"Photography and the American Scene: A Social History, 1839-1889" by Robert Taft.
Dover Publications reprint (1964)
IBSN: 0-486-21201-7
Recently found this book at a used book dealer and found it quite interesting. The book covers the development of photography in the United States (largely) from the Daguerreotype to roughly the invention of flexible film; to include some on the photographic experiments of Muybridge.
Along the way it covers the introductions and development of Ambrotypes, Wet and Dry Plates, Card photos, Tintypes, Stereoscope images to name a few.'
Some other topics addressed are field photography of the American Civil War, The Transcontinental Railroad, Early Yellowstone landscapes and an interesting look at how print illustration evolved from engraving to photographic illustration in publications.
The book has over 300 image reproductions; many not typically reproduced today.
Very interesting.
Of course, the publication by its very nature is centered on the history of photography in the USA, but it rightfully addresses the importation of overseas technological developments (how could it not?) during the course of this time period.
If anyone knows of similar books centered around the same period of time that deal with non-US centrist histories of the same time period, I would be grateful to learn of their existence.
My copy is paperback and was very inexpensive.
I do recommend this book; very interesting and informative.
EDIT: If you can stand reading books from your monitor, the publication is free to download at:
Dover Publications reprint (1964)
IBSN: 0-486-21201-7
Recently found this book at a used book dealer and found it quite interesting. The book covers the development of photography in the United States (largely) from the Daguerreotype to roughly the invention of flexible film; to include some on the photographic experiments of Muybridge.
Along the way it covers the introductions and development of Ambrotypes, Wet and Dry Plates, Card photos, Tintypes, Stereoscope images to name a few.'
Some other topics addressed are field photography of the American Civil War, The Transcontinental Railroad, Early Yellowstone landscapes and an interesting look at how print illustration evolved from engraving to photographic illustration in publications.
The book has over 300 image reproductions; many not typically reproduced today.
Very interesting.
Of course, the publication by its very nature is centered on the history of photography in the USA, but it rightfully addresses the importation of overseas technological developments (how could it not?) during the course of this time period.
If anyone knows of similar books centered around the same period of time that deal with non-US centrist histories of the same time period, I would be grateful to learn of their existence.
My copy is paperback and was very inexpensive.
I do recommend this book; very interesting and informative.
EDIT: If you can stand reading books from your monitor, the publication is free to download at:
Photography and the American Scene : Robert Taft : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
Robert Taft, Photography and the American Scene—A Social History 1839–1889, Dover Publications, New York, 1938ISBN: 0-486-26202-2Library of Congress...
archive.org
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