an illustration from “Photographic Pleasures” by C Bede dated 1855.
Toronto. In the days of Daguerreotype portraits, photographers opened studios illuminated by daylight. Given the slowness of the media and equipment of the day, many studios chose northern lighting. Sunlight from the north had softer shadows and a more pleasing ‘likeness’ could be obtained.
In 1855, the book “Photographic Pleasures” by Cuthbert Bede was published. This book, written and illustrated by Bede, poked fun at the new highly technical art of photography. Long out of print, Amphoto published a facsimile version in 1973.
The illustration at left is an example of Bede’s delightful work. Not only do you see the “Northern lighting, but the view camera and the studio fixtures for subject support – including a special head clamp. The text by Bede is a tongue in cheek explanation to the subject to ‘hold that smile’, no easy task with the slowness of the process and the mandatory head clamp … Room with a view indeed!
NB: The post title is from an E F Forster 1908 novel of the same title. Here is a 1928 song sung by Noel Coward himself.
