Foreign travellers and English naturalists

In 1851, Frederick Scott Archer invented the wet collodion process which replaced Talbot’s calotype process. This was a step forward in photography as the collodion process was much faster. With this new process photographers were able to produce portraits of people indoors however there were some disadvantages to using the wet collodion process. For example the image had to be exposed when wet meaning the photographer had to be quick at taking the photograph after coating it. The photographer would have also had to have a darkroom with them. This made it difficult as they had a lot of equipment to carry round as well as setting up a darkroom wherever they were. However there were advantages of the wet plate process. For example, it was quite an inexpensive process because glass was used instead of silver plated copper used in the Daguerreotype method.

Further developments in photography took place in 1854 when Andre Adolphe Eugene Disdiri patented the Carte De Visite. This involved several portraits on a glass plate or contact print and were known as calling cards. The Carte De Visite was used as a way to promote yourself. This invention suggests movement as photography was now made affordable. The middle classes began to emerge and people from modest backgrounds made money from innovations. 

'Sarah Bernhardt'

Photography became more suggestive and was able to capture moments. For example this photo by Nadar of Sarah Bernhardt shows how photography had developed. By looking out of the frame and not directly at the camera, she depicts a longing and seductive look. This was the first celebrity photograph where the person becomes the object and photography starting to separate itself away from portrait painting.  

In the 1850s there was an explosion in photography. It was made more affordable and ordinary people were able to buy photographic prints. There was also a move away from the classical period to the romantic period. Photographs were used as a means to express emotions and what it is to be a human being.

'The valley of the shadow of death'

Photographs also developed in a way which was controversial. Staged or set up images began to appear which goes against previous beliefs that the photograph is seen as something truthful. The valley of the shadow of death 1855, taken by Roger Fenton is a good example of this. Taken during the Crimea war, the path has been littered with canon balls which have been deliberately placed. The deception portrays a worse situation and would bring out more emotions and shock in people viewing it.

'The Mediterranean at Sete'

Other deceptions were also developed. Photographs which had high contrast so the camera could not deal with it were edited by putting two separate negatives together. In this example by Gustav Le Gray, the sky and sea would have been exposed separately. This photograph is the first known composite where several different exposures have been used.

Photography changed from a romantic period to a humanist period. Images could be used to portray or depict something. During this era spirit photography was very popular among the victorians. One of the most famous photographers of this time was William Mumler who would photograph the dead with the family. He did this by using multiple exposure or having people stand in the background. Death was high among young children so many victorians wanted to hold onto memories and have photographs so that they could treasure what they had.

'1868-69'

Classification was still popular and the British empire was still at its height with new discoveries always being made. This photo of a malayan man by John Lamprey shows the front and profile. The photo is like a mugshot and depicts that he is somewhere between man and animal. People were measured, labelled and categorised because people saw them as sub human and not the same because they were from a different culture. However in this photograph the man still holds a stick which represents his culture so he was able to retain something of himself and his background.

In Britain severe poverty was rife and photography was used to show this. The deprivation was shocking to the middle classes and they saw the poor as a burden to society as they could not contribute because of lack of jobs and education. However charities were set up to make them of use to society and to teach them skills and educate them in religion.