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Category: Photographs

Material Matters | Considering the Tintype

Posted by: Kate Fogle

In this age of born-digital photography, the tintype is a curiosity for many. A photograph on metal may seem lightyears away from the bits and bytes that make up a contemporary digital image. But in its time, the tintype—a version of the wet collodion process—allowed photographs to be produced efficiently and in a matter of …

The West and Midwest: Newly Added Photos from Carol M. Highsmith

Posted by: Kristi Finefield

Contemporary photographer Carol M. Highsmith’s decades-long project to document the entire United States sent her touring the Midwest and West during the last few years. Some of the states Highsmith photographed are: Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, Nebraska, and both North and South Dakota. Thousands of those photos are now available in the Prints & Photographs …

The First Three

Posted by: Jan Grenci

My latest Flickr album – Sweet 16 – A Golden Birthday for Flickr Commons – celebrated the 16th birthday of the Flickr Commons. When I was looking for images for the Flickr album, the photo below showed up in my search results, as the caption tells us that the bus made sixteen round trips daily: …

New Year Greetings from Photographer Frances Benjamin Johnston

Posted by: Kristi Finefield

“Greetings and Hearty Good Wishes for the New Year from Frances Benjamin Johnston” reads this combination business card, greeting card, and 1904 calendar from photographer Frances Benjamin Johnston. In 1904, Johnston was thirty years old, had a home photo studio in Washington, D.C., at 1332 V Street, and was already well-established in the capital city. …

On The Ice

Posted by: Jan Grenci

I’d like to share an image that I didn’t use for my latest Flickr album – On the Ice. The photo is from the Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information Collection (FSA/OWI) and was retrieved when I searched in the Prints and Photographs Online Catalog (PPOC) using the search term “skating”: At first glance, it …

Taking to the Skies

Posted by: Kristi Finefield

The holiday travel season is fast approaching, and some of us look toward our upcoming air travel with a sense of dread – or even resignation – as we prepare for cramped conditions, long lines, delays, cancellations and more unforeseen challenges. Photos of transcontinental travel I came across in the Farm Security Administration/Office of War …

Another Miracle on 34th Street

Posted by: Jan Grenci

My latest Flickr album features a building that was once the tallest in the world, the Empire State Building. I particularly enjoy this photo, taken in 1933 by Theodor Horydczak. It shows the skyscraper on July 4th, from Fifth Avenue and East 41st Street: Ever wonder what was at the site of the Empire State …

Two hikers climb down a steepslope in alpine landscape, with snow visible on distant peaks and valleys.

Take a Hike!

Posted by: Melissa Lindberg

For some, recreation is as much a part of holiday tradition as comfort food and relaxation. Explore images related to hiking in this blog post.