Untitled (bridal party posed in studio, all three men in sailor's uniforms) c. 1945

Editor: Here we have an untitled photograph by John Deusing, a bridal party with the men in sailor's uniforms. The inverted tones create an eerie, dreamlike quality. What strikes you about this image? Curator: Consider the labor involved in staging such a formal portrait. The uniforms, the dresses, the photographer's equipment, each element speaks to specific economic and social conditions. Editor: How so? Curator: The materiality of the photograph itself - the paper, the chemicals - points to an industry built on capturing and commodifying personal moments. The sailors' uniforms speak to wartime production and national identity. What does this tell us about the values of this time? Editor: It's fascinating how the materials reveal the broader context. I'll definitely think about that more. Curator: Indeed.