Photography

The millions of photographs in the Museum's collections compose a vast mosaic of the nation's history. Photographs accompany most artifact collections. Thousands of images document engineering projects, for example, and more record the steel, petroleum, and railroad industries.

Some 150,000 images capture the history, art, and science of photography. Nineteenth-century photography, from its initial development by W. H. F. Talbot and Louis Daguerre, is especially well represented and includes cased images, paper photographs, and apparatus. Glass stereographs and news-service negatives by the Underwood & Underwood firm document life in America between the 1890s and the 1930s. The history of amateur photography and photojournalism are preserved here, along with the work of 20th-century masters such as Richard Avedon and Edward Weston. Thousands of cameras and other equipment represent the technical and business side of the field.

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1938
maker
Lange, Dorothea
ID Number
PG.71.64.07
accession number
2003.0160
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
after 1907
ID Number
1986.3048.0962
nonaccession number
1986.3048
catalog number
1986.3048.0962
Stereo view by H.A. Doerr in San Antonio, Texas of a large group of men sitting on benches at long tables and eating in front of four buildings in a town, including wine and beer sales. Handwritten in ink on verso, "Mex. Breakfast." Printed or stamped on verso," H. A.
Description (Brief)
Stereo view by H.A. Doerr in San Antonio, Texas of a large group of men sitting on benches at long tables and eating in front of four buildings in a town, including wine and beer sales. Handwritten in ink on verso, "Mex. Breakfast." Printed or stamped on verso," H. A. Doerr, / Photographer / San Antonio, Tex." and NIC. TENGG, / Books / Stationery / & Newspapers. / San Antonio, Texas."
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Doerr, Henry A.
ID Number
2012.3033.0015
nonaccession number
2012.3033
catalog number
2012.3033.0015
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
late 1800s
ID Number
2012.3033.0082
nonaccession number
2012.3033
catalog number
2012.3033.0082
Stereo view by San Antonio View Company of the front yard and face of a two story estate with balconies supported by columns on both floors. Three chimneys are visible on the roof.
Description (Brief)
Stereo view by San Antonio View Company of the front yard and face of a two story estate with balconies supported by columns on both floors. Three chimneys are visible on the roof. Stamped on verso: "Setereoscopic Views, / of San Antonio, Texas / by the / San Antonio View Company / F. Hardesty Photographer" Below that there is a chart that lists a variety of other locations that stereoscopes had been made by this company. Below the chart, stamped it reads: "All from Original Negatives and Guaranteed the Finest / ever Made in the South. Also A Large Variety of Miscellaneous Views / of San Antonio, and Vicinity." Below that reads, "Parties wishing Special Views made anywhere will please address:- / F. Hardesty / 32 North Flores Street. (near Military Plaza,) / San Antonio, Texas." Handwritten in pencil on verso in the top left: "OL / T-MM"
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Hardesty, Frank
ID Number
2012.3033.0027
catalog number
2012.3033.0027
nonaccession number
2012.3033
When Carl Mydans first started working for LIFE magazine, he was asked to go to Texas and document everything from the state's last great cattle drive to its tough oil towns.
Description
When Carl Mydans first started working for LIFE magazine, he was asked to go to Texas and document everything from the state's last great cattle drive to its tough oil towns. Some of his images of the oil boom town of Freer were later published in the magazine (Jan 17, 1938).
The town of Freer received its name in 1925, when the government granted permission for a post office to be built there. The first settlers had arrived a decade earlier, after a Houston real-estate promoter named C. W. Hahl advertised his land for sale in newspapers throughout the Southwest. At first, only six families established themselves there. But by the mid-thirties, the population of Freer had reached about five to eight thousand inhabitants.
The first oil boom occurred in 1928, but the Great Depression and the discovery of oil in East Texas in 1930 put an end to it. During the spring of 1932, a second, even bigger, boom occured. By 1933 Freer had become the second-largest oilfield in the United States and had attracted a flood of settlers from Oklahoma, Kansas, and other midwestern states. Despite a monthly payroll estimated at $500,000, Freer's main streets were not paved until 1938. It was common for the town to be covered in dust during months of drought, when it rained it was impossible for trucks carrying bread and milk from Alice and San Diego to travel through the mud and reach the town. During this period, the town also lacked potable water, a sewage system, and a bank.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1937
photographer
Mydans, Carl
ID Number
2005.0228.030
accession number
2005.0228
catalog number
2005.0228.030
Inkjet Print by Charles Rushton of Manuel Carrillo, 1982, El Paso, Texas.Black and White portrait of elderly man with glasses sitting on an outdoor bench made of wood with white wrought iron leg and arm supports.
