at the edge of sight by shawn michelle smith

7/29/2019 At the Edge of Sight by Shawn Michelle Smith

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At the Edge of Sightphotography and the unseen

shawn michelle smith


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cll

A E SPhotograPhy and the Unseen

dUke University PressdUrham and London

2013


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2013 Du

All

S Ac c- pp

p M

I S, Ic.

l--ulc D

S, S Mcll.

A : pp u /

S Mcll S.

p c

Iclu lpcl c x.

isbn 978-0-8223-5486-4 (cl : l. pp)

isbn 978-0-8223-5502-1 (p. : l. pp)

1. pScl pc S.

2. p SH.

3. p, AcH. I. l.

tr23.s626 2013

770.973c23 2013020978


5/41

Contents

x Illu

x Acl

1 Iuc First PhotograPhs

21 Ec Acc

23 p 1raCe and reProdUCtion in Camera LuCida

39 p 2the PoLitiCs oF PiCtoriaLism:another Look at F. hoLLand day

73 M M

75 p 3the sPaCe between:eadweard mUybridges motion stUdies

99 p 4PreParing the way For the train:andrew J. rUsseLL

129 Rll I

131 p 5Chansonetta stanLey emmonssnostaLgiC views


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165 p 6aUgUstUs washington and the CiviLContraCt oF PhotograPhy

193 I w

195 p 7aFterimages: abU ghraib

213 Ul (A G)

215 Eplua Parting gLanCe

217 N

265 Blp

283 Ix


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iLLUstrations

Pl

1. p Ncp Npc, Vw w G, pp,

c. 18262. Wll H. Mul, B Mu, 1862753. . Hll D, S. S, 19064. E . Mu, c lz, l (l), 1884875. A . Rull,M Fl, G Sl k Vll, 18696. A . Rull, H Rck, F Ec , 18697. Sl E, v B, l l l8. Sl E, Ol Pll H, Wlll ,

Kl, M, c, l l l

9. Auuu W, lp , c. 1857

F

introdUCtion

1. Wll H x l, Q ll, O, Ec Gw, 1844 52. Wll H. Mul, . Gl, 186275 93. Wll H. Mul,M. p Ol Mc& H Sp & B

Rcz, 186275 134. Wll H x l, B Pcl, 1844 15

exCess and aCCident

p S Mcll S 21

ChaPter 1

1. VDZ, l p, 1926 25

ChaPter 2

1. . Hll D, T Sv , 1898 402. . Hll D, c, 1898 40

3. . Hll D, I T H I M Sp, 1898 424. . Hll D, I I F, 1898 43


8/41

x Illu

5. p, Ml l, c. 186869 466. . Hll D, T R E, 1908 487. . Hll D, T V, 1907 498. . Hll D, S. S (cl- up), 1906 51

9. . Hll D, p Ncl Gcl, c. 1906 5210. . Hll D, E Iv, c. 1897 5411. . Hll D,Mlk, 1897 5612. . Hll D,Ac , 1896 1897 5713. . Hll D,A Ep , c. 1897 5814. . Hll D, B I , B, 1896 5915. . Hll D,A, c. 1900 6016. . Hll D Sc Sujc, Rl pc Sc, , 1900 6117. c E, p . Hll D Al , 1901 6418. lc H. W, p . Hll D l u, c. 1897 6619. . Hll D, cucx R l, 1898 6820. Al u, . Hll D , 1900 70

my mu ybridge

A S Mcll S 73

ChaPter 3

1. E . Mu, , u, 1881 762. E . Mu, u, ull p, 188487 78

3. E . Mu, l, 188487 794. E . Mu, u, l, u u, 188487 825. E . Mu, l ( ), 188487 846. E . Mu, x, p , 188487 857. E . Mu, c , l u, c,

188487 878. E . Mu, u, c , uc . ,

188487 879. E . Mu, l, pu uc ,

188487 8810. E . Mu, l, l, , 188487 9011. E . Mu, l, pu c, 188487 9312. E . Mu, , 188487 9313. Wll H. Ru,Af Op: Dpp Sk, c. 1900 9414. Wll H. Ru, ck Sl O f M, c. 1901 9415. E . Mu, l, cup , cup

, 188487 9616. E . Mu, l, , , c

l, 188487 96

17. E . Mu, l, Gc- R, 188487 97


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Illu x

ChaPter 4

1. A . Rull,59 N c E ck G O G F, c. 1868 102

2. A . Rull,Mj Rll B, U, u 240, 1869 1043. A . Rull, Ec , c Rck, 186870 1064. A . Rull, Dp , N. 1 ll P, ,

186870 1085. A . Rull, Sw k, U, 186870 1096. A . Rull, cl , G , 1869 1127. A . Rull, G , k, 1869 1138. A . Rull, Dl k B, Av, 1869 1149. A . Rull, Hl, , 1869 11510. A . Rull, T Mll , 1869 11611. A . Rull, Sc Rv, 1869 11812. A . Rull, O M G Rv, 1869 11913. A . Rull, 227 E Sk H Rl, M 10,

1869 12114. A . Rull, l l p V: u

l l l, c. 1862 1863 12415. A . Rull, Rc B Y, 1869 126

When the train roLLs in

p S Mcll S 129

ChaPter 5

1. Sl E, Ol Pll H, Wlll ,Kl, M 132

2. Sl E, T H Pl Rv, B, 1920 1343. Sl E, uc Bu ll p, W N l,

M, c. 1910 1374. Sl E, c , W N l, M, c. 1909 1375. Sl E, u H u Al, 189899 1386. Sl E, Ic u c, Kl, M, c. 1901 1397. Sl E, ucl G. N ll c

D, Kl, M, 1901 1398. Sl E, T Mcz, Kl, M,

1906 1409. Sl E, l 14010. Sl E, pl l 14111. Wllc Nu, V Bl, 1922 14312. E S. u, T V RcNv, c. 1904 145

