It's here! Our newly launched Destination Indiana website lets you explore historic images of Indiana free and at your fingertips – and share your discoveries on Facebook, Twitter or by email. It's Indiana history as you've never seen it before. Check it out today!
Preservation Tips: Preserving Family Photographs—19th Century Photographs
by Christina Clary
***************************************
The earliest forms of photographs were tintypes, ambrotypes, and daguerreotypes. These typically date from 1840 to 1900. Daguerreotypes were the first to be developed and were printed on silver-plated sheets of copper. Their popularity waned around 1860 as ambrotypes and tintypes gained popularity. Ambrotypes were printed on glass, while tintypes were made on sheets of lacquered iron. Tintypes were especially popular during the Civil War, as they were more durable than ambrotypes. Most soldiers’ portraits were tintypes.
Distinguishing between daguerreotypes and tintypes can be difficult. The easiest way to identify them is to turn the lights off and shine a light directly at the photograph. If the image stays the same, it is a tintype. If the image looks like a photographic negative, it is a daguerreotype. The metal edges of these photographs can tear through paper envelopes. Completely wrap each photograph in tissue before placing it in a paper envelope or an archival quality plastic sleeve. Ambrotypes will need extra padding to prevent the glass from breaking, so be sure to wrap them well. These, along with any glass plate negatives, are better stored in a four-flap paper enclosure that wraps around the item. Keep them in a cool, dry place. Heat and humidity can cause rust and flaking on tintypes and daguerreotypes.
In the latter half of the 19th century, there was a shift from metal supports to paper supports. Collodion, albumen, and gelatin photographs are the most common types you might find in your family collection. The primary difference between these types lies in the chemical processes used for their development. Collodion photographs required a quick process to complete before the plate dried. They are less common than albumen and gelatin photographs. Both collodion and albumen photographs can have either a glossy, smooth surface or a matte finish. All three types typically exhibit purplish-red and brown tones.
Albumen photographs were popular from 1860 to 1880. This process used egg whites mixed with chloride, which caused the distinctive yellow tone they have developed with age. Since albumen prints were made on very thin paper supports, they were typically mounted onto a larger, sturdier support. Many cabinet card portraits are albumen prints. These have the studio name printed on the front or back and a cardboard-like feel. In contrast, collodion and gelatin photographs do not yellow with age and retain their purplish-red tones. Gelatin photographs, which replaced albumen in popularity in the 1880s, remained popular until the 1910s. These may exhibit some image fading over time, while collodion photographs do not.
The care for these photographs is the same regardless of the type. They should not be exposed to light, heat, or humidity for extended periods of time. Gelatin is especially sensitive to humidity. Albumen and collodion tend to be more brittle and can crack. Be sure to have clean, dry hands when handling, and only hold the edges when possible. Photographs should be stored individually in archival envelopes or an archival quality plastic sleeve and laid flat in boxes.
'...and how their smiles did set alight the room with warmth and charm'. In order to counteract the ubiquitous online...
'...and how their smiles did set alight the room with warmth and charm'.
In order to counteract the ubiquitous online commentary regarding the inability or unwillingness to smile from those who sat before the lens in the 19th and early 20th centuries, this set of images (which barely scratches the surfaces of examples readily available of this nature) provides a highly valuable insight into the realities of early photography-it can be utilised as an antidote to the umpteen claims that no one smiled back in the day (indeed, that camera capabilities did not allow for this), that people feared coming off as a fool or as one not in charge of one's mental faculties if one dared crack a grin. Despite the repeated narrative from multiple corners of the internet, the Victorians did employ photography to convey humour, to experiment with drollery and satire, and to relate joy in various occasions in life. All before the lens.
You will notice that this collection (I will try and include another post of the same ilk soon so plentiful are qualifying examples) is many and varied. Included is images from the 1840s-the first commercial decade of photography-through to the early 20th century.
And these sitters, bless them all, will continue to display their individuality and convey their mirth and spirit for many centuries to come...
