Center for Civil War Photography Matching Donation Opportunity

Here's a good way to make your donation budget go further. The Center for Civil War Photography does great work and is certainly worthy of your consideration.

 

At the 2013 Image of War Seminar last week, an anonymous donor proposed a matching donation challenge.  This donor will donate up to $5,000 to the Center for Civil War Photography if matching funds can be raised.  If you would like to donate towards this fundraising effort, please visit our website's donation page and enter "matching donation" in the comments section.

Early Issues of Battlefield Photographer Available for Download

This may not be new but I just found out about it. The Center for Civil War Photography has added downloadable PDF copies of Battlefield Photographer to their website. These are the issues from 2003-2010. Click here to be taken to the appropriate page. This is a great newsletter and I am really glad that I joined the CCWP. I highly recommend checking these out.

Upcoming Post--The Civil War in Color

Thanks go out to the good folks at Sterling Publishing for sending along a copy of their wonderful looking new book The Civil War in Color: A Photographic Reenactment of the War Between the States.

The author John C. Guntzelman has taken photos from the Library of Congress and as he says "These photos are no longer just dusty old pictures, but rather have become very real moments in time from our collective past, frozen forever in color."

Guntzelman has undertaken extensive research to try and make the colors as accurate as possible. He has really worked to get things such as uniform color, building colors appropriate to the era, hair and eye color of famous generals and many more details correct. While there is much to be said for the traditional Civil War era photos being in black and white this new book does look incredible at a first glance. With an introduction written by Bob Zeller, President of The Center for Civil War Photography this book looks like it has a lot of promise. I am looking forward to digging in!

Center for Civil War Photography 2012 Image of War Seminar

Register for the 2012 Image of War Seminar!

This year the Center for Civil War Photography's annual Image of War Seminar heads back to Antietam on October 5-7, 2012, for the broadest and most detailed program to date. Attendees will experience Antietam photography in all of its formats and learn about and exploit associated methodologies-indoors, outdoors, then, now, 2D, 3D, and even 4D experiences will bring the battlefield and its photographers to life like never before.

Hike the battlefield with Ed Bearss; see 3D presentations in black and white and in color by Bob Zeller, John Richter and David Richardson; with Garry Adelman and John Hoptak tour dozens of the sites where Alexander Gardner and his crew made pictures that shocked the world; see a special presentation by Tim Smith; see Robert Kalasky unveil his groundbreaking research on the study of shadows at Antietam; get a tour of historic Shepherdstown with Nicholas Redding; and see Rob Gibson record wet plate photos right where Gardner's crew did. Gain special access to restricted sites and get a free copy of the CCWP's forthcoming Antietam in 3D book, too.

CCWP's Ambrotype, Daguerreotype, Folio, and Imperial members will be invited to a private overlook from near the site of the Elk Ridge Signal Station and climb the Pry House attic stairs and look through the roof access used by General McClellen's staff during the battle.

The seminar will be based at the Clarion Hotel and Conference Center in historic Shepherdstown, West Virginia. Registration is now open online at www.imageofwar.org. CCWP members receive a $35 discount off the registration price. Also, all registrations submitted before July 31, 2012, receive an additional $30 discount off the registration price.

Center for Civil War Photography 2012 Image of War Seminar Announcement

Registration Now Open for 12th Annual Image of War Seminar This year the Center for Civil War Photography's annual Image of War Seminar heads back to Antietam on October 5-7, 2012, for the broadest and most detailed program to date. Attendees will experience Antietam photography in all of its formats and learn about and exploit associated methodologies-indoors, outdoors, then, now, 2D, 3D, and even 4D experiences will bring the battlefield and its photographers to life like never before. Hike the battlefield with Ed Bearss; see 3D presentations in black and white and in color by Bob Zeller, John Richter and David Richardson; with Garry Adelman and John Hoptak tour dozens of the sites where Alexander Gardner and his crew made pictures that shocked the world; see a special presentation by Tim Smith; see Robert Kalasky unveil his groundbreaking research on the study of shadows at Antietam; get a tour of historic Shepherdstown with Nicholas Redding; and see Rob Gibson record wet plate photos right where Gardner's crew did. Gain special access to restricted sites and get a free copy of the CCWP's forthcoming Antietam in 3D book, too. CCWP's Daguerreotype, Folio, and Imperial members will be invited to a private overlook from near the site of the Elk Ridge Signal Station and climb the Pry House attic stairs and look through the roof access used by General McClellen's staff during the battle. The seminar will be based at the Clarion Hotel and Conference Center in historic Shepherdstown, West Virginia. Registration is now open online at www.imageofwar.org. CCWP members receive a $35 discount off the registration price. Also, all registrations submitted before July 31, 2012, receive an additional $30 discount off the registration price.

