Zes portretten van afgestudeerde studenten van Yale University 1895

This printed photograph, of six Yale graduates, showcases the impact of photographic printing techniques. The image is a gelatin silver print. To make it, a negative would be exposed onto paper coated with light-sensitive silver halides suspended in gelatin. This process was a cornerstone of mass media, enabling the relatively quick and inexpensive reproduction of images. The tonal range in this photograph, from the crisp whites to the nuanced greys and blacks, is a direct result of the gelatin silver process. This chemical process captures fine details, which is key to the portraits. The use of photography allowed for a democratization of portraiture, making images more accessible than painted portraits, but consider the labor that went into it: from the manufacture of photographic materials to the skilled darkroom work, and the posing required of the subjects themselves. The photograph is a reminder of the power of reproducible imagery to capture, distribute, and shape our understanding of individuals and social groups.