| On August 19, 1839, Louis Jacques Mande | | | | Romantics believed that so much detail didn't allow |
| Daguerre's photographic process was officially | | | | viewers to fantasize. Photographs left no room |
| announced at a joint public meeting of the French | | | | for imagination. In Romantic works, on the other |
| Academies of Science and Fine Arts. Shortly after | | | | hand, boundaries between shapes were blurred. |
| that meeting, Susse Freres published a brochure, | | | | Detail was avoided. Forms were only suggested. |
| The History and Description of the Technique of | | | | Brush strokes were evident.In other words, for |
| Daguerreotypy, which went into 26 editions in five | | | | photography to be accepted as an art form, it |
| months. Would-be photographers bought or made | | | | had to stop looking like photography. So |
| equipment and began taking pictures of their | | | | photographers found ways to destroy what was |
| chimneys and counting the bricks.About the time | | | | photographic about their photography in the hope |
| they were becoming tired of brick-counting, | | | | that their altered pictures would pass for some |
| someone said, "Chimney pictures are interesting, | | | | form of art. And these are some of the things |
| but is photography really art?" Some people are | | | | they did.They found that they could manipulate a |
| still asking the question.Well, that's not exactly fair. | | | | picture either mechanically, when it was being |
| Most people made up their mind pretty quickly. A | | | | made, or chemically, when it was being developed |
| camera was, to them, a machine that was to be | | | | or printed.Mechanically they could:* change the |
| used to record information, and photographers | | | | focus during exposure (exposure times were |
| were machine operators. Early photography | | | | very long), thereby changing the depth of field* |
| shows reinforced this belief. The exhibitions were | | | | soften the picture by use of a special lens* use a |
| associated with industry and not art, and | | | | pinhole instead of a lens* suspend a weighted |
| photographs were judged on their technical, not | | | | rope from the center of the tripod and create |
| their artistic, merits. The daguerreotype | | | | vibrations by running a violin bow over the rope* |
| competition at the world's fair of 1851 was won | | | | place a flame below the lens so that heat rising |
| by M. M. Lawrence. His pictures were judged | | | | from the flame would cause visible wavesIn the |
| "remarkable for clear definition and general | | | | darkroom, the photographer could:* scrape, paint, |
| excellence of execution. ... Notwithstanding their | | | | or draw directly onto the negative* place a special |
| large size, they are, throughout, perfectly in focus, | | | | sheet of glass between the negative and printing |
| and are beautifully finished in all details."Most | | | | paper to diffuse the light* use either glossy or |
| photographers were content to see themselves | | | | rough printing paper* coat the printing paper, or |
| as technicians. But there are always a few people | | | | selected parts of the printing paper, with layers of |
| who don't get the word. To this minority, | | | | gum-based, toned emulsions, producing painterly |
| photography was definitely an art form, and they | | | | effects* use gum bichromate to rinse away |
| set out to convince the general public of this fact. | | | | details or even entire sections of a print. This |
| But how?A few pioneers reasoned that if | | | | process allowed the artist to create deep, |
| photography was to be accepted as an art form, | | | | textured shadows and a grainy moodiness. As the |
| it had to look like other accepted art forms. In | | | | outcome of the gum-bichromate treatment |
| short, it had to look like painting. And, | | | | differed with each print, the photographer could |
| unfortunately for these well-intentioned pioneers, | | | | claim that each print was unique.This attempt to |
| the prevalent type of painting - the one they had | | | | make photos look like paintings was termed |
| to imitate - was Romanticism. So photographs | | | | Pictorialism. The debate and the style continued |
| had to become emotionally intense, mystical, | | | | into the early 20th century.Edward Ginsberg is |
| melodramatic, brooding, somber, and exotic. It | | | | currently writing a book to help the beginning |
| would also help if they were theatrical.As far as | | | | photographer find true happiness as he embarks |
| technique, Romanticism was just the opposite of | | | | on the road to creativity. Ed's photos can be seen |
| photography. Photographs showed great detail. | | | | on his website, where he also offers a free |
| They allowed people to count the bricks. But | | | | tutorial. |