Photo Jottings

Our second post from the Watkins Glen State Park series shows Rainbow Falls, and is located about a mile from the entrance and parking area, which incidentally, was the subject of our first post here.  The image is from a 6.5 x 8.5" glass plate negative taken sometime in the 1920s.  To get an idea about how the scene looks today, go to google images.  If you look at the recent pictures, notice how the staircase has been enclosed with rock, as well as the railings along the left side.  A similar shot to the one above is located at...

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This glass plate negative showing a picturesque second empire summer cottage in the Hamptons was taken on August 27th 1884 at 10:40am, with a 5"x 7" camera, and Ross #6 P.S. lens.  If that isn't enough information, I can include the glass plate brand; a Cramer (57), with the iris set at F/22, and a 'quick cap exposure.'  How do I know this? Because I'm really smart and knowledgeable in this area---No! It's because the photographer recorded the information on the plate envelope!  This house still exists, see it here...

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Today's blast from the past features a glass plate negative of a 1903 Cadillac Tonneau, with three happy passengers in what looks like a pleasant Sunday drive.  The location is unknown, but possibly Florida or California.  I'm also going to guess the image was taken sometime within a couple years of 1903 as the cars back then didn't last very long.

The glass plates in this time period were Ortho type, which were not sensitive to red, so the images typically showed blown out skies, and reds looked black.  Judging by the very dark color of the car and makers emblem, it might actually be red, like the one below, but it could be black too.

Interesting observations...

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