Ilfracombe, Wildersmouth from the Parade 1860 - 1894

Francis Bedford made this photograph, "Ilfracombe, Wildersmouth from the Parade," in the 19th century, using a process called albumen printing. This technique involved coating paper with egg white and silver nitrate, creating a surface sensitive to light. What's fascinating here is the sheer labor involved in creating this image. Bedford likely used a large format camera, requiring long exposure times. This explains why the figures on the beach appear still, almost posed. The process speaks volumes about the era's relationship with time and image-making. Bedford was a prominent photographer, documenting landscapes and architecture. However, this image also captures a social scene: a bustling beach filled with parasol-toting Victorians. By using photography, a relatively new medium at the time, Bedford democratized image-making, capturing everyday life and leisure. This challenges traditional art forms, like painting, by offering a new way to document and understand the world around us, and also consider the time and effort required to produce such an image.