Castle Well and Castle Geyser before 1887

Frank Jay Haynes made this photograph of Castle Well and Castle Geyser using photographic paper, a darkroom, and a camera. It’s a study in contrasts, showing the solid, geological formations alongside fleeting steam, using a tonal range from stark white to deep gray. Haynes was one of the great photographers of the American West, and images like this one were instrumental to the growth of tourism, even the idea of the ‘national park’ itself. It's important to think about the tools and materials involved in the making of this image. Photography used light-sensitive chemistry and mechanical apparatus, and was relatively accessible as an artform. The photograph provided the opportunity to document the landscape and nature. It also shows the park as a spectacle for the consumer, and for the development of tourism at this time. Haynes’ photograph is not only a record of geological wonder, but an artifact deeply embedded in American social and economic history.