1 THE HISTORY OF From to Digital

© 2010 Lance Keimig. Published by Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved. DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-240-81258-8.00001-6 4 NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY and morerichlycolouredthantheday.” to hisbrotherthat,“Ioftenthinkthatthenightismuchmorealive night scenes.Captivatedbythenight,vanGoghwroteinaletter his work,andseveralofvanGogh’s mostfamouspaintingsare on darktonesanddeepshadowstoevokepowerfulemotionsin ofhisnativeNetherlands.Rembrandtfamouslyrelied Dutch painterwhosemainbodyofworkconsistedmoonlit night scenesintheirwork.AertvanderNeerwasa17th-century Dutch painterandprinterLucasvanLeydenrepeatedlyinvoked Delights . The16th-centuryGermanprintmakerAlbrechtDürerand the nightinhismasterpiecefrom1503, Hieronymus Boschplayedofftheinstinctivefearofdarknessand advent ofphotography. ArtistsasfarbacktheFlemishpainter The motifofnightwasestablishedinWestern artlongbeforethe might neverreturn. ancestor whosteppedoutsideofthelightfi recircle,forhe comfort inthenightandthosewhorecoilfromit.Bravewas our curiosity, shelterus,orfrightenus.Therearethosewhoseek ous unknowing.Thenightholdssecrets—secretsthatmayengage notion oftheworldfromoneroutinecertaintytomysteri- the unknownthroughouthumanhistory. Thenighttransformsour Nighttime hasbeenassociatedwithsolitude,danger, mystery, and passes duringtheexposureisasimportantlight. before thelens.Incaseofnightphotographer, thetimethat mind’s eye,thephotographer’s camerarecordsonlywhat passes Although paintersputdownoncanvaswhatevertheysee intheir photographers shouldbedrawntothenightaswellforinspiration. ognizable paintingsofthe20thcentury. Itseemsonlyfi ttingthat sense ofurbanisolationandloneliness,isonethemostrec- and ofcourseEdwardHopper’s painted aseriesofnightandtwilightscenesentitled Nighthawks , whichconveysa 1 The GardenofEarthly JamesMcNeillWhistler Nocturnes , The History of Night Photography 5

Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, “View from the Window at Le Gras,” ca 1826–1827 the Window Niépce, “View from at Le Gras,” ca 1826–1827 Joseph Nicéphore took this image on a pewter plate coated with bitumen of Judea with a After 10 years of work that began in 1816, Niépce Niépce washed the of at least 8 hours, as a drawing aid. After an obscura and an optical device used by artists plate with a mixture of white petroleum and oil of lavender, and the result was the first permanent . The image is on and the result and oil of lavender, of white petroleum plate with a mixture at Austin. the University of Texas permanent display at the Harry Ransom Center at Due to the limited sensitivity of early photographic processes, exposure times were exceedingly Due to the limited sensitivity of early photographic processes, existing photograph, which was taken by Joseph Nicéphore long, even in the . The oldest his window in Le Gras, . Although it is not a night Niépce in 1826 or 1827, is a scene from the image on photograph, the materials he used required an exposure of many hours to record moved across a pewter plate coated with a light-sensitive layer of bitumen of Judea. As the rst his house. The fi the sky during the long exposure, shadows were recorded on both sides of the process was commercially available photographic process was the daguerreotype, and when take a photograph introduced in 1839, exposure times of 10 minutes or more were required to a few years, in . Although exposures were generally reduced to 5–10 seconds within cial light of the time or by was still impossible. photographing at night in the weak artifi daguerreotype The wet-plate collodion process was a tremendous technical advance over the 6 NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY bromide tomakedryglassplatenegatives. and photographer, proposedcombininggelatinwithlight-sensitive silvernitrateandcadmium nocturnal photographyessentiallyimpossible.In1871,RichardLeachMaddox,anEnglishphysician developed beforetheemulsiondriedonplate,lengthyexposuresrequiredatnightmade when itwasinventedin1851.However, becausecollodion plateshadtobeexposedand exposures. , andheemployedmannequinstorepresent workersbecauseofthelengthy used bothmagnesiumlampsandelectriclightspoweredbyprimitivebatteriesforthese catacombs andsewersbelowParis,makingabout100platesbetween18611862.Nadar sources beginningabout1860.TheFrenchphotographerFélixNadarphotographedthe plate. Therewerenumerouseffortstophotographinlow-lightconditionswithartifi Duringthe1850s,ThomasEasterlywasfi of theGreatPyramidGiza. Astronomer RoyalofScotland,madeusemagnesium wiretophotographtheinteriorpassages required a20-minuteexposure. In 1840,theAmericanJohnDrapermadeoldestknowndaguerreotypeofMoon,which 19th centuryphotographswereoftenmanipulatedtoappearasthoughtheytakenatnight. A fewearlyphotographersexperimentedwithnightandlow-lightphotography, andthroughoutthe all openedthedoorstonightphotography. introduction ofthegelatindry-plateprocesswithitsinherentlygreatersensitivitythatonceandfor in EuropeandNorthAmericawerewidelyavailablebytheendofdecade.Itwasthis doing outatnightwithacamera. Thepolicealsotooknoticeandquestionedhismotives onmore at night.Martinattractedthe attentionofpassersbywhowonderedwhathecouldpossibly be work justbeforethelasthint oftwilightfadedawaytoshortenthelengthyexposures required of truenightimages.Beginningin1895,Martinphotographed Londonstreetscenes,startingto photograph atnighttheveryendof19thcenturythat anyoneproducedasignifi Itwasn’t untilPaul MartininLondonandWilliamFraserAlfredStieglitzNewYork beganto dramatically morelightsensitiveandstable. the fi rsttoproducedryplates,discoveredthatbyheatingtheemulsion90F, itwouldbecome in sunlightrequired90secondsbytheelectriclights. Boston Commonatnight.Hedeterminedthatanexposure thatwouldrequireone-halfsecond the director, wonagoldmedalattheCrystalPalaceExhibitionin1851. resulting plates,whichwasmadeattheHarvardCollegeObservatorywhereBond’s fatherwas attempts, theywereabletorecorddetailsoftheMoon’s surfaceforthefi rsttime.Oneofthe The light-gatheringpowerofthetelescopealsoservedtoshortenexposuretime.Aftermany equipped withaclockworkmechanismthatmovedthetelescopeinsyncEarth’s rotation. Adams WhippleandGeorgePhillipsBondmadedaguerreotypesoftheMoonthroughatelescope 6 In1863,Whippleexperimentedwithelectriclightstophotograph afountainon 8