Finding Fort Wayne Photographs Published on November 1, 2018 by the Allen County Public Library on YouTube. Presented by the Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library. There are many visual sources for Fort Wayne and Allen County, showing streets, buildings, people and more. Learn about some of the sources available for locating old photographs of your town! For more information about the Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library, go to: http://www.genealogycenter.org/
ACPL Community Album posted Sep 22, 2020 by Allen County Public Library on YouTube This is an introduction to the Allen County Public Library’s Community Album, with directions on how to search and explore results. We’ll focus on the historic photos by comparing things we know about present-day Rudisill Blvd. with older ones found in the album. At the end of the session kids will: 1) Know how to find the community album on the library’s webpage 2) Understand the general content of the database 3) Gain curiosity about what’s in the album and how it relates to their lives and their family history. Access the full Community Album online at http://contentdm.acpl.lib.in.us/digital/
Photo-gravures of Fort Wayne! : its artistic residences, business streets, parks and beautiful suburbs ; together with its largely diversified business and manufacturing industries, Publication date 1889 on Archive.org.
Oldest photographs in the world posted May 13, 2009 by hilbert2547 on YouTube Here you can see the oldest photographs in the world. The people lived in a world without electricity, cars, aeroplanes and trains were just invented music: Ludwig van Beethoven "Für Elise"
Who Am I? Photo Identification Project on Facebook
Adam Griebel Photography on Facebook posts lots of local photographs of historic buildings such as churches, schools, and more stating: Sharing unique drone-based pictures and videos in Northeast Indiana.
#OTD February 1, 1900, Eastman Kodak debuted their brownie box camera. The inception of this simple camera came at a...
#OTDFebruary 1, 1900, Eastman Kodak debuted their brownie box camera. The inception of this simple camera came at a time when the way people captured photographs was changing. Eastman Kodak strived to design a camera that was both inexpensive and reliable, made of cardboard and a single meniscus lenses, and originally selling for $1. It took 2 ¼ inch square photographs on 117 roll film that cost 15 cents a roll. The camera was easy to operate and often marketed to children. Variations of this camera were sold until the 1960s.
Historic photographers and their studios posted October 10, 2020 on the Archives of Hoosier History Live podcast on Saturdays, noon to 1 p.m. ET on WICR 88.7 FM introduction starts with: Nearly 200 years before the era of ubiquitous cell-phone "selfies" - and decades before the Brownie camera introduced snapshots to the mass consumer market - photographers were capturing images across Indiana.Clear back in the 1820s, a teenager in New Harmony was experimenting with "solar picture drawings." In the early 1840s, a professor at Indiana University became Indiana's earliest documented photographer. For this exploration of photographers and early photography studios beginning in the early 19th century, Nelson will be joined by photo historian Joan Hostetler, founder of the Indiana Album. The organization maintains the Indiana Photographers Project, a database that records biographical and studio information about photographers who have worked in the state from the early days of photography to the present. The two longest-operating studios in Indiana, according to Joan, are the McDonald Studio of South Bend, which was founded in 1861, and the W.H. Bass Photo Co., which is based in Indianapolis and has roots dating to 1897. Both studios are still operating today.
Jarrard’s City Studio - An April 13, 2019 post with photo posted on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebooksays Robison Park postcard with advertising for “Jarrard’s City Studio” on it. Harry Jarrard’s photography studio was located at 86 Calhoun Street Street in Fort Wayne. Harry Jarrard also had a photography studio at Robison Park.
Drone photography has become a thing in the 21st Century with several local photographers posting on Facebook and elsewhere.
Vintage Aerial: Historic Photography of Rural U.S. Farms and Homesteads Dec 15, 2022 by Allen County Public Library on YouTube The Genealogy Center Join Vintage Aerial to learn more about the collection of over 18 million photographs spans the second half of the 20th century, documenting a time in American history when life revolved around rural communities and small farms. Our common American heritage happened in that time, in those rural communities. They want to share the period preserved in these photos, and the memories they represent, with the generations who came too late to experience it firsthand. Presented by Alexis Petrie, Nathan Lewis, Lance Roper, and Fritz Byers. Alexis Petrie Alexis is the Customer Relations & Engagement Manager. She has a background in history, enjoys spending time with her fiancé, and is excited to see what new adventures await at Vintage Aerial. Nathan Lewis Nathan is the Director of Archive Development, responsible for making much of Vintage Aerial's content available online. He has a background in audio and electrical engineering, and is a professional mixologist. Lance Roper Lance is the Director of Customer Experience at Vintage Aerial. He enjoys spending time with his wife and three cats, having a good Manhattan with the team, and coffee roasting. Fritz Byers Fritz is Vintage Aerial's President & CEO.
