Figure 1.--Daguerreotypes were invented in 1839 and have left us many wonderful umages, mostly from the 1840s and 50s. It is difficult to differentiate the two decades. The slow emulsion speeds meant that most portraits were taken with the sujected seated. There was orobably a head rest on the chair, but can not be seen.

Early photoigraphs using the Daguerreotype process are almost always posed sitting down (1840s-50s). This was necessaey to keep the subject still enough for a sharply focused image. The Daguerreotype process could produce brilliant images, but the subject had to remazin still. The need to hold the subject steady was also true for ambrotypes (1850s) and early tintypes. This was necessary because the slow emulsion speeds required that the subject remain very still. We first see large numbers of full-length portraits in when the albumen process was perfected and came into commercial use (1860s). The faster speeds permitted a greater range of poses. Even so, stands were almost always used behind the subjects (1860s-70s). CDVs and cabinet cards. This became less common in the 1880s as film speeds increased, but we still occassionaly see the stands even in the 1890s. An example is an American boy in 1891. A German reader has seen stands being used even after the turn of the 20th century. The development of silver gelatin emulsions at the turn-of-the 20th century finally increased emulsion speeds to a point that short exposures were possible. Stands were no longer needed and wider range of expressions could be captured by the photographer.

The 1840s

Early photographs using the Daguerreotype process are almost always posed sitting down (1840s-50s). This was rge first decade in hich photography was availble comercially. Thus there were no existing predents or conventions conv=cerning poseing. This was necessaey to keep the subject still enough for a sharply focused image. The Daguerreotype process could produce brilliant images, but the subject had to remain still. This was necessary because the slow emulsion speeds required that the subject remain very still. Thus most portraits were taken of seated subjects. While not easy to spot, seated subjects often had head supports attached to their chairs. We see some subjects standing, but they were not nearly as common as steated subjects.

Figure 2.--Several new photographic process appeared in the 1850s. One of these was the Ambrotype. Like dags, however, the emulsions required long exposures. Thus most ambro portaits are also seated.

The 1850s

The need to hold the subject steady continued to be a limitation in the 1850s. Daguerreotypes were still being made. Ambrotypes and tintypes appearing in the 1850s. They had some advntages ober dags, primarily as they were less expensive. The metal plate and need to polish it made the dag relatively expenive. These new processes brought down the cost of having a photographic portait taken. This thus made photography more accessin;e to the average prson. They did not, hoever, solve the problem of slow emulsions. This problem remained. Some improvements were made in emulsion speeds during the 1850s, but the basic problem persisted. Thus most portrait taken in the 1850s continued to have the subjects seated in chairs, normally with head rests.

Figure 3.--Negative based albumen prinys becane widely available in the 1860s. We see a lot of portraits of standing subjects. This was posible because of faster emulsion speeds. Even so support stands were needed. This boy was from Middleton, New York. As there was a Federal revenue stamp, we know ithis CDV was taken 1864-66. Notice how the boys hands are posed to steady them.

The 1860s

The negative process and albumen paper was developed through a series of discoveries in the 1840s abd 50s. Refining these developments into a commercial process took some time, but was accomplished by the very late 1850s. We first see large numbers of full-length portraits in when the albumen process was perfected and came into commercial use (1860s). We are not entirely sure why so many portraits were taken of subjects standing erect without supporting porops like tables. Portraits from the 1860s were quite destinctive. Often the portrait had the subject or subjects standing without any props and only a plain background as if alone on a stage, The change in posing is quite dramatic. The faster speeds permitted a greater range of poses. Even so, stands were almost always used behind the subjects in both CDVs and cabinet cards (1860s-70s).

The 1870s

We continue seeing stands being used in the 1870s. Posing beca,e a bit more relaxed, but with standing subjects, we almost always see support stands

The 1880s

TSupport synds became less common in the 1880s as emulsion speeds increased, A factor here is also shifting approaches to posing. Posing bcomes much more imginative as do the fore grounf=ds and bckgrounfs. We see settings like fnces and stone walls. These can often bee used as support devives. We see many portraits without support stanfs. We see far fewer portraits of subjects standing alone ram rod straight. We see more seated and group portraits. This helped create situations in which individuals could steady themselves without support staffs.

The 1890s

We still occassionaly see the stands, however, even in the 1890s. An example is an American boy in 1891. While we do not note many support stands in American portraits during the 1890s, the furniture was commonly equipped with head rests that were mde as to not appear in the actual portrait. A good example is a chair little Walter Owen is standing on in 1895.

The 1900s

Albumen printing continued into the 1900s. A German reader has seen stands being used even after the turn of the 20th century. Albumen printing was, however, being rapidly replaced. The development of silver gelatin emulsions at the turn-of-the 20th century finally increased emulsion speeds to a point that short exposures were possible. Stands were no longer needed and wider range of expressions could be captured by the photographer.

Created: 9:32 PM 1/20/2008
Last updated: 9:32 PM 1/20/2008