4 From1849to1851,BostoninventorandphotographerJohn 2 3 In1878,CharlesHarperBennett,whowasoneof Withthisadvance,platesweresoonmanufactured rsttorecordlightningstrikesonadaguerreotype 7 InApril1865,CharlesPiazziSmyth, 5

ciallight cantbody The History of Night Photography 7

It was also noted that Fraser took 10 nd themselves faced with similar from 1897 stated that Fraser “has succeeded in taking some To this day, many night photographers fi this day, To 9 Magazine Scribner’s , how he was routinely followed by a policeman during his nocturnal photographic exploits. by a policeman during his nocturnal followed photographic exploits. , how he was routinely advantage of the “’s diffused light” for these photographs. The light of the Moon no doubt made advantage of the “moon’s todaymore of a contribution to these images than it would if the same scene was photographed cial illumination was much lower at the end of the 19th century. because the nighttime level of artifi than one occasion. Paul Martin, “A Wet Night on the Embankment,” ca 1895–1896 on the Embankment,” ca 1895–1896 Night Paul Martin, “A Wet Gold Medal for his series of pioneering night photographs entitled Royal Photographic Society’s the In 1896, Martin received in his autobiography, Martin recounts Stieglitz in New York. of Alfred “London by Gaslight,” which caught the attention Snapshots Victorian experiences. at night about 1896, but there are very few existing William Fraser began photographing New York of projected lanternprints of his work because he preferred to exhibit his photographs in the form slides. An article in remarkable park and street scenes on snowy and rainy [that] show with surprising distinctnessremarkable park and street scenes on snowy and rainy nights [that] show with and truth, very picturesque and interesting aspects of New York.” 8 NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY photogravure inStieglitz’s photography asaviableandlegitimate artformattheendof19thcentury. Theimagewasoriginallypublishedasa Fraser, alongwithAlfred StieglitzinNewYork andPaulMartin inLondon,were thephotographerswhoestablishednight Fraser, William “AWet Night,ColumbusCircle,” ca1897–1898 Camera Notes inJanuary1899,whichisthesource ofthis reproduction.

The History of Night Photography 9

11 rst rst gures in the , both for both for the history of photography, gures in gures in a night photograph, and he used exposures of about of about and he used exposures a night photograph, gures in ect lights in the streets. The image from 1898 reproduced here, here, The image from 1898 reproduced ect lights in the streets. One night, it snowed very hard. I gazed through a window, wanting to go forth and wanting to go forth I gazed through a window, One night, it snowed very hard. being gure out how to leave the house without bed trying to fi photograph. I lay in detected by either my wife or brother. trousers, two vests, a winter coat, and two pairs of I put on three layers of underwear, the wind was blowing a gale, and armed with cape. I tied on my hat, realizing Tyrolean stole out of the 5 inch plates—I × box, with 4 and camera—the latter a primitive avenue were coated with ice. Where the light house. The trees on the park side of the struck them, they looked like specters. south, sheltering it from the wind, The gale blew from the northwest. Pointing the camera glistening—and the snow covered sidewalk. I focused. There was a tree—ice covered, before, under such conditions. Nothing comparable had been photographed cold in spite of the heavy gloves. My mustache was frozen stiff. My hands were bitter ears. It must have been two o’clock in the morning. The frosty air stung my nose, chin, and the wind, I reached home and tiptoed into the struggle against After nearly an hour’s me. oor without anyone hearing house, reaching the third fl plate. The exposure was perfect. The next day I went to the camera club to develop the Stieglitz had been suffering from pneumonia at the time and had been ordered to take care of Stieglitz had been suffering from pneumonia at the time in the face of such adversity. himself. His success is all the more remarkable uenced by the pictorialist The preference for photographing in rain, fog, or snow was probably infl Pictorialist photographers used soft style that was prevalent at the end of the 19th century. evoked the focus and manipulation in their prints to create idealized, romantic images that yet achieved impressionist paintings that were popular at the time. Photography had not photographers widespread acceptance as an art form, and another decade would pass before mechanical dence to present photographs that truly represented the new medium’s had the confi potential to convey reality. is one of the most important fi is one of the Alfred Stieglitz his images and for his promotion of photography as an art form. He was perhaps the fi was perhaps the as an art form. He of photography and for his promotion his images “Icy Night,” is a perfect example of how foul weather can yield spectacular results, as Stieglitz yield spectacular results, as Stieglitz example of how foul weather can “Icy Night,” is a perfect image: later wrote about this person to record recognizable fi record recognizable person to notice that all help but 1897. One can’t street scenes in York to photograph New 1 minute in poor weather conditions. photography pioneers chose to photograph three of these night photographs add drama and atmosphere to night and fog all tend to rain, snow, pavement, Wet They were also no doubt not lost on contemporary night photographers). (something that is refl aware that wet surfaces Alfred Stieglitz, “Icy Night,” 1898 Alfred Stieglitz made this image on a frigid night during a snowstorm in January 1898 after a bout with pneumonia. Stieglitz was particularly proud of this image, and it cemented his interest in night photography. His influence on art and photography in America was enormous, and he is also largely responsible for night photography taking hold in New York at the turn of the last century.

