Union soldier photo help

[USSanCom]

I'm away from my computer today, so I can't look at my own resources. Would someone please direct me to the article on period photography that explains how to discern colours in original photos? I'm helping a friend with her family photos today and wanted to give her the info for future reference.

Any comments on this photo would be appreciated. We only have the scan with which to work at the moment, so I can't tell much except that it's a tintype.



Duchess Martin,
U.S. Sanitary Commission,
Columbus, O. Branch.

[minieball]

Re: Union soldier photo help

Its really tough, quite frankly to discern color in wet-plate collodion and daguerreotype images. However in a nutshell; collodion sees in the "Blue" light spectrum so light blue appears white, yellow appears black, etc. The image you posted appears to have been "tinted" by the photographer. Typically this was done with powdered colored chalk and applied with an extemely fine artists brush before the image was varnished. Sometimes they tinted the whole image but most of the time it was limited to red on the cheeks.

Virginia Mescher has written an excellent article on the subject. I will be gathering supplemental research for her continuing study by documenting the colors of clothing of folks that I make wet-plate photographs of. Should be interesting

Her article

http://www.raggedsoldier.com/photo_article.pdf

Hope this helps,

[USSanCom]

Re: Union soldier photo help

Thanks. I was familiar with the tinting. Virginia's article was the one of which I was thinking and wanted to relocate. I hate being away from my own references and computer.

I really appreciate your posting so quickly. I enjoy reading your posts.

Duchess Martin,
U.S. Sanitary Commission,
Columbus, O. Branch.

[ScottCross]

Re: Union soldier photo help

I played with the image on my computer and brightened it up to see the details. He is clearly wearing a four button fatigue blouse, which is opened to show his commercially made military vest. The trousers are definately tinted sky blue.

[USSanCom]

Re: Union soldier photo help

We have a positive id on the photo.

He is Edward Kane according to a letter found by my friend's aunt which mentions the photo. He enlisted from Lowell, Mass on 12 Jul 1861 at the age of 26 - Company D, 16 Infantry Reg Mass. He was discharged 24 Jan 1863.

Duchess Martin,
U.S. Sanitary Commission,
Columbus, O. Branch.

[yeoman]

Re: Union soldier photo help

Sir thanks for the article by Virginia Mescher.
If I may, I will pass on this link by a member of our forum, Diochra.http://www.1skinnygirl.com/sewingbir...colorwheel.htm
There are charts of the modern color wheel and wet-plate Collodion chart.
I do hope it helps.