13. Sl E, Applc c, 1897 146


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x Illu

14. Sl E, Pv , 1897 14915. Sl E, pl c, Su l, 1926 15016. Sl E, N M! I D M Pc k,

l, Su l, 1926 151

17. Au, Sl E pp l l,l, Su l, 1926 15218. Sl E, l l, l, Su l,

1926 15419. Sl E, c, D cu

(cpp), l, Su l, 1926 15520. Sl E, lcp , u 15621. Sl E, D , c. 1905 15722. Sl E, lcp , 15823. Sl E, D Bc Ol Pc 16024. Sl E, v B 161

ChaPter 6

1. B, Dup Auuu W, c. 184647 1662. Auuu W, S Bull W, c. 1853 1693. Auuu W, Elpl A Bull, c. 1853 1714. Auuu W, H Hul Su, c. 1852 1715. T D Gll, , 1851 1736. A H Dl , Oc 8, 1852 177

7. Vw Mv Ac, u up Auuu W, 1856 183

8. Auuu W, Acu McGll, c. 1854 1859. Auuu W, u (McGll l ), c. 1854 18510. Auuu W, Bl Y, c. 1857 18711. Auuu W, B. Y, c. 1857 18812. Auuu W, E M, c. 1857 18813. Auuu W, S S, c. 1857 18814. Auuu W, E R, c. 1857 189

in the CroWd

A S Mcll S 193

ChaPter 7

1. c. El, Au G , Oc 25, 2003 1962. c. El, Au G , N 8, 2003 1993. pl. l G Spc. S H, Au G , N 7,

2003 2044. T , Au G , N 4, 2003 206

5. Au G , N 2003 207


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Illu x

6. T cu Spc. S , Apl 2003 2097. c. El, Au G , N 4, 2003 211

untitLed (abu ghraib)

A S Mcll S 213


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aCknowLedgments

Tis book owes a great deal to many people and institutions. A RogerB Rc, Scl A Iu c,lp pc , cul Ec-en Gn o saiC enbled e o ecue eenl ge nd

reproduction permissions. For supporting my research on chapter 5,

I ul l M W W llc N El Sl Muu, Kl,M, pcll ul, ll Gul, Mc.

I geul o e oppouny o peen wok n poge ll u cc: Dp E-l, Unvey o Louvlle; cl Iue Speke See, Un-

vey o onneccu; ene o Acn Aecn Sude,

Pnceon Unvey; Hune Reec ene, Rce Un-

vey; ulul Sude Depen, olub ollege, -

cgo; Mne Hocl Socey; Depen o A Hoy, Un-

vey o ex; Inue o Reec on Woen nd Gende,

olub Unvey; Depen o Hoy, Noen IllnoUnvey; Bvn Aecn Acdey, Munc; Depen

o Leue, Unvey o lon, Sn Dego; Vul ulue

Wokop, Unvey o Mcgn; Depen o Engl, Un-

Kuc; l W Gup, ; - Ill, c; Dp El, M-ou; Aecn Sude Depen, Ruge Unvey; ollege

o M ouncon nd Med A, Souen Illno Un-

; G Ac Wp, Mc;Icpl N u Su Ac; ulul


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x Acl

Studies Association; Great Lakes American Studies Association; Visual Cul-

u , Wc; Ac Su Dp, SLouis University; Durham Centre or Advanced Photography Studies, Hat-

l ll, Du, El; M W Wollecon, Unvey o New Englnd. Fo ee conveon I would

epeclly lke o nk Je lye, Elpe Bown, Sun Gfn, Ellen

Roenn, Ek Do, Jll d, ee S, M ue, Anne

, l , A, u Mz, S H,Hede Feenbc, o Decke, Volke Depk, Mcel Dvdon,

D Sl, S Bl, M Mc, Su W, ANl, , E Wlc, ul.

pe 1 w ognlly publed n Photography: Teoretical Snap-

, , A Nl, E Wlc (-: Rul, 2009), 98111, p Pp D Z,eded by Geoey Bcen (bdge: mit Pe, 2009), 24358. An

ele veon o cpe 5 w publed n Legacy: A Journal of

American Women Writers 26, no. 2 (2009): 34669, nd epned n n

exended veon n American Photography, eded by Ben Gockel n

cll z Mu (Bl: A Vl, 2012). Aearlier version o chapter 6 was published in Visual CulturesTransatlantic

Ppcv, Vl Dp (Hl: l W-, 2012). p 7 ll pul Nk: Jl -

p Ac A20 (2006): 7285. I ul ll p p pc .

I zed by e go nd bllnce o e woen n y wng

up, l, u qu, Mu Ell, l pc . S Sl lpe o ou e noducon nd gne e nex pojec, nd Pck

Rve, K M, nd Mud Lvn oeed ngul coen on oneo e cpe. I ve d e pleue o wokng w wondeul u-

Scl A Iu c; c-cl c c uc p. Sl cllu cl lp l l:K , A M, c R, K M, G Bl, Mu, Kll McK, Buc Rl, R , El, MMcN, S , G, Kpl u.

A u K, A, R up .


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Acl x

I plu ll K W. H lp p , I ul uc uu pc. I ul l l B pc cul qu.

I am indebted to my amily or their unwavering support and or pulling

ju u: u S, , SS, D Huc, Hl, Dl. M p u Mc, c pjc ll l . H cul I cul, , l , .


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Ic First PhotograPhs

Te poogp d o ee. Joep Ncpoe Npcepewe ple, poduced n 1826, peen n lo ndcenble

p lu . T c p pl HRno ene (hrC), e Unvey o ex, Aun, nd l-

u pp pu hrC cl pp, pl , u u, lx ppc , l u p xp . I , cl

o e . And Npce ple eve dcuon o begnnngll cu l c hrC pl pccull uc ( pl 1).V hrC c Npc pl. T uu u ll , . T, ln e dkened oo, bend Plexgl, lluned o bove,

e poogp, dplyed n n onenl gold e.