Stieglitz would go on to inspire his colleagues at the New York Camera Club to brave the night with their . These photographers included Alvin Langdon Coburn, Karl Struss, , W. M. Vander Weyde, and most notably , who all created signifi cant numbers of night photographs between 1900 and 1910. Although other photographers outside of New York and London most certainly were experimenting with night photography at this time, it is mostly the images of Stieglitz and his colleagues that survive today as a record of these early endeavors. There was some rivalry between club members, particularly Coburn The History of Night Photography 11

Edward Steichen, “The Flatiron,” 1904 1904 Steichen, “The Flatiron,” Edward Museum of Art. housed at the Metropolitan are variations of this image, and the best three Steichen made numerous over the underlying platinum print. This image of the of gum bichromate was added using multiple impressions of the masterpieces of pictorialist photography. one Building in Manhattan is considered iconic Flatiron 12 NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY bought themforhimself. he exhibitedwerealltakenbythefulllightofMoon.Stieglitzwassowiththemthat Steichen madeexposuresbymoonlight,atduskanddawn,evenonefl ash,butthethree brought threelargeprintsbacktoAmerica,whichwereexhibitedatStieglitz’s 291Galleryin1909. the imageswould“makeworldunderstandmyBalzacthroughthesepictures.” had gonetoFrancephotographattheinvitationofsculptorhimself,whocommentedthat determining exposures,Steichenmadeaseriesofexposuresvaryinglengthsover2nights.He the bestextantexamplesofearlymoonlightphotographs.Becausetherewasnoprecedentfor in responsetoan1897article of styleandtechniqueinthephotographicjournalsdatingroughlyfrom1898to1916.Writing night shortlyafterMartin,Fraser, andStieglitz.Thereisaremarkablerecordofthedevelopment Inspiredbytheirbetter-known contemporaries, many otherphotographersbegantophotographat who mademoonlitexposuresofupto6hoursin1887, other effortstophotographbymoonlightbeforeSteichen,mostnotablyJohnFrithofBermuda, Rodin’s sculptureofBalzacthatweretakenentirelybymoonlight. Althoughtherehadbeenvarious Steichenmadeanothersignifi New York. platinum printsofthisimage,threewhicharehousedattheMetropolitanMuseumArtin version isconsideredoneofhismasterworks,andhemadesometrulyremarkablegumover and Steichen,theybothmadetwilightstudiesofthefamousFlatironBuilding.Steichen’s the earliestextantphotographstaken entirely bymoonlight. Balzac SteichentraveledtoMeudon,France at theinvitationofsculptorRodintophotographplastermodelfor his Edward Steichen,“Three ofBalzac,”1908 Views desire forrecognitionofhisownnightphotographstakenfromtheroofDetroitTribune Stieglitz andFraser, aDetroitphotographerbythenameofEdwardVan Fleetexpressedhis . Steichenproduced numerous moonlightviews ofthesculpture, workingfrom dusktodawnonenight.Theseare someof

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cantcontributiontothegenrewithhisseriesof1908photographs Scribner’s Magazine

15 thatpraisedthenightphotographsof 12 itistheBalzacphotographsthatare 13 Steichen Monument to The History of Night Photography 13 ourished, ourished, ash powder and street powder and street ash res, fl proposed and organized the Night and organized the proposed The Vargas Brothers, , Brothers, Pictorialism, The Vargas in 1910. Undoubtedly, there were there were in 1910. Undoubtedly, Blake shared his night photography experiences with experiences his night photography Blake shared 17 American Photography American , Yenne writes that “taking a cue from the silent screen, they concocted silent screen, they concocted writes that “taking a cue from the , Yenne A photographer by the name of A. H. Blake of A. H. by the name A photographer 16

