Untitled (studio portrait of four people in matching dresses) c. 1940

This photographic print by Paul Gittings captures a studio portrait of four people in matching dresses, using gelatin silver print. The negative image reveals the tonal range achievable with the gelatin silver process. In this process, light-sensitive silver halide crystals are exposed to light, creating a latent image, then made visible through chemical development. The choice of paper, the developing process, and the printing techniques all influence the final image's contrast, sharpness, and archival quality. Gittings was a commercial photographer, so his mastery of the process was central to his labor, and the means by which he made his living. Looking at this portrait, we can also consider the labor of the sitters: how long did they pose? How were they compensated for their work? All of these questions can be addressed by close looking and thinking about the economic and social contexts in which images are produced.