T xc u puc u c l. I

p lu lc.I ecenly de p o ee poogp. A I eneed e

cll , c pcto entertain me with stories about the making and provenance o the

pp, u cqu p hrC,u xp cc p c pp c. A p, I p ul I cul ju l c I l ,

upp- Npc u cu- u, G, S-up--V, c. T p-


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2 Iuc

gp ow, oug dene opec ze, evel cecul

pewll nd owe nd pced oo. Te geoec o e

c p l, pzl , u c . H pp

p: T pcu l l [Npc]p u u. I c lp , p p . ppxcll, , ll uc cp cppp Hlu G c c l-oy o e En Kodk opny n e d-wene cenuy. O

pp c cp ll l c uu pp pz u upl.

Npce clled poogp elogp, e wng o e un.H p pl 16.5 c ll 20.5 c- c u u, c xp ou n ce w bconvex len. He en wed e ple w

ol o lvende nd peoleu o eove e buen no dened by

light. What remained xed to the plate, traced in bitumen on pewter, is the

u , Npc u p lou coneplng dung e ye o wok nd expeenon.

Te ge ovely ege e poogpe pon o vew, nd wlell pp , Npc pp c ul l plc c cjupp.

W l pl hrC p pl l , cl p pp.A, l u, pp l l c e ple el. I, Wle Benjn uggeed, og uound

pp, cu l , Npc zge ee n ppope neon nd epo o e ogn

u. Oc , pp . Npcple, nd elboe ng, unwngly glg e lon o

poogpy even ey eld begnnng. I neeed n

ul cu uc, pp, , lu, .

Mo ely poogpe nd coeno veled ow uc

poogp dd vully ecod ow uc could be een n poo-gp, nd ow uc oe, n c, n w nolly een w e


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p 3

nked un eye. Te B nveno Wll Heny Fox lbo cele-

c ul pc u xp xl . I 1840, l p-ucl, -p p cqu, u p-

p ul l , - cu. T hrC u l l l p o cloype negve, well ou publcon, Te Pencil of

N, p-llu . A Npc lp,I up hrC x pp c x- l 1840. T I qu p, I p u .

lbo l pn e yeou nd copellng, e el en-

c ll l c u x. T exeely ded, bely vble n o deep puple- blue nd be on

ll pp. I cu l p le ge, llowng e o evpoe. O pep ey e odng

, p pp l. V p , , -l l cu. O l , ul c u p l

c . T p , cpu .

T -u ppc pl clu T Pcl Ne uc oe clely legble. Te ge nclude cecul ude,

photographs o statuary, collections o china, glass, and books, scenes rom

l, cp p x, cc pp cl lc l, l ccp cu -ce e ecnologcl cpble o poogpy. lbo celebe e

pp pl pplc cpc c-lu jc lcl qu, l pucand alter the scale o texts and other artworks, and to record scenes o daily

l ccuc.l l c , c-

l c u:

T gne e objec wo o ee e, nd oen dcloe

ulude o nue del, wc wee pevouly unobeved nd


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4 Iuc

uupc. I qul pp, c o poogpy e opeo el dcove on ex-

, pp l , pc . S cp

u up ul, p plc l, -coveed upon e wll: oee dn dl- ple een, nd

upon unconcouly ecodede ou o e dy wc e

.

Ple 13, depcng e ennce gewy o Queen ollege, Oxod, o

c cu cp, c clc l cu, 210 ll c ( uc-

u 1).lbo enu o del unconcouly ecoded n poo-graph resonates powerully with what Walter Benjamin would later call the

pcl uccu. Dc pcl uccu p-p l, Bj z pp l l uull pcp. W c, xp cl-up, pp luzeeng, kng new wold vble beyond e l o nul un

. u l cl x l pp -cl x l, Bj l l pp pc p: T l p pl pc c l, u u-cle: evel enely new ucul oon o e ubjec. He

u ll pp l c, l cu l, l pp l cpl. Bu Bj p-c , pcl uccu, l uc l l pll pc. Bj, p-

p pl cl l pul u, level ng neve could be een w e unded un eye.

El f u p l c p l cu uccul p pc u-u pc ccul xpl. A pp u , l u uc , uc blnd. Te opcl unconcou noduced by poogpy deeply

uc l, l c -

l u.


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p 5

A Rl Ku u T Opcl Ucc, Bjcul pcl uccu ue. Fo Benjn, e ce knd o poe, n nuen

l , c p l l. Bu, Ku , u cl l c ccl cx p cul, l, uccu. S

p wy w Benjn, en, n ode o puue e unconcou xlz ul l up . Ku - uccu, uccu, l cl pccup pjc uccu l ul. I p pcl uccu, I u Bj pp. I pcl qu, pp uc, ul l c c

exend powe, e vul wold doe no, el, ve n uncon-

FigUre intr0.1 Wll H x l, Q ll, O, Ec Gw,pl 13 T Pcl N (: , B, G ,1844).


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6 Iuc

cu. p xp l l, u l xp l, plcl clcl. El , ulul ll l l, e unnevng ene o lvng n wold only plly peceved. Hee,

then, the optical unconscious is the recognition o ordinary blindnessthe

l u l pp ull cl, u u l. p A G cll l l. I u .

Bj l p u u ce nvoke e unconcou o expln e ce ecnologcl ec.

He deene w e cll e opcl unconcou o w e

u cul uccu up plll uf ucu: I u pp c exence o opcl unconcou, just as we dcove e nncul

unconcou oug pyconly. I pyconly dcove e

(nncul) unconcou, pycc poce e concou nd cnno

know, photography discovers the optical unconscious, a visual dynamic the

c . A (cul) uccu u, pcl uccu u. u u cu ul

p xpl uccu, Bj lu pcl xpl u pp u l. I u l l, I llc l pclcll l c u- pp uc, ull -c Bj ( Ku) cz (cul) u-ccu pcl uccu.