18 18 Photographer’s Society of England in 1908. Society of England Photographer’s Building in 1896. Building in In contrast to the theatrically staged images of the Vargas Brothers, some photographers photographers Brothers, some In contrast to the theatrically staged images of the Vargas was a sociologist photographed at night for journalistic or documentary purposes. Lewis Hine Labor Committee who worked as a photographer traveling the country for the National Child conditions of child (NCLC) during a 10-year period beginning in 1907. Hine documented the cruel and as messengers. labor in factories and children who worked in the streets selling newspapers art, but instead with Unlike the pictorialist photographers, Hine was not concerned with making in America. That he recording working conditions to aid the NCLC in its aim of ending child labor children were being made many of these photographs at night was only incidental to the fact that the American audience in the journal audience in the the American lamps. These theatrical scenes required exposures of up to an hour, and meticulous attention and meticulous attention exposures of up to an hour, lamps. These theatrical scenes required to detail.” many photographers experimenting with night photography at this time aside from the few who time aside from the photography at this with night experimenting many photographers are mentioned here. these style and subject matter to many of cant change in the The new century brought a signifi gave way to the more objective as the romantic sensibilities of Pictorialism photographers’ work was a shift from Beginning around 1910, there ned aesthetic of Modernism. and sharply defi photographs that is evident in images to crisply focused modernist impressionistic pictorialist to be an appropriate response these photographers. This change seemed the work of each of with the of the 20th century. and changes in attitude that came to advances in technology were those like Adolf Fassbender who was well established by 1920, there Although Modernism into the . employed pictorialist sensitivities well to indicate that early night photography was limited Although the photographic record seems not at all the case. The photo historian Peter Yenne to Europe and North America, this was Brothers of remarkable photographs of the Vargas has worked diligently to promote the photography studio Zaconet opened a commercial Arequipa, Peru. Carlos and Miguel Vargas (no relation). Vargas with a photographer named Max T. in Arequipa in 1912 after apprenticing because Arequipa was just beginning to blossom with Their timing was incredibly fortunate culture and ideas. Their studio fl uence of European newfound prosperity and the infl and in addition to their portraiture business, they created a remarkable body of night images they created a remarkable body of night images and in addition to their portraiture business, uence of Pictorialism is clearly evident in the infl says that “the through the 1920s. Yenne surmises that it was advances in artistic work.” Yenne nocturnes, their most self-consciously of electric light that led to this body of work. In an photographic technology and the advent brothers’ work titled article accompanying an exhibit of the and the Nocturnes lanterns, bonfi a series of elaborate tableaux using moonlight, 14 NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY and theotherpictorialists, althoughshewasawareofStieglitzandhis291Gallery, thereis span herphotographiccareer. BealsphotographedNewYork atnightthesametimeasStieglitz at HarvardUniversity’s Schlesinger Librarycontainswellover100printsofnocturnalimages that written byAlexanderAlland, but thereisplentyofphotographicevidence.Thearchive of herwork odds. Thereisbarelyanymentionofnightphotographyin herpapers,norin1978biography, woman whosedriveandspiritenabledhertosucceedina challengingprofessionagainstsignifi contemporary ofAlfredStieglitz.AlthoughStieglitzleftalarger legacy, Bealswasaremarkable also thefi JessieTarbox Bealsisgenerallyknownasthefi factories, as forced toworklateintothenight.MostofHine’s nightimagesareportraitsofchildrenworkingin before anyoneelse. outside ofPeru,thebrothers were truepioneersofnightphotography, usinglightpaintingand stagingphotographsatnight a remarkablethatcombinedtheuseofmoonlight,street seriesofnocturnes , andflashpowder. Relativelyunknown TheVargas Brothers hadasuccessfulportraitstudioinArequipa from 1912through the1920s,butbynighttheyproduced CarlosandMiguelVargas, “BridgeinSánLazaro,” Arequipa, Peru,ca1926 rstwomannightphotographer. Bealslivedfrom1870to1942,whichmadeheraclose newsies

, orasmessengers,andwereprimarilylitwithfl rstwomannewsphotographer, butshewas ashpowder.

cant cant The History of Night Photography 15

cult to work with at night. cult to work with at no evidence that they associated with each other. Beals took many night views of the pavilions of night views of the Beals took many with each other. that they associated no evidence and Beacon Hill neighborhood, in Boston’s houses lit by gaslight Fair, Louis World’s the 1904 St. 1920s. to California in the after she moved of Santa Barbara architecture later the mission-style view at night. A large 10 , even × worked with an 8 Beals her career, Throughout diffi even in the daytime, and it is exceedingly camera is cumbersome as they became available. shifted to smaller format cameras Many night photographers Beals are Tarbox and the more commercial work of Jessie The documentary work of Lewis Hine to more practical uses, but like the examples of night photography put somewhat anomalous would belong to the worlds of art and them, most of the night work to follow pictorialists before at night around 1914 in Budapest. André Kertesz began photographing illustration. The Hungarian night photographs. A fellow Hungarian in 1925, where he continued to make He moved to Paris Lewis Hine, “A Midnight Crap Game,” Providence, 1912 1912 Lewis Hine, “A Midnight Crap Game,” Providence, labor practices in the United States at the beginning of the 20th documented child Hine was a social worker who tirelessly photographed at night, generally using to in night photography itself, but he often Hine was not interested century. the night. illuminate the young newsboys and messengers who worked through 16 NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY view camera. Fair in1904andcontinuingthroughout her career, Beals mademanynightviews,mainlywithalargeformat worked allherlifetocompeteinaworld where womenwere generallynotwanted.BeginningattheWorld’s andcommercialphotographed extensivelyatnight.Shewasprimarilyajournalist photographer, andshe Bealsisbestknownasthefirstwomannewsphotographer, butsheisalsothefirstwomantohave JessieTarbox Beals,“ElPaseoBuilding,”SantaBarbara,ca1928–1929

The History of Night Photography 17 Paris Paris which 19 19 , was published was published 23 Paris de Nuit Le Paris Secret des Années

A Night in London 22 was clearly inspired by Brassaï’s work, work, was clearly inspired by Brassaï’s A Night in London were actually daytime images printed darker than usual to were actually daytime images printed darker than usual to was published, and Brassaï’s infl uence on infl was published, and Brassaï’s Paris de Nuit A Night in London because of its explosive qualities. was a milestone not only because it was the fi rst of its kind, was a milestone not only because it was the fi Paris de Nuit 21 in 1976. The subjects of Brassaï’s photographs were certainly aware that they were being photographs were certainly aware that they in 1976. The subjects of Brassaï’s a few years earlier. Although a few years earlier. 20 painter named Gyula Halász, who also lived in Paris, was introduced to photography by Kertesz to photography by was introduced who also lived in Paris, Gyula Halász, painter named later Halász, who would the streets of Paris. as they wandered in December 1929 one night of night photographer uential the most infl would go on to become name to Brassaï, change his writers, for artists and the 1930s was a magnet of all time. Paris in and perhaps his generation, He artists of the 20th century. worked among many of the most important and Brassaï lived and Henry Miller as his friends. It was Miller Giacometti, Matisse, and the writer counted Picasso, Dali, The Eye of Paris. who gave him the nickname of underbelly of Paris nightlife at the time are an indelible record of the dark photographs Brassaï’s large Brassaï had accumulated a Within 2 years of taking up photography, the . and images from brothels, opium dens, photographs of Parisian street scenes series of nocturnal in 1932 as cabarets. Much of this work was published bars, theaters, and photographed because his style was bold and direct, and he generally had their cooperation. photographed because his style was bold his interiors, which led Picasso to nickname ash powder to light Brassaï often used magnesium fl him The Terrorist the Englishman’s work was profound. Brandt’s motivation is uncertain, but he recreated one of motivation is uncertain, but work was profound. Brandt’s the Englishman’s as a model and placing her outside of a photographs of prostitutes using his wife, Eva, Brassaï’s red light district in 1932. Chinese restaurant in Hamburg’s nor simply because it was sumptuously printed in photogravure, but because of the remarkable nor simply because it was sumptuously The English photographer Bill Brandt uence it had on contemporary photographers of the time. infl met Brassaï in Paris about the time The publication of look like night scenes. Brandt had no qualms about using any available technique to achieve his to achieve his look like night scenes. Brandt had no qualms about using any available technique expressive ends. in 1938 by Arts et Métiers Graphiques, the same company that had published Brassaï’s Brassaï’s in 1938 by Arts et Métiers Graphiques, the same company that had published de Nuit subjects were the working methods were distinctly his own. Brassaï’s style and Brandt’s of employing people he met in his nocturnal wanderings, but Brandt took the novel approach several of the his friends and family as models to create his nighttime scenes. Additionally, photographs from Brassaï’s revealing pictures confi rmed people’s expectations of Parisian nightlife, but Brandt’s Brandt’s expectations of Parisian nightlife, but rmed people’s revealing pictures confi Brassaï’s ordinary into something mysterious and uncertain. more surrealist vision transformed the photographer Man Ray in Paris in 1930, and this Brandt had assisted for the great surrealist book Brandt’s experience also shaped his artistic vision. was the fi rst monograph of night photographs ever published. Decency standards of the time ever published. Decency standards rst monograph of night photographs was the fi depicting scenes of nudity and overt sexuality to be did not allow for many of his interior views known until the publication of published, and this work was not widely Trente 18 NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY she setupmultiplecameras onthebalconyofherhotelroom(whichfacedKremlin andRed the Russianblackoutwardens atherhotelforcedeveryoneundergroundduringtheraids. Later, She initiallyphotographedthe bombingofMoscowfromtheroofU.S.Embassy because and atonepointsheevenphotographedStalinaftermonths ofattemptstogainaccesshim. of theU.S.EmbassyinMoscow, shewasallowedtostayafteralmostallotherforeignershadleft, the onlyforeignjournalistinMoscowwhenGermanbombers arrived.Withthetacitapproval blackouts of1939.Inthespring1941,shewassentto Russiabyhereditorat Margaret Bourke-Whitealsoworkedfor in theUnitedStates, and thecity’s apparentwithdrawalintoconcealment. surrealist city. Brandtwas compelledbytheappearanceofcityilluminatedonlymoonlight and morepersonalmeaningforthephotographer, comparingthemtodeChirico’s visionary city. AlthoughBrandt’s blackout photoswereshotfor Brandt foundthestreetsofLondonsilentandcompletelydesertedashephotographeddark the Germanbomberstonavigate. shelter. ThefullmoonprovidedilluminationforBrandt’s photographs,andalsojustenoughlightfor city withthelightsextinguishedandinhabitantshidinginundergroundsubwaytunnelsfor who hadphotographedLondonatnightearlierinthe1930s,wasconfrontedwithaverydifferent night, whenGermanplanescouldfl yoverenemyterritoryunderthecoverofdarkness.BillBrandt, two photographersinparticularmadethemostofthem.Thebombingraidsusuallytookplaceat darkened cityskylinesmadeforunusualopportunitiesnightphotographersatthistime,and The bombingraidsofWorld War IIleftmuchofEurope darkatnightbetween1939and1942.The published until1992in long careerasaNationalGeographicphotographer, andhisnightimagesofWashington werenot landmarks andarchitecturewereshotmainlyonfoggynights.Wentzel wouldgoontohavea Like manyofthephotographshiscontemporaries,Wentzel’s nightphotographsofWashington by Brassaï’s nightworkandphotographedAmerica’s capitalatnightduringthemid-tolate1930s. technicianforNationalGeographicinWashington, D.C.Wentzel hadalsobeeninspired At aboutthesametime,ayoungphotographerbynameofVolkmar Wentzel wasworkingasa makes themamongthemostmemorableofgenre. were mostlyshotonfoggynights.Themoodyatmosphereandtimelessstillnessoftheseimages and darkcornersofLondonportrayedinthesephotographsarecompletelyunpopulated was alsoprintedinphotogravurebutwithblue,ratherthanblack,pigment.Thequietalleyways LondonNight in1934,littlemorethanayearafterBrassaï’s book.Like Morrison producedabodyofspectacularnocturnalimagesLondonthatwerepublishedas Harold BurdekinandJohnMorrrison.Althoughtheyarevirtuallyunknowntoday, Burdekin and Two EnglishcontemporariesofBillBrandtwhowerealsoinspiredbytheworkBrassaï 26 Brandt’s biographer, PaulDelany, suggeststhattheseimageshadadeeper Washington byNight . 25 Thedangerlevelwashighestonthesefullmoonnights,and Life magazineandphotographedLondonduringthe 27 Lilliput magazineinBritainand

