Ghosts of past visitors

[SusanK]

I've been working on photography guide to a national park nearby (yes, depsite all the guides to NP's and this one NP, there isn't a photo guide of significance, just a few pamphlets or chapters in books). I managed to find an original print of an 1896 report with plates (prints) of the first scientific expedition in the NP (although it had been explored with camps and one settlement).

I'm currently scanning the plates (also investigating the existence of the original negatives and prints), but I got to thinking about these people and many of those that preceded us today who visit, hike and photograph the NP.

I've always been taken when I hike and photograph there, thinking about those before me, how nature survived the exploitation (including a golf course, tent camps, military exercises, etc.) where we seeing the result, people on one had and nature on the other.



This is a photo (original quality) of two of the team at the toe of the glacier (standing on rocks). And in 1896 they didn't have all the technology we have. The narrative in the report is fascinating, hiking in cotton and wool clothes and natural rubber raincoats, sleeping in wool blankets, and living on tea, hardtack and whatever they could scourge or shoot.

And the team member who carried a 4x5 camera around (ok, the horse did for much of it but not to the place in the photo) to record the trip. I would love to read the notebooks about the trip to gage where all they went and what they experienced. I know the summit trip almost killed them from exhaustion.

At the time there were few trails and they had to scramble through forests and over glaciers. They had ropes, ice axes and good boots, but not much else. I wonder if we could have done as much then and what they would think of us today. Times change perspectives, the ghosts of those who ventured there and the times since then.

Just a thought while working.

[SusanK]

Ok, some folks read the post. An update. I found the field notes from one of the geologist on the expedition in the agency archives, a handwritten notebook (in pencil) about the geology and rocks. The notes have sufficient date and place information to begin to determine where on a map and on the land.

And reading them, I wonder if he thought about the future of those notes. He wrote them for himself to review later and for future publications. Did he think 112 years later someone will be reading them (sorry I can read the original notebook - it's in Denver), and filed away the following year to collect dust until someone revives the ghost in the notebook?

On a following note I found the original 4x5 negatives of the expedition in the archives, about 30+ of them. I'm talking with them to scan them or allow me to scan them.

[KimMarie]

When I read posts like these I am struck by the notion of a "hand at work" behind all of this.

Someone's story is now being told and you are the vehicle for it.

I think it's way cool.

[Gina James]

Wow!4X5 negatives.The quality of those images will be staggering.>G<

[SusanK]

Originally Posted by Gina James

Wow!4X5 negatives.The quality of those images will be staggering.>G<

Yes and no. They're 1896 black and white negatives which have sat for all this time. It's easy to overscan them where you where the detail becomes lost. The film then simply didn't have the dynamic range or grain, and given time and people handling them, but their saving grace, as you say, is being 4x5 negatives, the sheer size saves a lot.

The USGS folks are doing an excellent job for capturing the current condition of the film (their goal), meaning they're not making any adjustments, simply doing a high resolution wysiwyg scan, including fingerprints, scratches, fading, and lots and lots of spots. And it's easy to see the limitations of the film, such as the blown out detail in the sky.

It's interesting to wonder, looking at this image, what they and especially the geologist in the photo, were thinking and if you could meet him there, what would he say to you. This expedition were the first white men to go in areas around Mt. Rainier then, the rest then simply wanted to summit the mountain or lounge in camps in one of the meadows.

The imaginary conversations with the ghosts of past visitors.

[Gina James]

Iv allways loved photography,mainly black and whiye.I think its really cool what your doing Susan.Maybe someday soon I can share a project Im cooking up.
I lent my enlarger to a friend about 15 years ago,I wnt after it a few years ago and found he and his wife divorced and he moved to another state....with or without my enlarger,who knows.Right now I cant afford to replace all that stuff.I was really sad when I found that out.My advice,dont lend your stuff!>G<

[SusanK]

Originally Posted by Gina James

Iv allways loved photography,mainly black and whiye.I think its really cool what your doing Susan.Maybe someday soon I can share a project Im cooking up.
I lent my enlarger to a friend about 15 years ago,...

I'm sorry you gave up the darkroom equipment. I worked in one (volunteered) in the service for nearly two years (got paid in outdated film, some still in the frig 3+ decades later) along with taking photo classes, and really hated it. Now I use a full digital production setup with film scanners. I'm more comforable with it but it's a whole new world. Add that and a 4x5 camera system, retirement is busy learning and doing, and learning more.

The venture into the expedition is an off-shoot of my real work but proving just as interesting, as the goal is to produce something of a review and updated description (map too) of their trip along with taking updated photos (same film size of 4x5) from the same locations (or as best I can determine). If I can gets access to the original negatives and notes.

This is where history and the digital world come together, to produce even better images and prints. And seeing the past come alive again, wondering about those folks then. Sometimes I want to sit down with them there and ask, "So, what do you think?"