The Société Jersiaise is an academic charity that’s concerned with the history, language, culture and environment of the island of Jersey. The SJPA serves this purpose by preserving and providing access to records. The archive is a unique and important cultural heritage asset for Jersey, documenting our archaeology, geology, ecology, economy, community, architecture and culture through 150 years of producing and collecting photographic materials.
The Société Jersiaise Photographic Archive contains over 125,000 items dating from the mid-1840s to the present day. It is the Island’s principal collection of nineteenth and early twentieth-century photography and reflects a rich history generated from our geographical and cultural position between Britain and France, two nations that were prominent in developing the medium.
It was founded in 1873 for the study of Jersey archaeology, history, natural history and the ancient language of Jèrriais. They have special events and the Lord Coutanche Library supports the work of the Société Jersiaise by collecting and preserving material relating to Jersey’s history. They are important resources holding family archives, local newspapers and almanacs, photographs, prints, maps and genealogical material. Visitors of the Société Jersiase may use the library by purchasing a Reader’s Ticket. As well as that they also have a photographic archive containing over 80,000 images, which can be searched via the Société website.
They “aim to promote the study of Jersey’s archaeology, history, natural history, the ancient language and the conservation of the environment”. Many of Jersey’s prehistoric sites are owned by the Société and are free for visitors to enjoy. It also owns many of the items on display in Jersey’s museums.
Société Jersiaise holds exhibitions and displays, collects artefacts and other items of interest, and also coordinates art scholarships which encourage the development of contemporary art by young Islanders.
In the time I was there, my class and I listened to a worker present what role she taken on when working for Jersey Heritages, Socitete Jersisaise. He film pphotographers used to develop photographers and what kind of photogroahers round the world decided to come to jersey during the perriod of time.
She mentioned that many photographers at the time photography was being more widespread and popular, it was a cheaper alternative to produce photographs in Jersey therefore known film photographers took photographs on the island as well e.g. Henry Mullins, Albert Smith etc.
St Helier’s Harbour has undergone significant changes from the mid-19th century to today. In the mid-19th century the harbour was mainly used for fishing and trading activities. Over periods of time, the harbour had expanded to accommodate later vessels and increased maritime traffic. In the 20th century, modernization efforts improved the infrastructure of the harbour making it a key for both commercial and leisure purposes. Today it stands as a bustling centre for various maritime activities including ferries e.g. day trip to St Malo, Southampton etc., fishing boats and yachts, contributing to the island’s economy and tourism sector as well as events such as the “Boat Show” presenting Jersey’s boat and yachts taking place annually which is important keeping the fun element of the Island.
The early developed harbour brings out a sense of nostalgia and history whereas the more modern day brings forth leisure and more environmental awarness as society becomes more aware with problems with water supply shortage and changes of the ocean.
When looking at the layout of the marina has gone through some changes as displayed here:
After the South Pier was completed in the 1820s, work began on the North Pier. This 2nd major pier had extended the protection of the harbour. It had provided a more sheltered area for mooring larger vessels.
The overall changes made over the years have been varied. In 1855 there were constructions made to improve docking space for ships (named after Queen Victoria). In the late 1800s the pier was enhanced for larger ships, as well as added facilities for easier loading and unloading.
In terms of post-WW2 they were repaired and updated for passenger ferries after damage during the German occupation and in the late 20th century, they shifted focus to leisure and tourism which includes modernised ferry terminals and yacht berths. In the present day in terms of development of the south pier is primarily serves as for ferry passengers and tourists as well as being upgraded for modern maritime needs.
The Albert Pier was built in 1874 to increase cargo capacity (named after Prince Albert).
In the early 20th century the pier was equipped with cranes and more modern equipment for efficient cargo handling. Secondly with the post-WW2 it was repaired after wartime use, as well as adapted to handle both cargo and some passenger traffic. In terms of recent years, the pier continues to focus on commercial shipping but also accommodates modern port activities and tourism.
Overall, both of their piers have differentiated and evolved from purely commercial uses to a blend of trade, tourism and modern port functions.
In the mood board I wanted to present the development of the Harbour and how it has changed through the different time periods, in the photographs presented. In terms of taking photographs in the specific location I want to focus on taking photographs that overview the harbour as a whole that presents the different types of boat and vessels that are positioned there. As well as taking photographs of different textures and different colours such as rough textures for the early industrial period like representing sand, stone etc which shifts later on to more smoother materials like e.g glass for the more modern period of time.