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Paris deNuit , Life , andshewas Life magazine London Night The History of Night Photography 19 Delano used early 4 × 5 × Delano used early 4 29

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transparency fi lm for his nighttime rail yard photographs. In addition to being some of the earliest lm for his nighttime rail yard photographs. In addition to being some of the earliest transparency fi lanterns of the color night photographs, this work is interesting for the trails of light left by the Square) when the raids began, then rushed to the underground shelters. After the all clear was Square) when the raids began, then rushed lm in her bathroom. Bourke-White and develop the fi given, she returned to close the shutters a three me, the severity of a raid was determined by whether it was a two camera, wrote, “To camera, or a four camera night.” Jack Delano was hired in 1940 as a photographer for the Farm Security Administration and later Jack Delano was hired in 1940 as a photographer for the Farm Security Administration and later & Santa Information, where he documented the Atcheson, Topeka ce of War worked for the Offi Fe wartime rail service between Chicago and Los Angeles in 1943. Margaret Bourke-White, “Central Moscow with Antiaircraft Gunners,” 1941 Gunners,” 1941 Moscow with Antiaircraft Bourke-White, “Central Margaret and Russia journalists out between one of the only foreign in Moscow when war broke Bourke-White was Margaret her hotel room later from of the U.S. Embassy and the roof raids, initially from in 1941. She photographed the nightly bombing the number determined by with several cameras simultaneously, Bourke-White worked which overlooked Red Square. balcony, the intensity of the bombing. 20 NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY transparency filmandispartofaseries nightandtwilightrailyard images. Information whenthisphotographwas takenin1942.Thisimagewasshoton4 × 5 inch Kodachrome JackDelanoworkedasaFarmSecurity AdministrationphotographerandlaterfortheOffice ofWar JackDelano,“Departure Yard atC&NWRailRoad,”Chicago,1942

The History of Night Photography 21 Rails Rincones del Viejo Rincones del Viejo . Hale and Steinheimer began photographing trains at night around trains at night around . Hale and Steinheimer began photographing ). According to photo historian Gerardo F. ). According to photo historian Gerardo F. Corners of Old Madrid: Nocturnes Trains

and 30 30 In 1951, Alfonso Sánchez García was commissioned to produce photographs of Madrid to promote In 1951, Alfonso Sánchez García was commissioned was trying to repair its tarnished image after the Spanish the city as a safe and normal place. Spain romantic night views II. Alfonso’s War the Axis powers in World and associations with Civil War as photogravures in a book titled of the old quarter of Madrid were published ( Madrid: Nocturnos Kurtz, this project was unusual because of the lavish nature of the publication at a time when Kurtz, this project was unusual because of the lavish nature of the publication Each of power. Spain was still reeling from civil war and economic isolation after Franco seized in both Spanish and the 41 images has a description of the location where the photo was taken that the book made much of an impact on international relations with Spain, doubtful English. It’s the time, he is not and although García is one of the more important Spanish photographers of widely known for this work. rail yard workers as they walked through his photographs during the long exposures. Delano’s Delano’s long exposures. during the through his photographs as they walked rail yard workers of Congress. of the Library are now in the collection photographs Delano that began with in America railroad photography a long tradition of nighttime There is who called themselves into the 1980s with a trio of photographers in 1943 and continued of the and railroads since the completion . America has had a fascination with trains After Dark a photographic subject as well. Images in 1869, and trains have long been transcontinental railroad by O. Winston Link from 1955 to 1960 steam railroad in America were taken of the last operating industrial taken. Link was a New York best-known night photographs ever and are some of the 5 years documenting the Norfolk and a passion for steam trains, and he spent photographer with Link used his commercial photography before it switched to diesel engines. Railway Western images using elaborate lighting (with the cooperation of the railway) experience to orchestrate images are remarkable multiple cameras. Link’s ectors and refl ashbulb fl setups with custom-made but also in the way that he showed the trains in the not only for the complex lighting he employed, frequently with people going about their lives with the context of small towns along the railroad, the last years of an important part photographs preserve trains passing in the background. Link’s along the rails in mid- and they are an indelible record of life in small towns of American history, 20th-century America. train photographers, many others photographed trains Although Link is better known than other Robert Hale, Richard Among them were 20th century. and rail yards in the second half of the Benson, who all took Philip Hastings, Mel Patrick, and Ted Jim Shaughnessy, Steinheimer, These men were as much railroad enthusiasts cant night photographs of trains after 1950. signifi mostly known from the pages of the magazines as photographers, and their images are Rails Vintage 1949—several years before Link—and Benson and Patrick, in particular, were inspired by were inspired by Benson and Patrick, in particular, 1949—several years before Link—and work. Link’s 22 NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY the moreprominentnightphotography thatwouldemergeinthefollowingdecade. Francisco wastheepicenter of thecounterculturerevolution,italsobecameanexus for muchof people weretoopreoccupied withotherthingsinthe1960stophotographatnight,but justasSan night providestarkcontrasttohisdaytimerecordofthehuman condition.Itistemptingtosaythat Brooklyn, India,andSanFrancisco.Gedney’s formalarchitecturalstudiesofquietneighborhoodsat part oflargerbodiesimages.Majorprojectsincludeddocumenting communitiesinKentucky, career, whichspannedfromthelate1950stomid-1980s.MostofGedney’s nightworksare notable exceptionistheworkoflateWilliamGedney. Hephotographedatnightthroughouthis There aresurprisinglyfewsubstantialbodiesofnightphotographyfromthe1960s,butone the Rails Link.SeeJeff1980s butare Brouws generallylesswell-knownthanO.Winston andEdDelvers’s outstandingbook, Steinheimerwasoneofanumberhighlydedicatedtrainphotographerswhooftenshotatnightfrom the1950sthrough the Richard Steinheimer, Pacific#4194‘Tehachapi’ “Southern NightTrain 55atGlendaleStation,”Glendale,CA,1950 , formore aboutSteinheimerandhiscontemporaries.

