
transfer (Polacolor) print
© William Wegman
Courtesy of George Eastman
House International Museum of
Photography and Film
Digital imaging currently dominates photographic
practice, and has brought with it new possibilities and
challenges, particularly those associated with the
relationship between reality and the manipulated photographic image, which in the
past had been assumed to be a mirror to the world. The acceptance of this new
technology has been widespread, but many other choices still exist. Processes of the
nineteenth century, such as the daguerreotype, have even found new practitioners
who are fascinated with the beauty and clarity provided by the silvered image.
Regardless of its format, the role of photography as a dominant cultural force in our
world and in our lives is unlikely to change.
William Wegman, In, 1993
William Wegman and his Weimaraner dogs are known to both legions of Sesame
Street viewers and art aficionados worldwide. He began to collaborate with his dog
Man Ray in the 1970s, posing and costuming her and her offspring in films and
photographs ever since. They have illustrated the alphabet, numbers, and fairy tales.
In this work the word “in” is cleverly illustrated with an x-ray, ostensibly showing the
inside of the dog.
Connect and Create: What’s in a Title?
William Wegman photographs his subjects (his Weimaraner dogs) in unusual or
unexpected situations. His cleverly crafted titles, which often include plays on words,
add another layer of interest to the work.
What’s in a title? Review a selection of Wegman’s photographs at
http://www.wegmanworld.com/index.html. First, interpret the works without looking at
the titles. What do you see? What do you think the work is about? What led you to this
conclusion? Write your own titles for these works. Now, look at the actual titles of the
works. Does your interpretation of the work change once you know the title? How
important do you think the titles are to Wegman’s works?
THE BEST OF FILM
In addition to its vast collection of
photographs, George Eastman House is
internationally known for its holdings of film
and motion pictures. Since its inception in
1947, the motion pictures collection at
George Eastman House has been central
to the archival preservation movement in
the United States and now holds more
than twenty-five thousand titles. This
collection is considered to be one of the
best in the world because of its size,
content, and overall diversity.
The collection contains motion pictures
dating from 1894 to the present that
represent features, shorts, animations,
newsreels, documentaries, and amateur
productions. Silent films and those
produced during the Golden Age of
Hollywood (1929–1949) are a major
strength of the collection.
Clarence Sinclaire Bull (American, 1895–1979)
Greta Garbo, ca. 1931
Gelatin silver print
Courtesy of George Eastman House International
Museum of Photography and Film
“In the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes.” — Andy Warhol, 1967
Clarence Sinclaire Bull, Greta Garbo, ca. 1931
Motion picture studios have been the launching pads for many celebrities—
grooming them, training them, and selling them to the public from the
moment they sign their first contracts and before they step in front of the
camera. Studios have sometimes directed that an actor undergo a
complete overhaul in exchange for work. For example, one actress named
Greta Gustafsson (1905–1990) became a household name and box-office
sensation after she was told to cap her teeth, go on a diet, and change her
last name to Garbo.
Connect and Create: Celebrity Identity
A celebrity identity is often created through a photograph, which is selected
by the sitter, a publicist, or a publication editor. The Eastman House
collection contains many examples of these image-making photographs
that demonstrate how the medium can be used to construct celebrity.
Think of a teen star who has quickly risen to celebrity status and changed
his or her media image. Once you have identified the person, find pictures
documenting the stages of their “transformation” and discuss the results of
this process.
18
Learn More…
Resources:
•
George Eastman House
http://www.eastmanhouse.org/
•
Timeline and Film about Eastman at The Wizard of Photography PBS
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/eastman/index.html
•
Camera Obscura at Utah History for Kids:
http://historyforkids.utah.gov/fun_and_games/photos/history.html
http://www.rleggat.com/photohistory/history/cameraob.htm
•
The Daguerreian Society:
http://www.daguerre.org/
•
A History of Photography, by Robert Leggat
http://www.rleggat.com/photohistory/history/daguerro.htm
•
Brief History on Photojournalism
http://www.photography-schools.com/photojournalismhistory.htm
•
Artists of LIFE Magazine
http://www.heraldsquarehotel.com/artists.htm
•
Pictoralism into Modernism
http://www.psu.edu/dept/palmermuseum/past/pictorialism/pictorialism.html
•
Digital Kids Club
http://www.adobe.com/education/digkids/intro/index.html
•
Dorothea Lange at Oakland Museum of California
http://www.museumca.org/global/art/collections_dorothea_lange.html
•
William Wegman
http://www.wegmanworld.com/index.html or
http://www.wexarts.org/learn/for_teachers/Additional_Programs_and_Resources/wegman_teacher
.pdf
•
Formal Visual Analysis: The Elements & Principles of Composition http://artsedge.kennedycenter.org/content/3902/
•
Basic Photographic Techniques
http://photoinf.com/General/NAVY/Photographic_composition_Balance.htm
•
Photography Basic Equipment
http://www.bigirishgit.com/photography/chapter1.htm
VISION
The vision of the Frist
Center is to inspire
people through art to look
at their world in new
ways.
MISSION
The mission of the Frist
Center is to present and
originate high quality
exhibitions with related
educational programs
and community outreach
activities.
To learn more about Frist
Center exhibitions and
programs, visit
www.fristcenter.org.
Presenting Sponsor for 2008–2009
Teacher and School Programs:
Related Lesson Plans:
•
Oakland Museum of California
http://www.museumca.org/picturethis/index.html
•
Picturing People: Photography in MoMA’s Collection
http://www.moma.org/modernteachers/lessons.php?categoryID=guides&subcategoryID=66
•
Sunprints
http://www.museumca.org/picturethis/sunprints.html
•
Oakland Museum of California: Visual Literacy Activities
http://www.museumca.org/picturethis/change.html
•
Create a Portrait
http://www.museumca.org/picturethis/portrait.html
•
Portraiture and Politics
http://www.moma.org/modernteachers/lesson.php?lessonID=85
•
Flip Book
http://www.haringkids.com/lessons/envs/live/htdocs/lesson142.htm
The Teacher and School Programs
are funded in part by the Metro
Nashville Arts Commission and the
Tennessee Arts Commission.
EXHIBITION SPONSORS
2008 Platinum Sponsor:
2008 Gold Sponsor: