Photography - Overview
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.
"Photography - Overview" showing 946 items.
Page 1 of 95
[Young man inspecting color prints in drying rack in darkroom : color photonegative, ca. 1955-60.]
- Summary
- No ink on negative. Man looking at photographic prints in the Scurlock Studios. "Kodak Safety Film" edge imprint. No Scurlock number
- Cite as
- Scurlock Studio Records, ca. 1905-1994, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
- Date
- 1955
- 1960
- ca 1955-60
- Ca. 1955-60
- 20th century
- 1950-1960
- photographers
- Scurlock Studio (Washington, D.C.)
- Local number
- AC0618.005.0000020.tif (AC Scan)
- Box 618.05.1
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
[Young man in darkroom with processing trays in darkroom : color photonegative.]
- Summary
- No ink on negative, no Scurlock number. Young man wearing rubber gloves, standing next to processing trays at Scurlock Studios. "Kodak Safety Film" edge imprint
- Cite as
- Scurlock Studio Records, ca. 1905-1994, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
- Date
- 1955
- 1960
- 1955-60
- 20th century
- 1950-1960
- photographers
- Scurlock Studio (Washington, D.C.)
- Local number
- AC0618.005.0000021.tif (AC Scan No.)
- Box 618.05.1
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
[Exterior of Capitol School of Photography : color transparency.]
- Summary
- No ink on negative. No edge imprint. No Scurlock number
- Cite as
- Scurlock Studio Records, ca. 1905-1994, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
- Date
- 1948
- 1952
- 20th century
- photographers
- Scurlock Studio (Washington, D.C.)
- Subject
- Capitol School of Photography
- Local number
- AC0618.005.0000045.tif (AC Scan No.)
- Box 618.05.2
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
[Unidentified photographic studio, but probably the Scurlock Studio : cellulose acetate photonegative]
- Summary
- With bust, lights, bench and backdrop. Pencil on negative: "3 -". "KODAK - SAFETY 456" edge imprint
- Cite as
- Scurlock Studio Records, ca. 1905-1994, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
- Date
- 1930
- 1960
- [n.d.]
- 20th century
- photographers
- Scurlock Studio (Washington, D.C.)
- film manufacturer
- Eastman Kodak Co
- Local number
- Box 618.04.94
- AC0618.004.0000968.tif (scan number)
- No Scurlock number
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
Auto-Graflex Camera in Underwater Housing
- Description
- This underwater camera housing holds an Auto-Graflex 4x5” camera body. It was first used by W.H. Longley of Goucher College in 1918. Longley later teamed with Charles Martin of the National Geographic Society to take the first underwater color autochrome photographs with this outfit. The team exploded a pound of flash powder, floated on three pontoons, and used a reflector to take pictures off Dry Tortugas, Florida. A selection of the photographs and the story were published in National Geographic Magazine in January 1927.
- From its invention in 1839, the camera has evolved to fit many needs, from aerial to underwater photography and everything in between. Cameras allow both amateur and professional photographers to capture the world around us. The Smithsonian’s historic camera collection includes rare and unique examples of equipment, and popular models, related to the history of the science, technology, and art of photography.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1918
- maker
- Eastman Kodak Company. Folmer & Schwing Division
- ID Number
- PG*4199A
- catalog number
- 4199A
- accession number
- 157518
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
[Street scene with "Kodaks" sign : stereo photonegative, ca. 1902.]
- Notes
- Currently stored in box 1.1.17 [47]
- Cancelled by scratching
- "Kodaks" sign is difficult to see in digital version, but is clear in the negative and prints made from it
- Orig. No. 444-D (number on original envelope)
- Date
- 1902
- ca 1902
- 1900-1910
- publisher
- Underwood & Underwood
- H.C. White Co
- Subject
- Eastman Kodak Co
- Local number
- RSN 3389
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
Chase Co. headquarters (completed building) [photoprint, ca. 1917-1919]
- Notes
- In Box 20
- Date
- 1917
- 1919
- ca 1917-1919
- 1900-1950
- 1910-1920
- architect
- Gilbert, Cass 1859-1934
- Subject
- Chase Co
- Local number
- AC0214-0000009.tif (AC Scan No.)
- 2000-11261 (OIPP Scan)
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
Auditorium, American Academy of Arts and Letters, New York : photoprint, ca. 1920-1930
- Summary
- In Box 5. Photographic studio stamp on verso, along with stamp, "CASS GILBERT / RECEIVED / NOV 24 1930". Another stamp imprint, in red: "HEATING, PIPING AND / AIR CONDITIONING". "1187" in pencil
- Date
- 1920
- 1930
- ca 1920-1930
- 1900-1950
- Architect
- Gilbert, Cass 1859-1934
- photographers
- Thompson-Starrett Company, Inc. 250 Park Avenue, New York City
- Subject
- American Academy of Arts and Letters
- Local number
- AC0214-0000010.tif
- 2000-11262 (OIPP Scan)
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
New York Life Insurance Co. Building, New York City (completed building) [photoprint], 1928
- Notes
- In Box 35
- Summary
- View from from southwest, showing figures on park benches in foreground. Imprint: "No. 190. TAKEN OCT"-17-1928... / STARRETT BROTHERS, INC., BUILDERS". Gilbert stamp on verso, dated received Oct. 25, 1928. Photographer unidentified
- Date
- 1928
- 1900-1950
- Architect
- Gilbert, Cass 1859-1934
- Subject
- New York Life Insurance Co. New York
- Local number
- AC0214-0000011.tif (AC Scan No.)
- 2000-11264 (OIPP Scan)
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
Waterbury National Bank (completed building) [photoprint], 1921
- Notes
- In Box 64. Date imprint in image, 8/16/21
- Summary
- Building looks completed, but has wooden fence around it with an office rental sign. Gilbert's stamp on verso, dated Aug. 25, 1921. Photographer unidentified
- Date
- 1921
- 1900-1950
- Architect
- Gilbert, Cass 1859-1934
- Subject
- Waterbury National Bank (Waterbury, Conn.)
- Local number
- AC0214-0000012.tif (AC Scan No.)
- 2000-11260 (OIPP Scan)
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
