{"id":131,"date":"2016-09-22T10:01:25","date_gmt":"2016-09-22T10:01:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.dorsetforyou.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/?p=131"},"modified":"2018-05-01T14:48:31","modified_gmt":"2018-05-01T14:48:31","slug":"portraits-and-poses-early-twentieth-century-photography","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/2016\/09\/22\/portraits-and-poses-early-twentieth-century-photography\/","title":{"rendered":"Portraits and Poses: Early Twentieth Century Photography"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A collection of nearly 1000 negatives from the Hibbs Collection has recently been digitised, providing a fascinating glimpse into Dorset life from 1910-1920 and World War One.<\/p>\n

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Dorset History Centre holds a fascinating series of photographs depicting Swanage life, taken between 1870 and\u00a01950 by HR Hibbs (reference: D-1330). Within this collection are a series of 949 nitrate based photographs of Swanage and its residents taken around\u00a01910-1920,\u00a0including photographs of troops taken abroad after\u00a01918.<\/p>\n

The photos are on a cellulose nitrate base, technology first made available to the public by Eastman in the late 19th<\/sup> Century. Although it was the first base of its kind it also deteriorates over time, giving off acidic chemicals that are dangerous if inhaled. Nitrate is also highly flammable and resulting fires are hard to extinguish. Therefore the nitrate has\u00a0been kept at cold temperatures, which slows down the deterioration process.<\/p>\n

Perhaps one of the biggest surprises in the photographs\u00a0is the array of smiling subjects, a contrast to the expectation of dour faces in nineteenth century portraits. The Hibbs collection shows the changing face of photography at this time, as it includes more traditional portraiture as well as\u00a0the rise of candid snaps.<\/p>\n

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Say ‘prunes’<\/h2>\n

Photography had, at first, been the preserve of the wealthy and early portraits were similar to their painted cousins. This, coupled with the slow shutter speeds of early cameras meant that people were usually not shown smiling. In one Victorian studio subjects were told to say ‘prunes’ to achieve the small mouth shape favoured at the time. There are many formal portraits in the collection, featuring men in suits or army uniform and it is clear that the subjects have carefully chosen their clothes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n