Old Faithful c. 1880s

Curator: Here we have F. Jay Haynes' "Old Faithful," a gelatin silver print residing here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It has a sepia-toned dreaminess, almost romantic despite the starkness of the landscape. The geyser dwarfs the figures, making them seem insignificant. Curator: Absolutely, and Haynes captures that feeling of awe. The composition directs our eye upwards, emphasizing the geyser's power and the relatively small size of the human figures. Editor: It speaks to the sublime, a confrontation with nature's raw power. I wonder, did he stage this with people standing there for scale, or did he just catch some tourists in the act? Curator: Haynes, a pioneer photographer of Yellowstone, likely staged it. He knew how to frame nature's grandeur to entice tourism. Editor: A romantic vision, carefully curated! Well, it makes me want to go see the real thing now, regardless of how he achieved this effect. Curator: It’s a powerful image, offering a glimpse into how the American West was presented and perceived. It's a mix of wonder, documentation, and promotion, really.