Seminar Schedule Friday, October 5: 10:30am-12pm The View from Headquarters: Special access to the Pry house roof access, used by Gen. McClellan's staff, for CCWP Daguerreotype, Folio, and Imperial members only! 12pm-6pm Seminar check-in at Clarion Hotel 1pm-4pm Optional Programs: -Antietam battlefield hike with Ed Bearss -Workshop: An Introduction to Digital Photos by John Richter 4:30pm Preview of new Gardner photo exhibition at the Pry House 6:00pm Hors d'oeuvres reception 7:00pm Welcome 7:20pm An Introduction to Antietam Photography by Garry Adelman and Tim Smith 8:20pm Shadows of Antietam slide show by Robert Kalasky Saturday, October 6: By 8:10am Breakfast on your own 8:30am-4pm Battlefield tour: Antietam: Photos, fighting and more Photos by Garry Adelman and John D. Hoptak 5:30pm Reception and banquet at Clarion Hotel 6:45pm Slide show: Antietam in 3D by Bob Zeller and John Richter 7:45pm Slide show: The Civil War in 3D and in Full Color by David Richardson 8:45pm The Legendary CCWP Raffle and Auction Sunday, October 7: 8:30am Breakfast and presentation TBA 10am-12pm Caravan and walking tour: Shepherdstown: Historic Town/Overlooked Battlefield by Nicholas Redding 12pm Lunch on your own 1pm Wet plate demonstration and photo opportunities on the Antietam Battlefield with Rob Gibson This is itinerary is provisional as of March 15, 2012.

Book Review--Manassas Battlefields

Adelman, Garry E. Manassas Battlefields: Then & Now Historic Photography at Bull Run.  The Center for Civil War Photography. B/W photos. 63 pages. ISBN 9780978550882, $12.95.


In November 2011 I had the pleasure of making a very short trip to the Manassas battlefield. I would love to get back and have more time on the field. A book like this would be an interesting one to carry along.

Garry Adelman, Vice President of the Center for Civil War Photography, is well positioned and more than knowledgeable enough to have put together a work such as this. His credentials can be read here.

Owing a debt of gratitude to William Frassanito, Adelman has put together a book which should be viewed and read by anybody interested in the study of Civil War photography or either of the Manassas/Bull Run battles. Adelman has accessed collections including the Library of Congress, National Archives, Army Heritage Education Center, the National Park Service, and others, allowing his book to become as he says a "then & then & then & now" presentation.

The book kicks off with a very brief history of the two battles including a series of much needed maps. A discussion of photographers and photographic styles follows. Adelman conveniently groups his chapters and thus the photos geographically allowing readers or battlefield stompers to easily keep up. For me including GPS coordinates would have been a nice addition though there is probably value in not disclosing these as the well meaning but careless could do damage to fragile locations.

For me, including photos of areas such as the 5th Alabama having carved their moniker into a railroad bridge pier, the photos of grave markers, and the photos of veterans returning to the field for monument dedications bring a humanity to these bloody battles. The ability to see the changes and in some cases destruction of the battlefield are a key to this book and show the need to preserve these sites as quickly and fully as possible.

Part of Mr. Adelman's goal in this book is to lead others to study the many photos that are still unattributed. There are locations to figure out, names to be attached to people in photos, photographers names to be attached to photos, and prior errors to be corrected. With that in mind the book closes with a brief section titled "Mysteries and Curiosities". These are photos that show the broad spectrum of work still to be done in this field.

While brief this is a book that the reader can easily find themselves immersed in for hours comparing the old and new photos. For anybody interested in Civil War era photography or those interested in either of the Manassas battles this should be in your library. Art schools with photography programs would also be advised to add this to their library. Highly recommended!

Other similar reviews:

Gettysburg: A Journey in Time

CCWP--Guide to Finding Civil War Photos

The Center for Civil War Photography has an excellent article on their website for those interested in finding photos from the war or possibly a photo of that long lost ancestor who fought for the Union or Confederacy. In addition to suggestions on where to look there are also some good reminders regarding use of these photos.

Click here to go directly to the article. It's well worth a look!