Figure 1.-- - These boys apparently came from Kansas. They look to be about 5-13 years old. They are probably brothers, but there may be a cousin involved. here is some text in written on the back in pencil, "This picture was taken at Great Grandma's May 17, 1927." Notice the wide white margin and straight edges..

Photography in the 19th century captured people in a studio all dressed up in their best clothes. This did not end, but with the snapshot we begin to get a much larger record of everyday family life and clothing. This greatly increased the historical value of the photographic record. Snapshots exist from the 1890s, but not very many. With the Kodak Brownie (1900) and cameras produced by competitors there was an explosion of family images. We see scenes around the hme as ell as from outings and vacations. There is very little we do not know about the American family because of all the images. Families began filling scrapbooks with the new snapshots. And even earlier, photographs apeared with post card mounts that could be mailed (1904). We also begin to see other formats like postcards. Along with this develoment, silver-nitrate began replacng abumen photographs. Most postcard-back and studio primts were silver nitrate prints. In addition silver nitrate prints replaced albumen prints. The albumen process was still used in the new century, especially for cabinet cards, but it was very rapidly replaced with the silver nitrate process which would dominate American photography until color printing became common (1970s). Snapshots were printed im many ways. Somw were done on caninet cards, but most were done as sturdy paper. A popular early innovation was printing them on 3 X 5 in postcard back paper so they could be mailed to family and friends. The paper prints other than post cards were done in many different sizes with varying edging and white margins. Some prints had decorated margins. These seem popular in the 1930s. The differences can be used to date the images because most are not dated. Silver nitrate black and white images dominated family snapshots until the 1970s when color photograph began to replace black and white prints (1970s).

Importance

Photography in the 19th century was largely confined to the studio. Early photographic processes captured people in a studio all dressed up in their best clothes. This did not end, but with the snapshot we begin to get a much larger record of everyday family life and clothing. This greatly increased the historical value of the photographic record. The slow speed of the emulsions and complicated developing processes significantly estricted photographers. Even in the 1860s, Mathew Brady and Alexander had to have a large horse-drawn wagon to capture the famous Civil War images. Nit many people could afford such an effprt. The Kodak Brownioin and other smilar proocesses, unleashed the potential pf photgraphy and it burst into the 20th cntury. Suddenly we have not only thousands of images of mostly studio prints, but millions of images and not just people dressed up for their portrait, but people living their lives in every corner of the globe. Each one essentially a historical document.

Chronology

Snapshots exist from the 1890s, but not very many. With the Kodak Brownie (1900) and cameras produced by competitors there was an explosion of family images. We see scenes around the hme as ell as from outings and vacations. There is very little we do not know about the American family because of all the images. Families began filling scrapbooks with the new snapshots. And even earlier, photographs apeared with post card mounts that could be mailed (1904). We also begin to see other formats like postcards. Along with this develoment, silver-nitrate began replacng abumen photographs. Most postcard-back and studio primts were silver nitrate prints. In addition silver nitrate prints replaced albumen prints. The albumen process was still used in the new century, especially for cabinet cards, but it was very rapidly replaced with the silver nitrate process. Silver nitrate would dominate American photography until color printing became common. We see mostly rectangular prints. Some had white margins like the 1920s snaopshit here (figure 1). We also see square snapshots begunning in the 1950s. They were popular in America in opart because of cameras marketed by Kodak. Silver nitrate black and white images dominated family snapshots until the 1970s when color photograph bgan to replace blak and white prints (1970s).

Formats

Snapshots were printed im many ways. Some were done on cabinet cards. Photographers would bring their film to studios for developoing and chose images to be printed as cabinet cards. Most were done as sturdy paper prints. At first amateur photographers sent their cameras back to Kodak or other comapnies. Kodak would develop and print the film, reload the camera and send it all back to you. Gradually Kodak sold the film, often in drug stores and you had it developed by the drug store. A popular early innovation was printing them on 3 X 5 in postcard back paper so they could be mailed to family and friends. The paper prints other than post cards were done in many different sizes with varying edging and white margins. The white border margins were the result of devices to hold the paper flat during exposuyre. Thus the border edge area was unexposed. marSome prints had decorated margins. These seem popular in the 1930s. The various format differences can be used to help date the snapshots. It becanme popular in the 1950s for the processor to print the date in the white margin. Eventually prints by thev 1970s began to be done done without the wide border margins. This was mostly when color photography became common.

Black and White/Color Prints

Almost all family snapshots werebalack and whure sikverbntrate prinrs until the 1970s. Color photographic systems were develooed during the late-19th century. But they were complicated ans expensive, not something that the nanateiyr photigrapher could emoloy. After the turn of the 20th century, the majott photographic compamies began working on color phitograophy and considerable progress was made, although color film and processing was expendove and the dyes prone to fadeing (1930s). World War II postponed the marketing of color film. And it virtually put one of the leading photographic companies out of business. The German Agfa corportation, was like nuch of Geramny virtually obliterated. After the War, color ptint film was readily available, but too expesive for most families. Many avid photigraohrstook transparencies (colorslides), nut producung orints frin slides was expnsive. Companies sreadily improved quality and the stability of the dyes. The major change came (1970s). when cilor film became more reasonably priced. Soon bkack and white photigraoht disappeared, at least for the amateir photography.

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Created: 7:16 AM 10/28/2017
Last updated: 4:14 AM 6/7/2019