['A foggy morning in the Adirondacks', "At McCormick's"] 1893

Curator: Welcome, everyone. Before us, we have a gelatin silver print from 1893 by Dayton Ball, carrying two titles, "A foggy morning in the Adirondacks" and also titled, "At McCormick's". What are your first impressions? Editor: A muted serenity. The fog softens everything, creates a hazy veil. I am drawn to the figures silhouetted on the water, they seem very somber or perhaps stoic. Curator: I think that assessment aligns well with historical trends during that time. Images of the Adirondacks became popular, and this kind of photo, with its foggy realism, would be widely disseminated in publications promoting a romantic view of nature and recreation. Consider how photographs began informing public perceptions. Editor: Absolutely. The mist itself could be symbolic. It is not just a foggy scene but the blurring could mean something related to concealing some other theme or issue. We know these guides were in the area, seemingly taking patrons from out of the area, where were they guiding them? What exactly are we not being allowed to see clearly? The symbolism behind street photography interests me a great deal because nothing is included randomly or without motivation. Curator: Good question, and that is partly what Dayton Ball was showing when creating these images, which were then printed on the pages you now see presented. There is the aspect of revealing this place. Ball documents, with seeming honesty, the daily lives of guides, fishing culture, and that interaction with nature in that specific historical moment. Think also about access: who had access to these serene escapes, who could afford the gear, the guides? Editor: This really gives me so much to consider when thinking about these themes. So, there is a duality—the outward beauty for the wealthy but it seems like there is a shadow over these activities that feels quite significant and somewhat foreboding. This image pulls you in with this outward sense of beauty but then makes the viewer question this image when contextualized in its time. Thank you. Curator: Indeed, a reminder that even landscapes are imbued with socio-economic realities, visually symbolized and captured with artistic intent, shaping our understanding.