Top of page

Archive: 2016 (53 Posts)

Smiling woman dressed in outdoor winter clothes holds a large, old-style camera

Absorbing Details in the Classroom: Photographs of Schoolroom Interiors

Posted by: Barbara Orbach Natanson

The semester is well underway in many U.S. schools and, by now, one would expect their classrooms to have acquired what my family referred to as the “lived-in look.” One of my favorite photo detail explorations is to peer closely at classrooms—particularly what appears at students’ seats, on the chalkboards and adorning the walls—and to …

Smiling woman dressed in outdoor winter clothes holds a large, old-style camera

Reaching Out with Prints and Photographs

Posted by: Julie Stoner

We always enjoy opportunities to share samples of our holdings and resources at public events and had two chances to do so in the last couple of weeks. October is designated as American Archives Month, which provides a chance for cultural institutions to reach out to local communities and share the valuable resources available in …

Smiling woman dressed in outdoor winter clothes holds a large, old-style camera

October Light

Posted by: Jeff Bridgers

But I am glad for the luck of light. Surely it is godly, that it makes all things begin, and appear, and become actual to each other. — from “October” by May Swenson There is a distinct quality to October sunlight. A softer radiance than the harshness in summertime, scenes glow with an amber or …

Smiling woman dressed in outdoor winter clothes holds a large, old-style camera

Double Take: Fairy Tale Tower?

Posted by: Kristi Finefield

While browsing through our millions of images in the Prints and Photographs Division, I often do a double take. I stop, look again, and start asking questions. In this new occasional blog series, Double Take, we will take a first and then a second look at those images together. Some images that we’ll feature will …

Smiling woman dressed in outdoor winter clothes holds a large, old-style camera

Picturing a Love of Reading

Posted by: Kristi Finefield

The love of reading crosses all boundaries, appealing to people of all ages, races, genders, and walks of life. For hundreds of years, readers have opened books to learn about history or science or to discover new, imaginary worlds. Books have furnished inspiration, excitement, and relaxation. The possibilities are limitless. Within our collections, I found …

Smiling woman dressed in outdoor winter clothes holds a large, old-style camera

Alumni Memories

Posted by: Lara Szypszak

College students have been back on campus for a few weeks now, and homecoming season is fast approaching. Although my college years are not yet too far behind me, I fondly reminisce about the days spent in those hallowed halls of learning. These classroom images below remind me of early morning lectures and exploratory laboratory …

Smiling woman dressed in outdoor winter clothes holds a large, old-style camera

The World Trade Centers in an Evolving Skyline

Posted by: Barbara Orbach Natanson

The following is a guest post by photographer Camilo José Vergara and Helena Zinkham, Chief, Prints & Photographs Division. Skyscrapers at the World Trade Center site have dominated the New York City skyline since the 1970s. Except for the gaping hole left by the September 11th terrorist attack in 2001, which destroyed the twin towers, …