Untitled 1869 - 1874

This stereograph was produced by Jeremiah Gurney, a pioneering New York photographer, likely in the 1860s or 70s. It’s made using the wet collodion process, a technique involving coating a glass plate with chemicals, exposing it in the camera, and then developing it immediately. What I find fascinating about this method is that it required both technical skill and speed; the whole process had to be done before the plate dried. The results, like this portrait, have a distinctive tonal range and a crispness that’s quite remarkable. The stereograph itself was a popular format, offering a 3D effect when viewed through a special device. This speaks to a growing market for accessible imagery during the period, feeding the appetite of a public keen to consume portraits and scenes from around the world. Looking at this image, you realize it’s not just a picture, but also the result of a complex interplay of chemistry, light, and human labor, all geared towards satisfying a widespread desire for visual representation. It reminds us that even early photography was deeply enmeshed with industrial production and consumer culture.