Sky-Hye Aerial Photography on Facebook: Aerial Photographer for homes, businesses, farm land, and sports teams/stadiums or whatever else you
Allen County has over 54,000 photos some by address in over 1,500 rolls of film at Vintage Aerial in their Film Roll Index with 36 images each roll taken since 1965.
Allen County Photo Album 1955-59 by Jon Swerens was discussed in New book signing in Bluffton published December 1, 2009 on the Allen County Photo Album blog.
Rescuing Photos from Dying Digital Platforms: How to Save posted Apr 30, 2019 by Allen County Public Library on YouTube Presented by the Genealogy Center of the Allen County Public Library. "Rescuing Photos from Dying Digital Platforms: How to Save" With the news that Google+ is shutting down, people are scrambling to make sure they have saved their content. Let's explore how to save digital platform content that you and family members have put online. We will be focusing on Facebook, with additional tips for Twitter, Instagram, and websites. Macs, PCs, IPhone, and Android will be used for this presentation. For more information about the Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library, go to: https://www.genealogycenter.org/ For more information about the Allen County Public Library, go to: https://acpl.lib.in.us/
Photography was a constantly changing and updating system during Lincoln’s lifetime. With the first plate photograph taken in 1839, photos began to morph in their physicality. From ambrotypes and daguerreotypes to tintypes and carte de visites, the people appeared in all media types. The processes of making these photos depended on the best practice at the time: daguerreotypes were the first not film non-paper photos and the image was set into polished silver. Ambrotypes were similar, but they were printed on emulsion-coated glass (they appear quite dark and have a background behind them to cancel out the glass’s transparency). Tintypes are just as they sound: photos printed onto thin metal plates that had an emulsion coat. Carte de visites (CDVS) became the first mass-producible paper photograph, which meant that, for the first time, photos could have multiple copies. People would often collect and save these photos…like baseball cards!
When the relatively unknown Abraham Lincoln became the Republican presidential nominee in 1860, people wanted to know what he looked like. Artists and photographers set about meeting the demand, often taking “shortcuts” that ranged from reproducing photographs taken by others to a nineteenth-century version of photoshopping. This engraving by J.C. Buttre is an example. Buttre took the steel plate from his engraving of John Charles Frémont, burnished out Frémont’s head, and replaced it with an engraving of Lincoln’s head based on a photograph taken by Mathew Brady. In 1865, Buttre revised his engraving again by adding a beard to Lincoln’s face.
Detecting Fakes - Did you know that text-to-image generator programs such as Midjourney and DALL-E allow you to type in requests such as "1850s daguerreotype of a midwestern little girl holding a cat" and it will invent realistic-looking, but completely "synthetic" (fake) images? Learn more about why this concerns historians and archivists: AI Imagery May Destroy History As We Know It
As a non-traditional archive whose collection is purely digital, we have to stay alert for altered images. Not that traditional photographs weren't manipulated (see examples), or digital images aren't regularly enhanced using Photoshop, but generative A.I. (artificial intelligence) has taken it to a whole new level.
It is only a matter of time before a well-intentioned submitter or a mischievous prankster shares a deep fake image with us, so we need tools to authenticate originals. This series by Professor Haney Farid for the Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI) is an excellent resource on the topic.
How do you share photos with your friends and family?
In 1907, Kodak introduced “real photo postcards”, which enabled customers to make postcards from photos they took and send them through the mail. Up to this point, postcards had no space for messages; the back was reserved for the address, so if the sender wanted to include a note to the recipient they had to write on the front of the card. An act of Congress on March 1, 1907, finally divided the back of the postcard to allow space for a message and an address, and the popularity of RPPCs exploded. Ordinary people could now use photographs to document and share images of everyday life: families and neighbors during leisure time, city and village streets, work on factory floors and family farms, and more.
Center for Digital Scholarship at IUPUI University Library. Site includes a variety of databases including historic Indiana atlases and maps, War of 1812 Collection, and Indianapolis city directories.
Indiana Memory is a collaborative effort to provide access to the wealth of primary sources in Indiana libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions. DPLA Search page to over 45,000 results on Indiana Memory.
U. S. History Images by Karen J. Hatzigeorgiou images are all in the public domain and are free for anyone to use in any way with just a couple of exceptions.
Wabash Valley Visions & Voices Digital Memory Project preserving the past and present for the future.
Focuses on the Wabash Valley region in west central Indiana and east central Illinois, includes yearbooks, maps, and court records.
How do you share photos with your friends and family?