Artillery Waggons, Balaklava in the Distance 1855

Roger Fenton made this photograph, titled "Artillery Waggons, Balaklava in the Distance," using the collodion process, a cutting-edge technology in the 19th century. This involved coating a glass plate with a light-sensitive chemical emulsion. The final image, printed on paper, carries an incredible amount of detail, from the texture of the artillery wagons to the distant landscape. Consider the laborious darkroom practices that were necessary to make such a large print. The choice of photography itself, a relatively new medium at the time, speaks to a shift in how war and labor were documented. While traditional war paintings often depicted heroic scenes, Fenton’s photograph offers a more grounded, almost industrial view of military operations. The arrangement of the wagons, the layout of the camp, and the activity of soldiers are all captured in a way that reflects the logistical and operational aspects of war.