{"id":1592,"date":"2020-06-01T08:30:32","date_gmt":"2020-06-01T08:30:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/?p=1592"},"modified":"2020-06-01T07:52:30","modified_gmt":"2020-06-01T07:52:30","slug":"archival-types-photographs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/2020\/06\/01\/archival-types-photographs\/","title":{"rendered":"Archival Types – Photographs"},"content":{"rendered":"

The invention of photography<\/span>\u00a0coincided with an unprecedented\u00a0<\/span>advancement\u00a0<\/span>of technology and science, transport and communication.\u00a0 It was also a time of great inequality, poverty and the desire for social reform.\u00a0 Photography allowed the documentation of all of this as \u2018real-life\u2019 images,\u00a0<\/span>having previously relied on artists interpretations.\u00a0 It<\/span>\u00a0changed\u00a0<\/span>the way\u00a0<\/span>people<\/span>\u00a0perceived\u00a0<\/span>them<\/span>sel<\/span>ves and the world around them.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>We are all likely to have photographs we\u00a0treasure;\u00a0of family, friends, holidays and celebrations.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Photographs are a unique\u00a0<\/span>resource,<\/span>\u00a0but they are also very varied and extensive in their\u00a0<\/span>construction and method<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0of pro<\/span>cessing<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0 Photographic images can be found on paper, glass, film or metal, some with layers of\u00a0<\/span>collodion,\u00a0<\/span>egg white<\/span>, potato starch<\/span>\u00a0or\u00a0<\/span>gelatine, containing<\/span>\u00a0silver, dyes or pigments.<\/span>\u00a0 Often, they are part of a composite object such as frames, albums, cases made from leather, metal and wood.\u00a0 As such,\u00a0<\/span>photographs are fascinating but challenging object<\/span>s!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some common types\u00a0of photographic material\u00a0through time<\/h2>\n

Daguerreotypes<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

The first commercially successful\u00a0<\/span>photographic\u00a0<\/span>process used\u00a0<\/span>from 1839 on<\/span>, t<\/span>hese images are taken on a polished copper plate.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>T<\/span>he image was<\/span>\u00a0highly detailed but<\/span>\u00a0very\u00a0<\/span>fragile<\/span>\u00a0and<\/span>\u00a0they are\u00a0most commonly found\u00a0protected by frames.<\/span>\u00a0 The process was very expensive so only the wealthy could afford portraits.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Albumen print<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Invented in 1850 and made by coating paper with a layer of egg white and silver nitrate, albumen prints\u00a0<\/span>produced a clear image and remained the most popular process until 1900<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>However, t<\/span>hey tend to<\/span>\u00a0fade or<\/span>\u00a0turn yellow over time and are often adhered to board to stop them curling.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Gelatine silver prints<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Gelatine silver prints generally replaced albumen prints by the end of the 19<\/span>th<\/span>\u00a0C.\u00a0 They were simpler to produce and<\/span>\u00a0were more stable,<\/span>\u00a0remain<\/span>ing<\/span>\u00a0black and white.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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D-HBT\/3156<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Photographic film<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

In 1900 the first mass-marketed camera, the Brownie,\u00a0<\/span>went<\/span>\u00a0on sale.\u00a0 Companies rapidly develop<\/span>ed<\/span>\u00a0new cameras and plastic-based films.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Films\u00a0<\/span>we<\/span>re i<\/span>nitially made from nitrate, which is highly flammable<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0\u2018<\/span>S<\/span>afety film\u2019\u00a0<\/span>wa<\/span>s developed\u00a0<\/span>from acetate<\/span>\u00a0in the 1920\u2019s<\/span>, but this too easily degrades.\u00a0 By the end of the 20<\/span>th<\/span>\u00a0C polyester film\u00a0<\/span>was developed<\/span>\u00a0as a completely stable alternative.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Polaroid<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

In the mid-20<\/span>th<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>C this i<\/span>nstant film\u00a0<\/span>was developed<\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>However, the p<\/span>rocessing chemicals are not washed off\u00a0<\/span>and remain in the paper\u00a0<\/span>affect<\/span>ing<\/span>\u00a0their ageing<\/span>\u00a0abilities<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

C<\/span>olour<\/span>\u00a0print<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Various processes are utilized<\/span>\u00a0to make colour prints<\/span>, using red, green and blue to create all other colours.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>The typical fading and reddish discolouration seen in photographs from<\/span>\u00a0the 1960\u2019s and 70\u2019s\u00a0are\u00a0due to light-sensitive dyes<\/span>\u00a0that were used rather than more permanent pigments or metals<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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D-HBT\/3151<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Digital<\/span>\u00a0print<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Digital images are created by embedding pixels, light-sensitive electrical signals, on a computer chip<\/span>.\u00a0 A printer can then be used to create a physical image.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Photographic collections at\u00a0<\/span>DHC<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Photographs in our collections<\/span>\u00a0range\u00a0from a single\u00a0<\/span>print<\/span>\u00a0or album<\/span>\u00a0to vast archives containing\u00a0<\/span>hundreds of images<\/span>. One of our largest photographic collections\u00a0<\/span>is the work of Weymouth photographer Graham Herbert<\/span>\u00a0(ref: D-HBT).\u00a0<\/span>Spanning four decades<\/span>, the Herbert collection offers us a glimpse into\u00a0<\/span>the lives of local people in the second half of the twentieth century.\u00a0<\/span>Herbert capture<\/span>d<\/span> everything\u00a0from<\/span>\u00a0panto and\u00a0<\/span>beauty pageants to traffic jams and fire devastating Weymouth Pavilion.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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D-HBT\/3161<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/span>The wonderful thing about photographic collections is their\u00a0<\/span>diversity.\u00a0<\/span>Of course\u00a0we have plenty of views of our beautiful count<\/span>y! But if drain covers and signposts<\/span>\u00a0take your\u00a0interest\u00a0we have photos of those too!\u00a0<\/span>Details of all our photographic collections can be found<\/span>\u00a0on our catalogue<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Fun\u00a0Fotography\u00a0Facts!<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n