Brady and the Round Tops

[Gettysburg Greg]

As was shown in my post from yesterday, Mathew Brady often inserted himself into his iconic images including several Gettysburg photographs. For those of you old enough to get the reference, I see Brady as the "Hitchcock" of his day. ;-) Below is another example of Brady subtly becoming a part of his photograph. This is another highly magnified crop, this one from his dynamic panoramas of the Round Tops taken from the Wheatfield Road in mid-July 1863. Hardly noticeable at the left edge of the frame is Brady's wagon with two of his assistants sitting atop, Anthony Berger and Vestman. In the foreground of my crop stands Brady with his trade-mark straw hat leaning on a tree with his back to the camera as was his habit. Obviously, that means that Brady must have had a third unphotographed assistant who actually exposed this plate.

 

[6thMichCav]

I'm always struck by the wasting effect of the battle on the countryside in period pictures. Unlike the nice, neat fields, walls and buildings of today, Gettysburg after the battle must have seemed like a 6 foot tornado smashed every acre of ground.

Perspective: When I was a kid, my parents were caretakers of a campground—26 acres of open field and woods. Once a year a state Indian Pow-Wow was held for two days (that's what they called themselves and the event).

After two days of trampling and parking by modest sized 70's crowds, the grass was flat, the drives torn up, there was litter everywhere (the tribe would clean this up before leaving), and there was a visibly "worn" look to the campground in general.

Gettysburg (and most places large armies fought) must have been an awful wreck. I'm sure the available pictures and journals don't bring it completely home to my imagination, no matter how hard I try.

 

[Gettysburg Guide #154]

I love the "Hitchcock of his day" reference!

 

[NFB22]

The terrain actually looks more flat in that area than it does today and the peak of Big Round Top more prominent.

 

[Lubliner]

In the foreground of my crop stands Brady with his trade-mark straw hat leaning on a tree with his back to the camera as was his habit. Obviously, that means that Brady must have had a third unphotographed assistant who actually exposed this plate.

I had heard somewhere that these photographers had a long cord they could pull to release the shutter mechanism, and hold it open. I think it was associated with Timothy O'Sullivan. Is this viable?
Lubliner.

 

[infomanpa]

The terrain actually looks more flat in that area than it does today and the peak of Big Round Top more prominent.

The photo is so blurry that I can't compare.

 

[Gettysburg Greg]

I had heard somewhere that these photographers had a long cord they could pull to release the shutter mechanism, and hold it open. I think it was associated with Timothy O'Sullivan. Is this viable?
Lubliner.

I was unaware of that.

 

[Ed Zeppelin]

I had heard somewhere that these photographers had a long cord they could pull to release the shutter mechanism, and hold it open. I think it was associated with Timothy O'Sullivan. Is this viable?
Lubliner.

If Tim was able to do that would it qualify as the original selfie?



Sent from my Commodore 64 running Windoze 95

 

[Gettysburg Greg]

The photo is so blurry that I can't compare.

Only this highly magnified crop, the uncropped tiff version is pretty clear.

 

[John S. Carter]

As was shown in my post from yesterday, Mathew Brady often inserted himself into his iconic images including several Gettysburg photographs. For those of you old enough to get the reference, I see Brady as the "Hitchcock" of his day. ;-) Below is another example of Brady subtly becoming a part of his photograph. This is another highly magnified crop, this one from his dynamic panoramas of the Round Tops taken from the Wheatfield Road in mid-July 1863. Hardly noticeable at the left edge of the frame is Brady's wagon with two of his assistants sitting atop, Anthony Berger and Vestman. In the foreground of my crop stands Brady with his trade-mark straw hat leaning on a tree with his back to the camera as was his habit. Obviously, that means that Brady must have had a third unphotographed assistant who actually exposed this plate.
View attachment 460893

I have wondered it the Confederacy had any photographers of the caliber of any Union ones ? If there were any would you have any or know of where they can be located ?

 

[Lubliner]

I was unaware of that.

I believe it was from the Northern Virginia area near a church O'Sullivan had stopped at. He was in the shade of the trees near the brick church, and the caption had mentioned the cord, if my memory is correct.
Lubliner.

