Re: Victorian Glass Plate Cameras

I too am greatly impressed with the quality of early glass plate photographs. Neg size is everything. The larger cameras had huge 8”x10” glass negatives and the prints were contact printed (not enlarged), giving unbelievable detail and richness. In some photos I’ve seen, you can literally read the initials on the conductor’s uniform buttons. Lugging these bulky cameras around for outdoor photos was a huge pain, and their slow exposure times precluded “action” photography, but the results in the right hands were super. The current issue of “Railroad Heritage” magazine, produced by the Center For Railroad Photography & Art, has a small “Out of the Archives” feature on glass plate railroad photography. Fascinating stuff. It’s part 1 of 2, so I can’t wait to learn even more in the next issue.

Cheers,
Ralph