AN INVISIBLE TEAR
AN INVISIBLE TEAR
AN INVISIBLE TEAR
In the nineteenth century, the facial and bodily expressions of a sitter within a photographic portrait were limited. These limitations were mostly due to the long exposure time needed to create the image.
In the nineteenth century, the facial and bodily expressions of a sitter within a photographic portrait were limited. These limitations were mostly due to the long exposure time needed to create the image.
In the nineteenth century, the facial and bodily expressions of a sitter within a photographic portrait were limited. These limitations were mostly due to the long exposure time needed to create the image.
To avoid motion blur and fuzzy images, the sitters had to stay still, with empty faces, generally leaning on a little table or at times supported by a hidden headrest; a common equipment in a photographic studio of that time.
To avoid motion blur and fuzzy images, the sitters had to stay still, with empty faces, generally leaning on a little table or at times supported by a hidden headrest; a common equipment in a photographic studio of that time.
To avoid motion blur and fuzzy images, the sitters had to stay still, with empty faces, generally leaning on a little table or at times supported by a hidden headrest; a common equipment in a photographic studio of that time.
When the challenge of long exposure times meets the Victorian mothersβ desire to have portraits of their children taken, the result is a hidden embrace.
When the challenge of long exposure times meets the Victorian mothersβ desire to have portraits of their children taken, the result is a hidden embrace.
When the challenge of long exposure times meets the Victorian mothersβ desire to have portraits of their children taken, the result is a hidden embrace.
Mothers had to disguise themselves as curtains, couches, chairs, and become an absence, in order to hold the children still and allow for the slow exposure time.
Mothers had to disguise themselves as curtains, couches, chairs, and become an absence, in order to hold the children still and allow for the slow exposure time.
Mothers had to disguise themselves as curtains, couches, chairs, and become an absence, in order to hold the children still and allow for the slow exposure time.
The mother literally becomes a backdrop.
The mother literally becomes a backdrop.
The mother literally becomes a backdrop.
Regardless of whether itβs the real mother of the child under the cloth or not, the mother is there, in our minds, but she is hidden.
Regardless of whether itβs the real mother of the child under the cloth or not, the mother is there, in our minds, but she is hidden.
Regardless of whether itβs the real mother of the child under the cloth or not, the mother is there, in our minds, but she is hidden.
The possibility that the photographer mirrors the mother through the gesture of hiding under a black cloth is poignant.
The possibility that the photographer mirrors the mother through the gesture of hiding under a black cloth is poignant.
The possibility that the photographer mirrors the mother through the gesture of hiding under a black cloth is poignant.
The photographer, to exclude the outside light and have a sharper view of the upside down image reflected in the ground glass of the camera, hides under the cloth.
The photographer, to exclude the outside light and have a sharper view of the upside down image reflected in the ground glass of the camera, hides under the cloth.
The photographer, to exclude the outside light and have a sharper view of the upside down image reflected in the ground glass of the camera, hides under the cloth.
The baby, without knowing whatβs going on, becomes the only person under light during the making of these images.
The baby, without knowing whatβs going on, becomes the only person under light during the making of these images.
The baby, without knowing whatβs going on, becomes the only person under light during the making of these images.
This situation encapsulates the weird inversion that is embedded in photography: the perverse and primitive nature of the photograph in which you need darkness to see the light.
This situation encapsulates the weird inversion that is embedded in photography: the perverse and primitive nature of the photograph in which you need darkness to see the light.
This situation encapsulates the weird inversion that is embedded in photography: the perverse and primitive nature of the photograph in which you need darkness to see the light.
The camera as an eye becomes the bridge that connects me to the hidden mothers regardless of all the efforts of hiding their gestures and desires.
The camera as an eye becomes the bridge that connects me to the hidden mothers regardless of all the efforts of hiding their gestures and desires.
The camera as an eye becomes the bridge that connects me to the hidden mothers regardless of all the efforts of hiding their gestures and desires.
In addition to veiling the mother, Victorian photography found other ways to place the mother at the visual and emotional threshold of both presence and absence.
In addition to veiling the mother, Victorian photography found other ways to place the mother at the visual and emotional threshold of both presence and absence.
In addition to veiling the mother, Victorian photography found other ways to place the mother at the visual and emotional threshold of both presence and absence.
Rather than hidden, the mother is cropped out in the process of propping her baby to be photographed.
Rather than hidden, the mother is cropped out in the process of propping her baby to be photographed.
Rather than hidden, the mother is cropped out in the process of propping her baby to be photographed.
The question is then, how much of a person or what body parts of a person should be present in the photograph?
The question is then, how much of a person or what body parts of a person should be present in the photograph?
The question is then, how much of a person or what body parts of a person should be present in the photograph?
Although hidden mothers are originally designed to make the viewer focus on the child, they turn into images that make one focus on the anonymous mother.
Although hidden mothers are originally designed to make the viewer focus on the child, they turn into images that make one focus on the anonymous mother.
Although hidden mothers are originally designed to make the viewer focus on the child, they turn into images that make one focus on the anonymous mother.
...she rests her head on the lap of this chair, as if it were her mother. βCarol Mavor, 1999
...she rests her head on the lap of this chair, as if it were her mother. βCarol Mavor, 1999
...she rests her head on the lap of this chair, as if it were her mother. βCarol Mavor, 1999