Shoshone Falls, Snake River, Idaho 1874

This photograph of Shoshone Falls, Snake River, Idaho, was taken by Timothy O'Sullivan, though its exact date is unknown. The image was produced using a wet collodion process, a popular 19th-century photographic technique that involved coating a glass plate with light-sensitive chemicals. The tonal range achieved is gorgeous, but the process itself was laborious. Photographers had to prepare, expose, and develop the plates on-site, often in portable darkrooms. What sets O'Sullivan's work apart is his willingness to use this challenging technology in remote locations, documenting the American West with an unflinching eye. It's important to remember that these images weren't just art, they were also documents, meant to encourage westward expansion and resource extraction. O’Sullivan's photographs played a crucial role in shaping our understanding of the American landscape, and in the often destructive industrialization that went along with it.