Memorial Day ... a war like no other before

[michaelmaltby]

 

[mikewint]

Iffn your going to honor the War of Northern Aggression then:

 

[buffnut453]

And THAT's how the fight started...

 

[michaelmaltby]

would have been nicer cut to photos of Southern soldiers .... marching bare foot ... eating green corn .... but tough as hickory

 

[mikewint]

Civil War photographers had a tough time of it. All of their equipment, chemicals, camera, and a darkroom had to be brought to the battlefield usually in a wagon. The "film" was known as "wet plate", i.e. a piece of plate glass onto which light sensitive chemicals were 'painted'. The act of taking a photo was a very detailed process. First the photographer positioned and focused the camera. Then he mixed the chemicals. The chemicals were then applied to a piece of plate glass to sensitize it to light. The plate was then brought into a dark room where it was immersed in silver nitrate.
The plate was then placed into a light-tight container and inserted into the camera. The photographer then removed the cap on the camera for 5 to 20 seconds to expose the wet piece of glass to light which would imprint the image onto the plate. The cap was replaced and the plate glass, still in its light-tight container, was taken to the darkroom where the image was developed.
Obviously there were NOT going to be any action shots. Photos had to be staged beforehand and no one could move during the process which is why photographs of the era look so staged and the people in them so stiff and rigid.
Photographers of the era were also not above having scenes staged for dramatic effect. Bodies moved and arranged. guns placed just so. All for effect

 

[michaelmaltby]

for photographers ... their bread and butter was camp shots ... sent home to the folks ... the camera-entrepreneur had only to set up a tent ... and trade came to him. This was a Civil War Union camp feature ..... like hookers.

 

[ODonovan]

Iffn your going to honor the War of Northern Aggression then:

I must take exception to my collegue's choice of entertainment. As a long-time resident of Florida and a member of the occupation force, may I suggest more appropriate entertainment.





Thank you for your kind consideration of this matter.



-Irish

 

[mikewint]

a member of the occupation force,

Exactly, a foreign devil