Description (Brief)
Inkjet Print by Charles Rushton of Manuel Carrillo, 1982, El Paso, Texas.
Black and White portrait of elderly man with glasses sitting on an outdoor bench made of wood with white wrought iron leg and arm supports. The man is sitting with his left leg crossed over his right leg wearing a white button up short sleeved shirt, grey slacks, black socks and black shoes. His left arm has a watch and is resting on the arm of the bench. His right arm is propped up on the back of the bench. The background is a plain wall with a large alcove holding a leafy potted plant. The alcove is positioned a little above the bench and to the left in the image. The shelf in the alcove has a wave pattern on the side. The ground is made of medium sized square stone tiles repeating.
Description
Charles Rushton is an American photographer that made portraits of New Mexico photographers between the years of 1980 and 1994. This particular collection consists of 38 prints: twenty-nine- 8"x10" gelatin silver prints and nine- 8½"x11" inkjet prints acquired from the photographer. The collection includes photographers Tom Barrows, Van Deren Coke, Betty Hahn, David Michael Kennedy, Patrick Nagatani, Beaumont Newhall and Joel-Peter Witkin. The earliest print in this collection is of Manuel Carrillo in 1982, and the last piece added to the collection is of Holly Roberts in 1994.
Rushton chose this particular project after attending a Zone VI workshop offered by Fred Picker in Vermont in 1980. While at the workshop Rushton was given specific advice to pick a topic and stick to it instead of switching random topics every day. This was when Rushton had the idea to photograph artists and photographers upon returning home to New Mexico. With the help of photographer friend, Bob Hooten, Rushton was able to obtain the names of photographers that suited the parameters of his project. After a few years, the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History purchased several of Rushton's prints for their collection of portraits of New Mexico Artists and expressed interest in seeing his future work. With the permission of the museum, Rushton used the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History name to help him gain influence and access to more famous photographers such as Beaumont Newhall.
Rushton studied photography under Fred Picker, Oliver Gagliani (depicted in the collection) and Arnold Newman (depicted in the collection). Rushton holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lawrence University, a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from St. Thomas University, a Master of Arts in Library Science degree from the University of Minnesota and a Master of Fine Arts in Photography degree from the University of Oklahoma. Rushton is currently a professor of digital photography at Oklahoma City Community College and Moore-Norman Technology Center.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1982
print made
2008
maker
Rushton, Charles R.
ID Number
2008.0178.05
catalog number
2008.0178.05
accession number
2008.0178
Early in 1937, Mydans traveled to Texas to compile his first photo essay for LIFE magazine, covering everything from the state's last great cattle drive to its tough oil towns. This image, however, would not be published until 1939.
Description
Early in 1937, Mydans traveled to Texas to compile his first photo essay for LIFE magazine, covering everything from the state's last great cattle drive to its tough oil towns. This image, however, would not be published until 1939. According to the magazine caption, this short-horned steer is being cut from the herd by two young cow ponies in an effort to develop their hooves and expert footing (Feb. 13, 1939).
Mydans later recalled his frightened reaction after developing the picture; he said a photographer often concentrates so intently on what he is seeing that he is not aware of danger.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1937
photographer
Mydans, Carl
ID Number
2005.0228.025
accession number
2005.0228
catalog number
2005.0228.025
While traveling through Texas capturing images for his photo essay, Mydans focused not only on the free and prosperous cowboys on the range, but also on the displaced population that was still struggling to find a job amidst a national economic crisis.
Description
While traveling through Texas capturing images for his photo essay, Mydans focused not only on the free and prosperous cowboys on the range, but also on the displaced population that was still struggling to find a job amidst a national economic crisis. In the 1930s, a combination of droughts, the Depression, and the increased mechanization of farming prompted a migration of small farmers and laborers from Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas to the western United States.
This girl's family probably traveled on its own, following the crops from one place to another, in order to make a living.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1937
photographer
Mydans, Carl
ID Number
2005.0228.036
accession number
2005.0228
catalog number
2005.0228.036
When Carl Mydans first started working for LIFE magazine, he was asked to go to Texas and document everything from its last great cattle drive to its tough oil towns. Part of Mydans' Texas photo essay was featured in LIFE (Jan 17, 1938).