Starlight on The History of Night Photography 23 lm. Ollman 31 lm and relatively short, lm and relatively rst 400 speed color fi rst 400 speed color

cial light sources at night. Like Burchard, Misrach also began his career night. Like Burchard, Misrach also began cial light sources at cant contributions to the genre from the early 1970s through the mid-1990s. 1970s through the from the early to the genre cant contributions Arthur Ollman, “My House,” 1977 Arthur Ollman, “My House,” 1977 of Kodacolor 400 35 mm film in 1976 Ollman shot at night in starting in the late 1960s. The introduction the impetus for Ollman to begin working with color film at night. provided In addition to Gedney, Arthur Ollman, Jerry Burchard, , and Steve Harper all Misrach, and Steve Burchard, Richard Ollman, Jerry Arthur to Gedney, In addition made signifi colony in an artist 1950s while documenting at night in the late began photographing Burchard fi he used mostly fast free and loose, and His style was San Francisco. he employed while photographing often standing on one foot—a technique handheld exposures, of and people dancing precluded the use the vibrations from the speakers at rock concerts where same techniques to shooting landscapes 1960s, Burchard began applying the a tripod. By the late being involved with theater in college. photographing at night in 1966 after at night. Ollman began by localized light sources, similar subjects that were isolated He was drawn to photograph the stage with spotlights. is placed on actors and sets on to the way that emphasis He was attracted to the way the notorious San Francisco fog absorbed and blended the various fog absorbed and blended the various the way the notorious San Francisco He was attracted to of different artifi project, photographing the subculture of Telegraph as a night photographer with a documentary switched to color in the mid-1970s, when Kodak released the fi the mid-1970s, when Kodak released switched to color in 24 NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY throughout hiscareer. color negativefi would usethissameapproachtophotographStonehengebeforeswitching8 × 10 formatand combining longexposureswithopenfl abandon sociopoliticaldocumentaryworkandbeganphotographingcactiintheCaliforniadesert, Avenue inBerkeleythemid-1970sblackandwhiteon35 mm fi produce large-scalephotographiccolorprints. work, Misrachswitchedtothe8 x 10 viewcameraandcolornegativefilm.Hewasoneofthe firstartiststo paper thatproduced awiderangeofcolorsusingsplittoningtechnique. Shortlyaftercreating thisseriesof of homelesspeopleinBerkeley, in1974.Thisimagewasoriginallyprintedonlong-obsoleteAgfa California Richard Misrachhasphotographedatnightthroughout hiscareer, beginning withadocumentaryproject Richard Misrach,“Stonehenge#4,”1976 lmtowardtheendof1970s.Misrachhascontinuedtophotographatnight

ashtobringattentiontheforegroundsubjects.He

lm.Misrachdecidedto The History of Night Photography 25

33

Among Harper’s more notable students were Tim notable students were Tim more Among Harper’s 32 Harper developed and taught the first college-level class on night photography at the Academy of Art College in class on night photography at the Academy of Art College in Harper developed and taught the first college-level 33 Baskerville, founder of The Nocturnes, an organization that promotes night photography in the BayBaskerville, founder of The Nocturnes, an organization that promotes night photography Harper’s Paiva, a commercial and industrial night photographer based in Los Angeles. Area, and Tom gures, sometimes his students, but often himself. Of the image own images often included fi things—the way thereproduced here, Harper says, “I identify this image with the universality of all ocean, the sky and I appear to have morphed into the same molecular elements.” San Francisco in 1979. He inspired a generation of night photographers (including the author) and was an important part of the a generation of night photographers (including the author) and was an important part of the San Francisco in 1979. He inspired the 1990s. the 1970s through from vibrant night photography scene in the Bay Area Harper began his photographic career in front of the camera as a model for the Ford Agency in New Harper began his photographic career in he began teaching at the Academy of Art College in in the 1960s. After moving to California, York rst college-level class on the subject of night photography. fi 1979, where he developed and taught the mentored a new generation of night photographers,He taught this course for 12 years and Camaraderieensuring the continuation of the rich tradition of night photography in the Bay Area. and his students continued to photograph and and community were always important to Harper, exhibit together long after the classes were over. Steve Harper, “Self, Sutro Baths Ruins,” 1979 Baths Ruins,” 1979 “Self, Sutro Steve Harper, all the same the sea are the universality of all things—I, the blanket, the fog and Steve Harper says that this image “represents substance.” 26 NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY technique ofrepeatedlycoveringthelenstoblocklightspassingcarsrequiresdiligence make becauseTice hadtocoverthelenswhenevercars passedinfrontofthecamera.This Castle.” This2-minuteexposureon8 x 10 inchTri-X fi lm actuallyrequiredabout10minutesto Cathedral risingabovethetowninF. H.Evans’s 1898photograph“LincolnCathedral:Fromthe 1974. Tice saysthatthewatertowerloomingabove gasstationremindedhimofLincoln the 1970s.Undoubtedly, hisbest-knownimageis“Petit’s MobileStation,CherryHill,NJ,” like GeorgeTice, whomademanynightphotographsof his nativeNewJerseythroughout Coast afterWorld War II,therewerestillphotographersontheEastCoastworkingatnight, AlthoughthebulkofnightphotographyactivityshiftedfromEastCoasttoWest Original gelatinsilverprintsofthisimage haveunbelievablyrichshadowdetailandluminoushighlights. photographedtwilightand nightscenesofhisnativeNewJerseyon8 Throughout the1970s,Tice × 10 black andwhitefilm. GeorgeTice’s iconicimageofawater tower loomingoveragasstationinNewJerseyisprobably hisbest-knownwork. “Petit’s GeorgeTice, MobilStation,”Cherry Hill,NJ,1974