Seged Kcue lo popoed one o poogpy (nd

l) o kng ccec cpcy o evel ng no-lly uneen. Suc ng nclude e ll nd e bg, e n-

, , cplll, l p . Kcu, Bj, c cl l cpu unded eye cnno ee, kng one newly we o dden wold. Bu

Kcue blnd po o e nd lo nclude oe ng b

pjuc p u c. I , l p culul, pl pcl, p-

py expoe. Te ce evel n uc blnd po unconvenonlcoplexe, wc odnly go unnoced, e eue, nd e l-


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p 7

, . A MHnen gued, Kcue un o poogpy no only o c-

pc ull c l, u l l ulz l ll : I Kcu u l c

u pp, cu ppc p e peplexng bly no only o eeble e wold depc bu

lo o ende nge, o deoy bul con o el-deny nd

l. T c l x-. I c puu p l ccu, uc c , c lc , pcl l, pc ul x . T c- pcl culul l .

I pu l l u , p-p l l l, u cpcy, ecnologclly, culully, nd oclly deened. Indeed,

Jonn y gued poweully, by e e o poogpy

, l cu, l u p-u ccpulz W l. N l l,bced cpcy o n obeve eped o e vul eld, ex-

epled by e ce obcu, von w newly undeood o be n

, plcl pc. W I c , llBenjamin and Crary, is a urther destabilization o vision, a historically new

c l, lu, l p p-p ul cl pxcll uc. A M p-cl, T c x c-cl u cu, pp ll u , pp cl xp u ul xpc x . H, -

c l lp u cc u . A Bj cp pcl uccu u, p pp l l ul l, u l ll cul , , .

My undendng o von pyologcl poce, o eeng nd

, l l Hl ul, ocl c. In conce w col o vul culue, y nly

pcp ccl W. . . Mcll c

, u p ll, pccll x-pl c uc pp.


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8 Iuc

Qu u l p l plpcl cu- u u , , u cl cu. I uc qu-tions, introduced by photography, subsequently invite us to look diferently

at photographs as historical and cultural artiacts. What resides at the literal

pcl pp? W ju u ? W c cu pp cu ? W c cu culul cu ucu ? W pl ppcll?

Poogpy evoluonzed pecepon, kng e nvble vble.

Bu l ul l, , ldemonstrated how much ordinarily remains imperceptible. In other words,

pp l l u f pc cp. u, x l l,poogpy lo uggeed oe ng would en oeve ou

o g. Ju von no endlely expndble, poogpy

l. T xpu pp pf c l pxcll l l. p u u, pp u .

T Sp p

N ppc l ul u p pp. Sp pp pup cu ccul l ccl u . Mp l c, pp pz uc l pcl uccu.

In e nneeen cenuy, p poogpe ezed upon e de

e ce could cpue wold beyond g, nd ey pupoed ccll l l cul . Bu -pu l l l l; , x-p pp l p pul l . I pp c cul c u cul , p pp pp c cul c ul ,uc p ( uc u 2).

Inee n p poogpy w wdely encouged by e dvennd ped o Spul n e Uned Se nd Euope n e d-


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FigUre intr0.2 Wll H. Mul, . Gl, 186275. Alu lp, 9.5 5.7 c. T . ul G Muu, Al.


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10 Iuc

cu. Bl p ; u Spul p p xc pu l, l, cc . Spul l- upul, u cu p u-

l l cuc p -pcl cenc nvegon. A e w o vey e peence

p, Spul cc f p ,ocued ound edu. Mneon wee oug o povde ev-

c p xc u pp, uc , p, p jc.

, 1848, l x , pcl cul cuc p u pp, Sp-

ul w doned by udoy councon beween edund e p wold, p counced w e lvng v ound,

oug knockng nd peec. Spul beleved p lelly

counced oug edu, nbng e bode nd cond-

c cp u p l. H,cc Mll McG, 1870 c Spul u . . . plll -lp pp. Icl, p -

l, c l cu l c ul pp c . T p p-ul pc cl u ul , pp cll up c c p ppc l u l c u.

Wle poogp o edu wee degned o ecod e epe-

l u l u pul cc u ,p pp u c ppc ul-

l u u c p -l. l cu pp u c, ppoogp conued dnc gene o udo poue, n wc

p , l p p pc. Sp pp pcl l, u cl ul l u. I, pp c cul cpu p ppc ul c cul

no be een by e un eye. Lke poogpy ely coeno,nd Benjn le, ey gued e ce nd poogp could


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p 11

cpu cul , pl x uc cl ul l, u c p up-ul l.

I 1861, Wll H. Mul p pp B-

lp cl , H. Euc cl p u c l px. A lc, Mul p pp pp convenonl ce-de-ve o cbne cd po. Tey peen en

nd woen poed n on o pln udo bckgound, eed, poo-

p up, u l c, lf ppc . A uuull l xp pc l ul, up cl

pc pc ccup l o noe gue. In ny o e ge, nely npen gue

l c l ujc pp (pl 2).

Mul p pp zl p. Sl B p u N Y, . . Bu uu l B. D Mul c ll p -

pp ll u qu pc. Bu ll ul 1869, Mul c u. Tl c u l p pp u l Spul. Poogpe nd Spul lke eed e l,

pp pcu, Spul- . . . Bu, xp c cc p pp, cll pcu. Tju ll ul Mul, cl lu l

p pp u cp, pcu lo ke convncng ce. Te pe, wc ollowed e l cloely,

p ju up Spul pl.

No ll p poogpe ed well Mule n e cou.

Nl, ll l p pp pul.E u c p pp u I Buu cc u, xp pc cp cu

by decbng ow e de ge, ny o clen peed npcl c p pp. A cc,


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12 Iuc

Buu p p -p pp pl cqu puc u cll. cu p pp, c not what made spirit photographs interesting; instead, they appreciated the

pu , j p x, plu c.

Oe nonbelevng enu ebced p poogp e-

, u xp cu fc p. O not need to believe in the actual appearance o spirits on lm to see in spirit

pp l pc l . T p-, c, pul pc c

l.o twenty-rst-century eyes, the trick o double exposure seems so obvi-

u l p pp cu-ally registered the presence o spirits. However, through an interesting acro-

c lc, Spul l ccu ul xpu e ecnque o p e n e decepon o poogpe.

