[Girl with Ringlets, Seated, Three-Quarter Length] 1890s

This photograph of a girl with ringlets was made by Frederick Gutekunst, though we don’t know precisely when. He was a master of the wet collodion process. The effect of this technique is subtle. An image is created on a glass plate, coated with light-sensitive chemicals. The plate has to be exposed and developed while still wet – hence the name. What this gives you is tremendous detail, which in turn yields a very particular effect. This isn't just a picture of a girl; it’s a record of a singular moment. There’s a kind of truth-telling to the process. Gutekunst had a commercial photography studio. So the image is also tied to social issues of labor, politics, and consumption. There was a lot of work involved in producing this image, from preparing the plate to posing the subject. It's worth remembering that even a simple portrait like this one is the product of immense work and technical knowledge. And that's something that should be remembered when engaging with photography and other forms of creative production.