The Blue And Gray In Black And White: A History Of Civil War Photography

The Blue and Gray in Black and White: A History of Civil War Photography

The first complete narrative history of Civil War photography, this work brings together the remarkable experiences of M.B. Brady, Alexander Gardner, George S. Cook, and other photographers, many of whom had careers stretching back more than two decades to the dawn of American photography in 1839. Step by step throughout the war, American photographers, North and South, advanced their craft to new heights, acting independently, but seemingly as if part of one great team, moved to act by a spirit in their feet. With their wet plate cameras, they produced many firsts, including the first combat action photographs, the first photo essays of news events as they happened, and the first photos deemed so controversial that they were censored by the federal government. Zeller also examines the impact of photography on average Americans.