Description
When Carl Mydans first started working for LIFE magazine, he was asked to go to Texas and document everything from its last great cattle drive to its tough oil towns. Part of Mydans' Texas photo essay was featured in LIFE (Jan 17, 1938). The caption there reads: A big felt hat, a cigar, a gold watch chain and cowboy boots identify Carl Pugh as Freer's chief of police.
Freer's notoriety came from its being an oil boom town. Early in the 1900s, a small number of families purchased the land and watched it blossom into a community. However, when oil was struck, a flood of settlers overcrowded the area. Although the second oil boom (1932) brought a new age of prosperity to the town, it also attracted a colorful crowd of outcasts. Prior to Mydans' visit, the town constable would chain those who broke the law to telephone poles or to horse hitching posts overnight because Freer did not have a jail. By the time Mydans set foot in it, the town had a small police station along with a chief of police.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1937-03
1937
photographer
Mydans, Carl
ID Number
2005.0228.029
accession number
2005.0228
catalog number
2005.0228.029
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1947
maker
Feininger, Andreas
ID Number
1990.0160.085
catalog number
1990.0160.085
accession number
1990.0160
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
late 1800s
ID Number
2012.3033.0080
nonaccession number
2012.3033
catalog number
2012.3033.0080
Stereo view by F. Hardesty of a plaza that has a clock tower that is much taller than anything else in the frame. There is a road that leads to the tower and then forks off into two seperate directions.
Description (Brief)
Stereo view by F. Hardesty of a plaza that has a clock tower that is much taller than anything else in the frame. There is a road that leads to the tower and then forks off into two seperate directions. In the background there is a one story building that runs the length of the frame. The clock at the top of the tower reads approximately 4:47. Stamped on verso: "Setereoscopic Views, / of / San Antonio, Texas / F. Hardesty Photographer" Below that there is a chart that lists a variety of other locations that stereoscopes had been made by this company. Below the chart, stamped it reads: "All from Original Negatives and Guaranteed the Finest / ever Made in the South. Also A Large Variety of Miscellaneous Views / of San Antonio, and Vicinity." Below that reads, "Parties wishing Special Views made anywhere will please address:- / F. Hardesty / 32 North Flores Street. (near Military Plaza,) / San Antonio, Texas." Handwritten in pencil on verso in the top left: "OL / T-MM"
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Hardesty, Frank
ID Number
2012.3033.0029
catalog number
2012.3033.0029
nonaccession number
2012.3033
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
late 1800s
ID Number
2012.3033.0081
nonaccession number
2012.3033
catalog number
2012.3033.0081
In 1938 photographer Carl Mydans set off on his travels around the United States once more, making stops in Alabama, Maryland, Virginia, and Texas.
Description
In 1938 photographer Carl Mydans set off on his travels around the United States once more, making stops in Alabama, Maryland, Virginia, and Texas. He captured images of farmers and cowboys, as well as passersby on sidewalks and women in department stores shopping for the latest fashions. This time, he was on assignment for LIFE magazine, instead of the Resettlement Administration.
In this photograph, Mydans accentuates the sharp contrast between the rural and urban lifestyles during the late 1930s in Dallas, Texas. In the background, high-rise buildings, billboard advertisements, and factories remind the viewer of progressive industrialization and how mechanized labor was replacing manual labor. Workers and farmers, such as Lucius Washington, faced hard times during this decade.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1939
photographer
Mydans, Carl
ID Number
2005.0228.047
accession number
2005.0228
catalog number
2005.0228.047
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1953
maker
Feininger, Andreas
ID Number
1990.0160.041
accession number
1990.0160
catalog number
1990.0160.041
While traveling through Texas capturing images for his photo essay, Mydans focused not only on the prosperous cowboys on the range, but also on the displaced population that was still struggling to find jobs amidst a national economic crisis.Migrant workers like this man, whom My
Description
While traveling through Texas capturing images for his photo essay, Mydans focused not only on the prosperous cowboys on the range, but also on the displaced population that was still struggling to find jobs amidst a national economic crisis.
Migrant workers like this man, whom Mydans found living with his family by the side of the road near Raymondville, Texas, were called "brush-hogs." It was estimated that this type of permanent migrant worker, without a home, voting privileges, or union representation, numbered more than 3 million during the 1930s. These laborers traveled from place to place, harvesting crops that needed to be picked as soon as they ripened, hoping to earn enough money to get by.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1937
photographer
Mydans, Carl
ID Number
2005.0228.038
accession number
2005.0228
catalog number
2005.0228.038
When Carl Mydans first started working for LIFE magazine, he was asked to go to Texas and document everything from its last great cattle drive to its tough oil towns.
