Cascade, Nevada Fall on Left, View above Vernal Fall 1861

Carleton Watkins made this albumen print, "Cascade, Nevada Fall on Left, View above Vernal Fall," to capture the vastness of Yosemite Valley. Watkins's photographs played a crucial role in shaping American perceptions of the West, influencing both tourism and conservation efforts. However, this landscape comes with the complex history of westward expansion and its impact on Native American populations. Watkins made these photographs during a time when the government was actively displacing indigenous people from their ancestral lands. In the photograph, the sublime beauty of the landscape obscures this violent history. The sheer scale and detail captured by Watkins's camera evoke a sense of awe, but also a sense of loss, reminding us of what was taken to create this vision of the American West. Watkins said, "I hope to convey to the public some faint idea of the inexpressible grandeur of the scenery." And while the photographs do that, they also serve as a reminder of the cultural and historical complexities inherent in the representation of the American landscape.