A day at the National Museum for Media

Spent the day (26th April 2014) at the National Media Museum. It was a day organised by the Royal Photographic Society who has its collection of images and other material at the museum. Included in the day was a tour of archives not usually available to the general public including the chance to view three of the images produced by Niepce believed to be the earliest photographic images produced.  During the tour we were also shown a number of examples of early daguerreotypes.  A closer inspection was possible with these images. There is a world of difference between the images we see in books of daguerreotypes and actual productions. The need to get right the angle of view to appreciate the quality achieved almost adds a sense of life to what one is seeing as the image suddenly appears. The other thing of note was that one was seeing a unique object as all such photographs were one offs.

In other cabinets were examples of early photographs by Fox Talbot and Fenton which whilst contemporary with the work of Daguerre used a different and reproducible system. Again the difference between the originals and those seen in reproductions was noticeable even not quantifiable or capable of explanation. At the end of the tour the Museum and the RPS had arranged an exhibition of originals by early photographers.

It also provided an opportunity to visit again the exhibition "Only in Britain" showing the work of Martin Parr and Tony Ray-Jones. A second visit inevitably provides more 'information' and perhaps a more critical approach to the work. My thinking was also affected by an earlier remark, made by a member of the museum staff, about the tendency to see all images by the same person as of the same standard with the work of Martin Parr being used as an example. I am an admirer of Parr's work but it has to be said that some of the images on show are not that good. He seems to care little about blown highlights or blocked shadows which may have been beyond his control but he seems unconcerned about verticals and horizontals. I suppose that it can be argued that these had to the charm of the images but in some cases the effect is distracting and mildly irritating.