T u p u pp l cuc l czl . A Gu x-

pl, D. Al Rull Wllc, p Spul, cl p pp ul p p p ,u puc l lccp pup c. I , ppp cul c p uul . I c p, u puc c czl l pc. I p cul l u cuc u, cul u l

l, , cuc l.In this context, Mumlers photographs o spirits communing with photo-

gp o clen e pcully copellng. In one ge, Mr. Chapin

Oil Merchant& His Spirit Wife & Babe Recognized, ll dk ble

pu ppc , cl c u u l clu cu ( ucu 3). A l, ll u pp l l ppc p p . T c-

e o e lge poogpc e doned by n eeel we


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FigUre i ntr 0.3 Wll H. Mul,M. p Ol Mc& H Sp & B Rcz, 186275. Alu l p, z . T . ulG Muu, Al.


28/41

14 Iuc

l . B p l . T l z ll up ll p l.Acc Mll McG, W cl ul c p-

u, Mul pp l pp. Suc ul u cuc plc , p, u ul. I p u l cuc l, l l u l cuc . c cul , cuc- cul pp u ccul .

Sp poogpy undelne e uncnny nue o e opcl un-

concou, glgng e unnevng ene we lve n wold un-. T cl pcc x xpl p-p p l , p, pl, clp.p l l, - l .

T Vl Il Rc

A pp , l c l l cu . W p u- cu. A c u cpupoogpclly wll cully be een, becue, Kcue end u,

p culul c pcc x . AI Rogo gued, lookng nd eeng e lwy culully ccu-

c: W pupl c l . Wllul p u l p,

pl cllc, l c c .I S, c culul cp c l uc, pl l. A cl u, lc c-nzed n e peccle o we ny, nd wene oen exed

pl l. I, cl co oceully wen one ee w odnly obcued. A Rcd

D u, culul c l

cz uc p .


29/41

p 15

D ppc cl lpo ecue delzed epeenon o wene; l nd lgng wee

u p c. E l, 1844, jc pcll lcu ujc pp. H -u pl T Pcl N l u clu, , Su, u, pc culpu, ll ll p pcA; l pl, cquc ( -uc u 4). W c l l , qu xpu , p

pp l pc. pp,

FigUre intr0.4 Wll H x l, B Pcl, pl 5 T Pcl N (: , B, G , 1844).


30/41

16 Iuc

, jc u- ujc ull c-c cl.

O cu cu, ll -el objec blued no e culul wene o ubjec, poog-

p pl cl l l c culul cul . A c c l cl, u pp c c c p pl, ccl u pp e py ubjec ply p unnoced nol nd nul.

T pcc c c ccl u pp c- u lc , clvble ce nd e oe ncengly nvble ce. A po-

o we people bece ubquou, wene el pdoxclly , culul l p . W p pp l l, c pp.

A E S c , - u, pp .

T l xcl, u p-proach, a sensibility toward the revelations and limitations o photography.

Ec cp u f pp u u: pc, , pc , ublued by velocy, nolg, e cvl conc, nd culul epeon.

Mo o e cpe ocu on ely Aecn poogpe nd e

wok co e don o cenc, c, nd coecl poog-

p. T up, clu . Hll D, E Mu,

A . Rull, Sl E, Auuu W-on, owce e ulplcy o poogpc pcce n e Uned

S l cu l .T book begn w cloe edng o one o e o nuenl

x u pp, Rl B c. p- 1 cu B pplx p cll puncu, n eleen n poogp lunce e vewe beyond

pp l. B cl pucu ccl

l, u cul x u xplcl


31/41

p 17

p pp p- culul xu c xul. T culul l puncu epone, nd ce nd epoducon eege Be

l p.

p 2 xp up c xul uc cu c u . Hll D pclpp. T cp pp D pcl c ulphotographic denotation, extending the bounds o photographic represen-

l l. W l cu, D -pul ppc xcl p fl .H c pp l l. R cllDays extraordinary work at the turn o the twentieth century, including his

l-cucx pp, Op , lc l u,I argue that Day used pictorial aesthetics to rerame bodies captured by sci-

c cu. ll D pp cll cc ulu c ujc c .

Race and sexuality, as well as science and art, continue to be overt themes

cp 3, c cu E Mu ppc -on ude. Hee e pce beween poogpc e opee

cl p, c -

p . Nl Mu - u l c l pc . A pc p, qu ll , lp . T cp ccp - xp l pp, uc u ppc Mul.

p c cl pcp

nineteenth century, and chapter 4 explores its connection to the train. Mostobvouly en o npoon, e n w lo vewng pp-

u uc pcp. T knd o dn pnoc von, bu dd o lo de po-

l cl , u p. I l u l. T cp x pp pc , l l c would oon oblee. I ude Andew J. Ruell poogp o e

cuc cc Rl, l


32/41

18 Iuc

, ll culul l p c ulpp. E Rull pp l cu, l p uc.

none Snley Eon lo poogped vew obcued by

industrial progress. With a nostalgic impulse she re-created pastoral scenes

l u l cu. H pp ptemporal disruptions, staging pictures o the past, and thereby present sub-

jec doubly eoved n e. pe 5 exne Eon nolgc,

, pp ul l cl clz Ac l. E lz N l , u u xpl- Su. I f l

and critique tenant arming, Emmons also struggled against the limitations pp xp ccul l. A lc ul pl pp, l l x c ul cp. l-l, E u l cl Ac l lz, p.

p l l pl u uo Auguu Wngon Aecn nd Lben dgueeoype o

e d- nneeen cenuy. Begnnng w Wngon kng po- o Jon Bown, cpe 6 conde e encoune beween ubjec

nd poogpe nd e cvl conc oged beween e. I gue

W pl up p l-p, clz u -cz czp. H upperorm citizenship; they become sites through which national identity can

cl. W E l c - l l, W l , u up

c. H p l, ulto maniest new social contracts. Finally, his images make palpable photog-

raphys own blind spot, calling on us to recognize the photographer behind

c, pc l cju ujc .T l cp u

p. I ujc l pp -u Au G p, Iq, u p e unpecedened dpel. Te cpe gue p o e d-

up c u cll p,o epoduce culully uppeed ge o lyncng o n Ae-


33/41

p 19

c p. I Au G pp, woen, n woe ne lyncng w condoned, d euned n d-

u c. El. T l cp ogee e ed o ce, gende, exuly, nd nonl gnng

u uu pp -l uc c u plcl p.