Description
When Carl Mydans first started working for LIFE magazine, he was asked to go to Texas and document everything from its last great cattle drive to its tough oil towns. He stopped in the town of Terlingua, a community that had sprung up around some quicksilver mines and the water sources nearby. In the early 1900s, mine workers, and those that supported the mines by farming or by cutting timber for use in the mines and smelters, began to settle in the area. Once the mercury boom ceased, the population slowly dispersed and Terlingua essentially became a ghost town.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1937
photographer
Mydans, Carl
ID Number
2005.0228.026
accession number
2005.0228
catalog number
2005.0228.026
mounted stereograph by F. Hardesty of San Antonio, Texas; ruins of an ornately carved stone facadeCurrently not on view
Description (Brief)
mounted stereograph by F. Hardesty of San Antonio, Texas; ruins of an ornately carved stone facade
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1850s-1860s
maker
Hardesty, Frank
ID Number
2012.3033.0038
nonaccession number
2012.3033
catalog number
2012.3033.0038
Stereo view by San Antonio View Company of an elevated view looking down upon a courtyard with several trees that are surrounded by two prominenant buildings in the middle ground. In the background there is a cluster of buildings in a flat desert landscape.
Description (Brief)
Stereo view by San Antonio View Company of an elevated view looking down upon a courtyard with several trees that are surrounded by two prominenant buildings in the middle ground. In the background there is a cluster of buildings in a flat desert landscape. In the middle of the frame there is a horse or mule attached to a carriage. Handwritten in pencil on verso: "Government Depot" Stamped on verso: "Setereoscopic Views, / of San Antonio, Texas / by the / San Antonio View Company / F. Hardesty Manager" Below that there is a chart that lists a variety of other locations that stereoscopes had been made by this company. Below the chart, stamped it reads: "All from Original Negatives and Guaranteed the Finest Ever / Made in the South. Sent by Mail for $1.50 Per Dozen, Also A Large Variety of Miscellaneous Views of San Antonio / and vicinity" Below that reads, "Parties wishing Special Views made anywhere, will please address / San Antonio View Company / Veramendi Street, San Antonio, Texas."
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Hardesty, Frank
ID Number
2012.3033.0025
catalog number
2012.3033.0025
nonaccession number
2012.3033
mounted stereograph by F. Hardesty of San Antonio, Texas; empty unpaved street with buildings lining both sidesCurrently not on view
Description (Brief)
mounted stereograph by F. Hardesty of San Antonio, Texas; empty unpaved street with buildings lining both sides
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1850s-1860s
maker
Hardesty, Frank
ID Number
2012.3033.0035
nonaccession number
2012.3033
catalog number
2012.3033.0035
mounted stereograph by F. Hardesty of San Antonio, Texas; front facade of Alamo; two men standing out front at left of photographCurrently not on view
Description (Brief)
mounted stereograph by F. Hardesty of San Antonio, Texas; front facade of Alamo; two men standing out front at left of photograph
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1850s-1860s
maker
Hardesty, Frank
ID Number
2012.3033.0037
nonaccession number
2012.3033
catalog number
2012.3033.0037
During one of his first assignments for LIFE magazine, Mydans was asked to capture images of life in Texas. His main focus was the oil boom town of Freer (Jan 17 1938).The town received its name in 1925, when the government granted permission to have a post office built.
Description
During one of his first assignments for LIFE magazine, Mydans was asked to capture images of life in Texas. His main focus was the oil boom town of Freer (Jan 17 1938).
The town received its name in 1925, when the government granted permission to have a post office built. Six families had established homesteads there only a decade earlier. By the mid-thirties, the population of Freer was estimated to be somewhere between five and eight thousand.
The first oil boom occurred in 1928, but the Great Depression and the discovery of oil in East Texas in 1930 put an end to it. During the spring of 1932, a second, even bigger, boom occurred. By 1933, Freer had become the second-largest oilfield in the United States and had attracted a flood of settlers from Oklahoma, Kansas, and other midwestern states. According to LIFE, most of the settlers were parasites, people who brought trouble, with them rather than productivity. This child, however, presents a contrast to this idea.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1937
photographer
Mydans, Carl
ID Number
2005.0228.035
accession number
2005.0228
catalog number
2005.0228.035
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1850s-1860s
ID Number
2012.3033.0078
nonaccession number
2012.3033
catalog number
2012.3033.0078

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