LC-DIG-ppmsca-13703

Popular Photographic Print Processes Represented in the Prints and Photographs Division

Scope | Table of Contents | Other Sources of Information

Scope

Included in this guide are descriptions and examples of photographic processes represented in the collections of the Prints and Photographs Division. The information is meant to help people understand the history, function, and production techniques of original photographs viewed either at Reading Room tables or in our online catalog as digital reproductions.

Some processes are direct-image positives, while others are printed from various types of negatives. We have provided a Chronological Listing to indicate which processes were in use at the same time and to assist with dating images.

Table of Contents

	Albumen prints
	Ambrotypes
	Calotypes (Talbotype)
	Carbon prints
	Cyanotypes
	Daguerreotypes
	Gelatin silver prints
	Gum bichromate prints
	Photogravures
	Platinum and Palladium prints
	Salted paper prints
	Tintypes (Ferrotypes, Melainotypes, Melanographs)
	Woodburytypes
	Chronological listing

Other sources of information about photographic processes

The British Library, Photographic Processes
http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/features/photographicproject/photographicprocesses.html

Image Permanence Institute. Graphics Atlas
http://www.graphicsatlas.org/

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Understanding Photographic Processes
http://www.metmuseum.org/blogs/now-at-the-met/features/2011/understanding-photographic-processes

The Museum of the Confederacy, Collections & Library: The Collections: Photos
https://acwm.org/collection/archives/photographs

The New York Public Library, An Introduction to Photographic Processes
https://www.nypl.org/collections/nypl-recommendations/guides/photographic-processes

Victoria and Albert Museum, Photographic Processes
https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/photographic-p

Compiled by: Kathryn Blackwell, Reference Assistant, based on text drafted by former Curator of Photography, Jerald C. Maddox. With editorial guidance from Carol Johnson, Curator of Photography and updates from P&P staff members. Last revised: Sept. 2017.