Untitled (two men and one woman on couch) 1952

Editor: This gelatin silver print, "Untitled (two men and one woman on couch)" by Peter James Studio, shows a posed group in formal wear. The inky blacks and ghostly whites give it a strange feeling. What can you tell me about its making? Curator: Consider the labor involved in photography at this time. The specific photographic process determined accessibility. Who had access to studios, to materials? How might the subjects’ clothing reflect class and consumerism? What does the choice of studio photography versus snapshots say about social status? Editor: So the image’s value comes not just from its content, but from the material conditions that made it possible? That’s fascinating. Curator: Exactly!