Lecture and Demonstrations
On 19th Century Tintype Photography
The history and science that has led to the modern day photography as we know it can be traced back to the middle ages. The practical process of capturing an image began in 1829 by a Frenchman named Louis Daguerre who has been given the credit as the inventor of the process. Later on another process to capture images was patented by Hamilton Smith in 1856. Smith’s process was called Tintypes. Today photography has progressed to the use of digital cameras and computers and the use of film in cameras is near obsolete.
On Saturday April 27 at 1:30 pm the Young-Sanders Center for the Study of the War Between the States in Louisiana will present Mr. Bruce R. Schultz as guest speaker. Schultz will present his PowerPoint presentation on Tintype Photography and will actually demonstrate the process to the audience. Mr. Schultz uses the same chemicals and methods that 19th century photographers utilized. “I'm happy to answer questions about the process, and enjoy telling people how photography evolved.”
Tintype photography was very popular during the War Between the States. Both Confederate and Union soldiers were eager to have their photos taken to have them send home to their families. For a fee of $1 a soldier could have his picture made on a sheet of metal.
Schultz’s interest in photography began more than 30 years ago while a student at LSU working for the yearbook and newspaper. He later became a reporter at the Alexandria, La., Daily Town Talk, where he also took photos. Then he worked at the Shreveport Times as a photographer, and later moved to Lafayette, La., to head up the Acadiana bureau for the Baton Rouge Advocate where he worked for 23 years. Now Schultz works for the LSU AgCenter Communications Department, writing and photographing Louisiana agriculture.
Schultz said “Although I have worked mostly civil war reenactments, I will photograph any event with wet-plate photography, and I'm up for a challenge.” He also conducts demonstrations of the process for schools, libraries and other similar institutions. Anyone interested in having a Tintype Photograph can speak to Mr. Schultz at the conclusion of his presentation.
The public is invited to hear Mr. Schultz’s lecture on Saturday April 27th. The Young-Sanders Center is located at 701 Teche Drive in Franklin, Louisiana one block from the St. Mary Parish Court House. There is no fee to attend and refreshments will be served. For further information contact Roland R. Stansbury, Director at (337) 413-1861 or by email at ysc1861@aol.com