Dedication of Monument on Bull Run Battle-field 1865

This photograph, "Dedication of Monument on Bull Run Battle-field," was produced by W. Morris Smith using a photographic process that was cutting-edge for its time, sometime after the American Civil War. Think about what was required to make this image: a bulky camera, glass plate negatives, and a portable darkroom. It was a labor-intensive process, far removed from our digital snapshots today. The tonal range, captured through chemical reactions on a treated glass plate, offers a stark and detailed record of the event. The monument itself, built from rough-hewn stone, stands as a testament to both collective memory and the physical labor required to construct it. Consider the contrast between the monument’s rough materiality and the sharp clarity of the photographic print, and how the image itself serves as a memorial. Photographs like this one remind us that all images are made, crafted objects tied to social and technological conditions. It’s a far cry from the way we think about photography today, and encourages us to reconsider the value and the labor that goes into image making.