The History of Night Photography 27 Kenna tries 35 Kenna continues to be one of the most prolifi c and successful c and successful Kenna continues to be one of the most prolifi

36 34 34 In 1979, photographer Jan Staller published a book of color night and twilight photographs taken in and twilight photographs of color night published a book Jan Staller In 1979, photographer are notable for the surreal nature The photographs City. around New York the industrial wastelands darkroom when Staller color corrected and the unusual colors created in the of the subject matter prints could only Staller’s light sources in the scenes he photographed. for the various industrial were often lit by multiple light source, but the scenes he photographed be balanced for a single images have intense red or purple skies. sources. Many of his 20th century is photographer of the second half of the c night the most prolifi Unquestionably, of his countryman Bill Brandt, mid-1980s, Kenna retraced the footsteps Michael Kenna. In the of northern England in the 1930s. the industrial cities and mill towns who had documented his prints are this series was shot during hours, work from Although most of Brandt’s were taken at night. such that many of the images almost look as if they dark and contrasty, sites at night nearly decision to photograph some of the same uenced Kenna’s This in turn infl his photographs of work gained a wider audience after the publication of Kenna’s 50 years later. also in the industrial north of England. A great traveler, Ratcliffe Power Station in Nottinghamshire, in France, Japan, and many other locations, often Kenna would go on to photograph extensively natural worlds. Kenna says, “The underlying subject at the intersection of the man-made and and/or juxtaposition, between the landscape ... and the matter is the relationship, confrontation, buildings and stories.” ngerprint, the traces that we leave, the structures, human fi and patience, but it has been successfully employed by photographers dating as far back as back as dating as far by photographers successfully employed but it has been and patience, in 1896. Paul Martin photographers working today. photographers working today. in the cant group exhibits of night photography date, there have been at least four signifi To the Hallmark Davis from was curated by Keith F. United States. The largest and most ambitious Century Night Photography opened Survey of Twentieth Photographic Collection. Night Light, A January 1989 and was subsequently shown at 10 art at the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art in in San Diego in 1991. closing at the Museum of Photographic Arts museums across the country, for the research in this chapter. exhibit was the starting point The printed catalog of Davis’s curated a group exhibit of night photographs at Gallery Baskerville In 1991, photographer Tim the basis of the Sanchez in San Francisco entitled The Nocturnes, which eventually became presented an organization of the same name. In 2003, the Williams College Museum of Art Until Dark from a private collection. In exhibit of contemporary night photographs called Wait titled Darkness 2007, the Three Columns Gallery at Harvard University premiered an exhibit , that showcased the work of 34 contemporary night the author of this book Darkness, curated by photographers and was subsequently presented in several different venues. to create work that is timeless noting that “the images could be created in the day or at night, to create work that is timeless noting today or a year ago.” 28 NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY from Kenna’s nightview—the buildingisdarkandtheskylight. similar daytimeviewofthisscenein1937. InBrandt’s version,mostofthetonesare reversed England.Brandtmadeacountryman BillBrandttophotographthemilltownsofnorthern Earlyinhiscareer, theEnglishphotographerMichaelKennaretraced thefootstepsofhis MichaelKenna,“BillBrandt’s Snicket,”Halifax,Yorkshire, England,1986

The History of Night Photography 29 A quick search on the photo-sharing Web site Flickr, or simply a site Flickr, A quick search on the photo-sharing Web 37 37 page on The Nocturnes Web site, will show that there are literally site, will show that page on The Nocturnes Web O. Winston Links

Advances in night photography have paralleled advances in photographic technology for the last technology advances in photographic have paralleled in night photography Advances ever- more accessible, an increasingly photography has become and as night hundred years, or rather than occasional the practice on a regular, engage in number of photographers increasing 1980s and lms in the white fi color and black and in both basis. Major improvements experimental, of the last 15 years, and the explosion of during 1990s, the rapid development a routine endeavor. made photographing at night almost popularity in general have photography’s suspicious of night photographers, the security guards still seem to be overly Although police and cameras on tripods after so strange to see photographers with nds it fi general public no longer available to a broader audience has also made the work of night photographers dark. The Web www.thenocturnes. presence ( Nocturnes organization has had a Web than ever before. The night photographers it routinely received comments from ) since 1996, and in its early years com that they were not the only ones were surprised and pleased to discover around the world who dark. photographing after look at the It who have discovered the magic of night photography. thousands of people around the world history of night photography here and share more recent seems appropriate, therefore, to end this in the other chapters of this book. images by contemporary photographers