Presentations

On Friday, a fascinating slate of expert talks took up much of the morning and afternoon. Attendees gained a deeper knowledge and appreciation of early photographic pioneer and photographic history through the series of expert talks and interactive Q&A on Friday. Below is a summary of the speakers and their topics:

Liz Siegel, Curator of Photography at the Art Institute, spoke about the prolific but little-known Art Institute curator Hugh Edwards. She shed new light on the ways in which 19th-century photography entered museums years ago, including an untold story on how the Art Institute’s collection evolved over time.

Former Nelson-Atkins Museum Photo Curator and scholar Keith Davis focused on the work of George N. Barnard, whose photographic career began in the Daguerreian era and continued through the Civil War and beyond. His presentation surveyed the full scope of Barnard’s career to shed light on Barnard’s creative/expressive ideas and his personal character.

Martin Last shared the remarkable story of his once-in-a-lifetime flea market find in Zurich that unearthed a rare and historic set of four daguerreotypes of the city, all showing structures designed by Swiss architect G. A. Wegmann. He discussed his research on these photographs. Conservator Sandra Petrillo explained the complexities of conserving the plates.

Historian and photographer David R. Hanlon spoke about two obscure but nonetheless seminal early American photographers, Leavitt Hunt and Nathan Flint Baker. Although neither was a professional, Hunt and Baker were early photographic pioneers. Hanlon examined the historical and cultural significance of the work of these two formative photographers.

David Holcomb took us decade by decade through the depiction of athletes and the sporting life in 19th-century photography, sharing a remarkable set of images. He discussed how the consistent innovation in chemistry and materials allowed for an increasingly detailed capture of the subject, from the static portraits to the ultimate goal of freezing motion.

Grant Romer, photographic historian, scholar, daguerreotypist, conservator, and a founding member of the Society, spoke on Daguerre’s early explorations in photography before his partnership with Niépce. Various historians have belittled Daguerre’s achievements before joining with Niépce, stating that he brought virtually nothing to it besides what he claimed to be an improved Camera Obscura. Romer convincingly sought to set the record straight.

Liliana Shortridge, a high school student from Minnesota, described how she got into collecting and shared some of her images in a member showcase.

Photo Fair