At the Edge of Sightexploe e poe nd lon o poog-

p, cpc l l l . T p pp l p cu, ll l p. Ip uu x ulpu p ppc , cl qu- x xplcl cp. T ul cl

pon e no en o llue eoy, bu o uncon eoeclpp l. I ul pcc ll poogpy ely coeno. I eze upon e del ecoded n

poogp, enlgng e nd kng vble w le e l

o nul g. Fue, I y o cpue e uncnny ene o lvng n

wold uneen poogpy pee upon u. Te del e

pp l; l cl ppl u u . T

ul I puu pp l uneen, by vouly ocung on e exodny o exneou del,

ll , xpl c pp cl, u culul cu l . ll, p u p-py oug poogpy, o ollow decve nd clue o eeng

.


34/41


35/41

notes

introdUCtion

1. Geofrey Batchen, Burning with Desire: Te Conception of Photography (Cam-

bg, MA: mit , 1997), 125.

2. I bu pgp c b u Hy R -

wb. Acc Augu 5, 2010. p://www.c.ux.u/xb/p

/wp/.

3. According to Batchen, Gernsheim retouched the copy photograph with water-

cl lly bl w wg b g. T uc

u pgp u u b p p. I

wv w lk pgpy b l, w c g

economy o deerral, an origin always preceded by another, more original, but

v-qu-p pgpc c. Bc, Bnng wth Ds, 127.

4. Bc, Bnng wth Ds, 12325.

5. Wl Bj, A Sll Hy gpy, On-Wy Stt n Oth

Writings, trans. Edmund Jephcott and Kingsley Shorter (London: New Le

Bk, 1979): 24057, 240.

6. Nipces plate is my own ailed photographic window, like James Elkinss

trinity o selenite, ice, salt (34), which he uses as three models o photog-

py . . . vk pgpy qucy clly pg wl(212). H f l lk ug g (34)

jc pup pgpc pcy cu ug

on the opaque materiality of the photograph itself. Tese are his images of imper-

c vbly (28) u g (20); y g

c b (34). J Elk, Wht Photogphy Is (Nw Yk: Rulg,

2011).

7. lyp pp gv, k wx k p-

, wc p pp.

8. lb l ugg v pp y b cp


36/41

218 N

cu pl 3 T Pncl o Nt. Wll Hy Fx lb, T

Pncl o Nt (L: Lg, Bw, G Lg, 1844).

9. lb, T Pncl o Nt, 25. A Gfy Bc gu, lb

ubjc pcpl pcl p pgpy. I,

w xu p vy pbl u wc pg-raphy could be put. Batchen, Burning with Desire, 149. For an extensive and beau-

tiul survey o albots photography see Geofrey Batchen, William Henry Fox

lbot(L: , 2008).

10. lb, T Pncl o Nt, 40. Accg J uck, T, y,

w plu pgpy uc cuy pw: g

that the observer did not see at the time might be discovered later in a photo-

gp. Hwv, pc cl l vl u w

ly plly u p cl. uck, Nt Expos: Photogphy

as Eyewitness in Victorian Science (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press,2005), 19.

As Christopher Pinney has argued, However hard the photographer tries

xcl, c l lwy ncls. N w pcuy

puclu pgp gg vyg plc b

c, l bly c wll u ub g

excess. Pinney, Te Coming of Photography in India (London: British Library,

2008), 4. S l y, Iuc: Hw O Hl . . . , Photog-

phys Oth Hstos, . p y Ncl (Du,

N: Duk vy , 2003) 114, 67.

In his discussion o the accidental details recorded in photographs, Robin

Kelsey argues that albots interest in the clock ace is an efort both to high-

light chance in photographic representation and to salvage signication rom

by by pzg cpbl k (

u). Kly, gpy, c, T Pncl o Nt, T

Meaning of Photography, eds. Robin Kelsey and Blake Stimson (Williamstown,

MA: Slg Fc lk A Iu, 2008), 1533, 24.

F Elzb Abl, upv pl pgp pcly

bly xc ubv g y, pclly lgug. A -

gu, T c pw w l cu

wl. Abl, Sgns o th s: T Vsl Poltcs o J ow (Bkly: -

vy l , 2011), 78.

According to Jennier Green-Lewis, albot was particularly ond o details

g cy, wc w vbly l p-

gp. G-Lw, Aly : T Bckw Glc Vc -

gpy, Englsh ngg Nots 44, . 2 (ll/w 2006): 2543, 31.

Batchen goes even urther: albot concluded that the primary subject o

vy pgp w . . . l. Bc, Bnng wth Ds, 93.

11. Walter Benjamin, Te Work o Art in the Age o Mechanical Reproduction,


37/41

N 219

Illuminations, ed. and intro. Hannah Arendt, trans. Harry Zohn (New York:

Scck, 1969), 21751, 236.

12. Bj, T Wk A Ag Mccl Rpuc, 236.

13. A buully llu clg puc by S Fcc Muu M-

A cjuc w xb x -cuy ccpgpy vbl. S pclly y Kll y Sg :

cug Ivbl, Boght to ght: Photogphy n th Invsbl, 1840

1900, ed. Corey Keller (San Francisco: San Francisco Museum o Modern Art,

2008), 1935. As Keller argues, Paired with the microscope and the telescope,

pgpy cbu cpllg by vul vc wl

x b l u pcp (28).

In his discussion o albots nineteenth-century natural magic, Douglas

Nickel quotes Sir David Brewster, albots riend and colleague, who enthused

about photographys revelatory powers: Te photographer presents to Nature cl y, pwul w. . . . H u gv pcy

l wc y l ull ppc. S Dv Bw, qu

Dugl R. Nckl, lb Nul Mgc, Hstoy o Photogphy26, . 2

(u 2002): 13240, 136.

