Ootacamund and the Neilgherries, The Haunt of the Sambur c. 1867

Editor: This is Samuel Bourne’s photograph, “Ootacamund and the Neilgherries, The Haunt of the Sambur.” I’m struck by the tonal range achieved in this early photograph. What can you tell us about its production and the materials used? Curator: Well, consider the context. Bourne was shipping heavy equipment and dangerous chemicals into remote regions of India. The albumen print process itself involved meticulous labor in the field, from coating paper to developing negatives under challenging conditions. How does this production method influence our understanding of the final image and its aesthetic value? Editor: It certainly shifts my perspective. I hadn’t really thought about the physical constraints and the chemical processes involved in creating it. It makes me appreciate the image much more. Curator: Exactly. It moves us away from a simple appreciation of the landscape to a consideration of the materials, labor, and logistical complexities that shaped this representation. Editor: Thank you. I’ll never look at landscape photography the same way again!