 

[John S. Carter]

As was shown in my post from yesterday, Mathew Brady often inserted himself into his iconic images including several Gettysburg photographs. For those of you old enough to get the reference, I see Brady as the "Hitchcock" of his day. ;-) Below is another example of Brady subtly becoming a part of his photograph. This is another highly magnified crop, this one from his dynamic panoramas of the Round Tops taken from the Wheatfield Road in mid-July 1863. Hardly noticeable at the left edge of the frame is Brady's wagon with two of his assistants sitting atop, Anthony Berger and Vestman. In the foreground of my crop stands Brady with his trade-mark straw hat leaning on a tree with his back to the camera as was his habit. Obviously, that means that Brady must have had a third unphotographed assistant who actually exposed this plate.
View attachment 460893

Could it be said that Civil War photographers presented the war to the civilian population as those in the twentieth century? Brady had a studio where the people could see the horrors of the battles, even if certain ones were staged. Just the nightly news showed the Viet Nam war on the nightly news, which some believe effected the attitude of the war as it progressed. What effect did his and other photoghers phots have upon the civilian population? Then there were actual movies and magazine phots of combat during WWII. [INTERESTING] I have not seen any battle pictures from any Confederate photoghers. Could be that the CSA did not any in the field. They did take very nice photos of soldiers in studio settings

 

[Poorlaggedman]

I have wondered it the Confederacy had any photographers of the caliber of any Union ones ? If there were any would you have any or know of where they can be located ?

I always understood that the blockade meant that certain chemicals needed for the photography process could not be attained easily, if at all, so southern photographers were only really active in the beginning of the war. They probably had ample business just taking photographs of soldiers going off to war before running out of supplies. There's a couple different recorded Civil War photography 'extravaganzas' posted by Garry Adelman different places online in which he summarizes photography during the war and he usually says something to that effect.


It's noteworthy that just because a photographer had the know-how to take studio photos doesn't mean they could venture out and become mobile. There was something of a learning curve apparently. Brady supposedly went to the first battle of Bull Run but came home empty-handed, settling for a studio photo of himself having just returned.

Gettysburg itself had a photography studio. They were out and about starting a year or two afterward on the battlefield but were totally out of action during the battle and immediately after - I wonder if it ever crossed their mind to try? Or at least to capitalize in some manner on the battle/occupation/aftermath I believe it was the Tyson Studio.

 

[Gettysburg Greg]

Could it be said that Civil War photographers presented the war to the civilian population as those in the twentieth century? Brady had a studio where the people could see the horrors of the battles, even if certain ones were staged. Just the nightly news showed the Viet Nam war on the nightly news, which some believe effected the attitude of the war as it progressed. What effect did his and other photoghers phots have upon the civilian population? Then there were actual movies and magazine phots of combat during WWII. [INTERESTING] I have not seen any battle pictures from any Confederate photoghers. Could be that the CSA did not any in the field. They did take very nice photos of soldiers in studio settings

I am not aware of any dead soldiers staged by Brady as you indicated. Could you give an example? Thanks.

 

[Gettysburg Guide #154]

In so far as the Gettysburg Battlefield is concerned, John S. Carter may be thinking of photographs by Peter S. and Hanson E Weaver of Hanover, Pennsylvania. They took some photos around the time of the National Cemetery dedication in November, 1863, in which several men posed as dead soldiers in the Devil's Den Area.

 

[Lubliner]

In so far as the Gettysburg Battlefield is concerned, John S. Carter may be thinking of photographs by Peter S. and Hanson E Weaver of Hanover, Pennsylvania. They took some photos around the time of the National Cemetery dedication in November, 1863, in which several men posed as dead soldiers in the Devil's Den Area.

This was also done near Sudley Ford, in a patch of woods. But the image at Gettysburg is found here;

 

[John S. Carter]

This was also done near Sudley Ford, in a patch of woods. But the image at Gettysburg is found here;

View attachment 462222

Thank you for that information. Brady had a studio in New York where he showed his phots. Were any of his pictures printed in newspapers?

 

[Poorlaggedman]

Brady had a studio in New York where he showed his phots. Were any of his pictures printed in newspapers?

Yes, at least when it came to Gettysburg, Brady had a bunch of his prints converted by artists into wood cuts so they could be reproduced with the technology of the time. Usually the image will have 'from a photograph' or 'photographed by Brady' in the caption. Brady's Gettysburg photos start in the August 22nd issue of Harper's Weekly, which was a weekly magazine that put a premium on illustrations [link]