14. Benjamin uses this exact term in A Small History o Photography. Walter

Bj, A Sll Hy gpy, 243.

15. Wl Bj, T Wk A Ag Mccl Rpuc, 236.

p y gu: Ju g pply ccp g

vl w u y l cul , w l plpbl

pgpc cuy g b bl c y u-

xpl, cg w Wl Bj cll pcl uccu. -

y, T ong o Photogphy n In, 22.

My cu p pgpy blw puu l l quy,

xg pgp pup w ju uc y

uxpl.

16. As James Elkins has said, Blindness also happens alongside seeingthat is, it

pp whl w g (205), uc bl b pylgcl

pyclgcl (219). Fu, ublgy vl, lg p v

is not available to the conscious mind (222). James Elkins, Te Object Stares Back:

On th Nt o Sng(Nw Yk: S Scu, 1996).

17. Rl E. Ku, T Optcl Unconscos (bg, MA: mit , 1993),

179.

18. Ku, T Optcl Unconscos, 17980.

19. Avery F. Gordon, Ghostly Matters: Haunting and the Sociological Imagination

(Mpl: vy M , 1997), 16.

20. Walter Benjamin, A Small History o Photography, 243, emphasis added. As

J Elk gu, I ll g, c ju c,

pcl uccu bu pycly. I plll: ju c-


38/41

220 N

tual unconscious was revealed by psychoanalysis, so this optical unconscious

o tiny and ephemeral orms was revealed by the camera. James Elkins, What

Photogphy Is, 217.

21. A Kj Slv Fu Intptton o Ds, T l

the psyche to which that work is committed is at every point a visual model.Slv, Wol Spcttos (l Al, A: S vy , 2000), 84.

Sgu Fu, T Intptton o Ds, . Jyc ck (Ox: Ox

vy , 1999).

22. Siegried Kracauer, Teory of Film: Te Redemption of Physical Reality (1960),

intro. Miriam Bratu Hansen (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1997), 46.

23. Kcu, Toy o Fl, 4659.

24. Kcu, Toy o Fl, 53. Kcu xp up Bj pcl u-

ccu vy uc cc w Bj lg ccl pjc, wc

w lz ulz g kg.James Elkins has argued that photography also always shows us things we

wul v p , w , kw w ,

kw w ckwlg g. Wht Photogphy Is, 98. S l p. 174.

Elzb Abl cly u c cpcy by

g b pjuc pv u cg uy

vul culu gg S. Accg Abl, Bcu

y c c vlk w y c ,

p up cc gyg l wc p c v

y ( ). Sgns o th s, 79.

25. Kcu, Toy o Fl, 5357.

26. M Bu H, uc Kcu, Toy o Fl, vxlv, xxv. I

Kcu pgpc ppc l Toy o Fl (1960) , cc-

g H, lk cl l l W wk,

including his essay on photography, published in 1927, in which photography

g ugly bc cl pc c x-

p. H, xxvxxv, xx. Sg Kcu, gpy, T Mss

Onnt: W Essys, ., ., . T Y. Lv (bg, MA:

Hv vy , 1995), 4763.

27. Kcu, Toy o Fl, 5759.

28. J y, chnqs o th Obsv: On Vson n Monty n th Nn-

tnth nty(bg, MA: mit , 1990). Dugl Nckl -

lc vul u ubjcvy vw pgpc cu

Hy E Ntlstc Photogphy o Stnts o th At

(London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle and Rivington, 1889). Douglas R. Nickel,

gpy Ivbly, T Atst n th : Dgs to Pcsso, .

Dy Kk (Dll: Dll Muu A, 1999), 3441, 37.

29. Martin Jay, Downcast Eyes: Te Denigration o Vision in wentieth-Century French

Toght(Bkly: vy l , 1993), 124, 133, 13536.


39/41

N 221

30. Hl F, ., Vson n Vslty(Sl: By , 1988), x. Ncl M-

zoef has recently dened visuality as a distinctly imperial terrain in which

the right to look is circumscribed by colonial power relations. He nevertheless

pp cuvul c cllg uc cv lkg

l. Mzf g plcz vuly, bu vuly cl c ly ugg cc, b cll gz cc

c, lk lk bck. Mzf, T Rght to ook: A ont-

hstoy o Vslty(Du, N: Duk vy , 2011).

31. W. J. . Mcll, Swg Sg: A qu Vul ulu, Wht Do Pc-

ts Wnt? T vs n ovs o Igs (cg: vy cg ,

2005), 33656.

32. Lu Kpl J uck k l p pcv u:

Kpl, T Stng s o Wll Ml, Spt Photogph(Mpl:

University o Minnesota Press, 2008), 9; and ucker, Nature Exposed: Photog-raphy as Eyewitness in Victorian Science (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University

, 2005), 6768.

33. l ux, G Dlcc: Sp gpy E

Belie, in Te Perfect Medium: Photography and the Occult, Clment Chroux,

A Fc, Apx, D gul, Sp Sc (Nw

Hv, : Yl vy , 2005), 4555.

34. R. Luc M, Spul Scc: Rc F Dc

Sp Rppg,Acn Qtly24, . 4 (Ocb 1972): 474500, 481.

35. R. Luc M, Spul Scc, 482.

36. Suc cpl buy cg, w pl g cl x-

g, bv xly vu. S Dp Bk cu

H M Spt Rppng Unvl(1853). Bk, Bos n Dssnt: Spc-

tcl Poncs o Rc n Fo, 18501910 (Du, N: Duk -

vy , 2006), 1622.

37. Mlly McGy, Ghosts o Fts Pst: Sptls n th ltl Poltcs o

Nntnth-nty Ac (Bkly: vy l , 2008), 101.

See also om Gunning, Phantom Images and Modern Maniestations: Spirit

gpy, Mgc T, ck Fl, gpy cy, Fg-

tv Igs: Fo Photogphy to Vo, . c (Blg: I

vy , 1995), 4271, 51.

38. For urther inormation about Mumler, see Louis Kaplans edited collection o

py uc cu, cl cl cu

cu T Stng s o Wll Ml.

39. McGy, Ghosts o Fts Pst, 110. O x, l Gug, -

Ig M M, 51.

40. lu, Mul G, T Pct M: Photogphy n th

Occlt, l ux, A Fc, Apx, D gul-

, Sp Sc (Nw Hv, : Yl vy , 2005), 21.


40/41

222 N

41. lu, Mul G, 2223.

42. lu, Mul G, 22.

43. lu, Mul G, 2223.

44. McGy, Ghosts o Fts Pst, 110.

45. ux, G Dlcc, 51.46. ux, G Dlcc, 5152.

47. om Gunning, Phantom Images and Modern Maniestations, 66. Jennier

ucker also describes how spirit photographs were used in social networks o

cl (87). uck pv x ly p pgpy

Egl cp w Nt Expos, g y Scc F-

y, 65125.

48. As Geofrey Batchen has argued, spirit photographs ultimately were not about

, bu bu lvg, pg lb ug. Lk

l pgp cuy, p pgp uc- c ug wc lvg cul p y-

blclly w pc. Gfy Bc, Fogt M Not: Photog-

phy n Rbnc (Nw Yk: c Accul , 2004).

Louis Kaplan similarly suggests that spirit photographs unctioned as tran-

sitional objects in the work o mourning. Kaplan, Te Strange Case of William

Ml, 23132.

49. Wllc, qu Glg, qu Gug, Ig

M M, 66. Aw Glg, ., T Vl f: Mon

Dvlopnts o Spt Photogphy(L: Wk, 1894), 126.

50. McGy, Ghosts o Fts Pst, 112.

51. I Rgf, Suyg Vul ulu, T Vsl lt R, . Ncl

Mzf (Nw Yk: Rulg, 1998), 1426, 22.

52. Many scholars have made these points. Several salient examples include

Muc O. Wllc, onstctng th Blck Mscln: Intty n Ilty n

Acn Acn Mns tt n lt, 17751995 (Du, N: Duk

vy , 2002); Rc Dy, W, Scn 29, . 4 (1998): 4464;

Kb Mc, Wlco to th Jngl: Nw Postons n Blck ltl Sts

(New York: Routledge, 1994); bell hooks, Black Looks: Race and Representa-

ton (B: Su E , 1992); c Fuc B Wll, ., Only

Skn Dp: hngng Vsons o th Acn Sl(Nw Yk: Hy N. Ab,

2003); Mcl Rg, Blckc, Wht Nos: Jwsh Ignts n th Holly-

wood Melting Pot (Berkeley: University o Caliornia Press, 1996); Martin A.

Berger, Sight Unseen: Whiteness and American Visual Culture (Berkeley: Uni-

vy l , 2005); Mcl D. H, olo Pcts: Rc n

Vsl Rpsntton (pl Hll: vy N l , 2006);

and, of course, Frantz Fanon, Black Skin, White Masks: Te Experiences o a Black

Mn n Wht Wol, . l L Mk (Nw Yk: Gv ,

1967).


41/41

53. Rc Dy, Wht (L: Rulg, 1997), pclly cp 3, T Lg

Wl, 82144.

54. lb, T Pncl o Nt, 23.

55. I v l gu lg l Acn Achvs: Gn,

Race, and Class in Visual Culture (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1999) Photogphy on th olo n: W. E. B. D Bos, Rc, n Vsl lt

(Du, N: Duk vy , 2004).

ChaPter 1: raCe and reProdUCtion in Camera LuCida

1. Roland Barthes, Camera Lucida: Refections on Photography(1980), trans. Richard

Hw (Nw Yk: Hll Wg, 1981), 9. Subqu c p

x.

2. I am thinking especially o the ollowing works: Carol Mavor, Becoming: Te

Photogphs o lntn, Vscontss Hwn (Du, N: Duk v-y , 1999); J Spc, Pttng Mysl n th Pct: A Poltcl Psonl n

Photogphc Atobogphy(Sl: Rl , 1988); A Ku, Fly

Scts: Acts o Moy n Ignton, v. . (Nw Yk: V, 2002); M-

anne Hirsch, Family Frames: Photography, Narrative, and Postmemory (Cam-

bg, MA: Hv vy , 1997), M Hc, ., T F-

ll Gz (Hv, NH: vy Nw Egl, 1999); bll k,

I Ou Gly: gpy Blck L, Pctng Us: Acn Acn

Intty n Photogphy, . Db Wll (Nw Yk: Nw , 1994), 4353;

J Gllp, vng wth Hs , pgp by Dck Blu (Du, N:

Duk vy , 2003); Db Wll, Fly, Hstoy, Moy(Ivg-

ton, NY: Hylas, 2005); Sandra Matthews and Laura Wexler, Pregnant Pictures

(Nw Yk: Rulg, 2000).

3. I agree with Fred Moten that blackness and maternity play huge roles in the

lyc pgpy Rl B ly w c, bu I k

a diferent critical path through Barthess text. Fred Moten, In the Break: Te

Asthtcs o th Blck Rcl ton (Mpl: vy M

, 2003), 202.

4. Margaret Olin rst made this observation in her wonderul essay, ouching

gp: Rl B Mk Ic, Rpsnttons 80 (ll

2002): 99118, 1047.

5. Dv . H pv bgpcl , D-

ering Views: Roland Barthes, Race and James VanDerZees Family Portrait,

University o North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 1996, 1, 11. For urther inormation

about VanDerZee, see also Deborah Willis-Braithwaite, VanDerZee, Photogra-

ph: 18861983 (Nw Yk: Hy N. Ab, 1993).

6. I agree, then, with Richard Powells assessment o the limitations o Barthess

ly VDZ pgp. Rc J. wll, Lgu, ,

O Ac Ac A,Acn At(pg 2003): 1619, 17.

at the edge of sight by shawn michelle smith

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