When displaying my work I want to search for old dated photos and compare them with most recently dated photos I’ve taken to see if there are any visible changes to do anything with the layout of the marina etc.
It is obvious that the St Helier harbour looks dated in the series of pictures on the left as colour yet wasn’t developed and the layout of the harbour was slightly different as well as the type of boats and larger vessels that would come in and out, out of the port.
Therefore in my mood board I wanted to start with muted sepia like and black/white tones for early phases from the left corner to transitioning into more vibrant colour themes as modernization and tourism especially plays a role.
Looking at my mood board I want to include a bigger picture of the harbour as well as individual pictures on a smaller scale to show a significance of a particular details of patterns, materials, colour palette as well as lifestyle.
Photography, at present, is the result of a series of innovations and experiments that have spanned centuries. Its origins are in the fundamental desire to capture photos from time in a permanent form. The documentary I watched delves into some of the pioneering developments that shaped the early history of photography, from earlier optical devices to chemical processes that allowed for the creation of lasting images. My essay outlines the milestones in photography’s history, beginning with the camera obscura, and pinhole photography and progressing through the contributions of key figures such as Nicéphore Niépce, Louis Daguerre, Henry Fox Talbot, and others.
In terms of the Camera Obscura & Pinhole photography, the earliest form of image-making in photography began with it. The Latin term meaning “dark room.” This optical device is based on the idea that light travels in straight lines. When light passes through a small hole into a dark room or box it projects an inverted image of the outside scene onto the opposite surface. The camera obscura was used as early as the 5th century BCE by Chinese philosopher Mozi and later by Arab scholar Alhazen in the 11th century to study optics. In the Renaissance, artists like Leonardo da Vinci used the camera obscura to aid in creating their realistic paintings.
The pinhole camera is a more portable version of the camera obscura, it emerged as an essential tool in the evolution of photographic devices. Both of these tools laid out the foundation for future advances in image capturing but they could not preserve the image beyond temporary projection.
The first advance in permanently capturing images came in the early 19th century with the work of the French inventor Nicéphore Niépce. In 1826, Niépce created the earliest known permanent photograph using a process he called Heliography (from the Greek words for “sun” and “writing, Heliography is in some cases still used today mainly for photo engraving). Niépce coated a pewter plate with a light-sensitive material, bitumen of Judea, and exposed it to light in a camera obscura. After an approximately eight-hour exposure, the bitumen (natural asphalt historically used as a light-sensitive material) hardened in proportion to the light it had gotten, and the unexposed areas were washed away with a solvent. This left a permanent image. The resulting photograph, “View from the Window at Le Gras” is the earliest surviving picture example.
In the 1830s, Niépce’s partner, Louis Daguerre, refined the process and introduced a new direct positive method called the “daguerreotype”. This technique involved exposing a silver-coated copper plate to iodine fumes, which made it light-sensitive. After exposure to light, the plate was developed in mercury vapor and then fixed with salt water. The daguerreotype process, announced to the world in 1839, dramatically reduced the exposure times to about 20 minutes (rather than approximately 8 hours) and produced much sharper and more detailed images than Niépce’s heliographs.
The daguerreotype quickly gained widespread popularity, particularly for portraiture. hey were also low cost compared to paintings. Its detailed and reflective surface created stunning, lifelike images, and it was commercially viable, leading to the establishment of portrait studios in cities worldwide (At the end of 1839 in Paris they were referring to the new disease as Daguerreotypomania). However, daguerreotypes were unique images—there was no way to reproduce them easily, a limitation that would later drive further innovations. This is why they are so important as they made it possible to capture the image seen inside a camera obscura and to preserve it as an object.
While Daguerre was refining his process, across the English Channel, (British scientist) William Henry Fox Talbot was independently working on another photographic method. Talbot’s invention, the calotype (also known as the talbotype), introduced the concept of the negative-positive process. By exposing paper coated with silver chloride to light, Talbot could create a negative image, which could then be used to make multiple positive prints by contact printing. This process, which was introduced in 1841, was slower and produced softer images than the daguerreotype, but its ability to produce multiple copies was a game-changer.
Henry’s work also presented the way for photography as a reproducible art form, and the calotype is considered the forerunner to modern photographic processes. His photographic experiments with nature, architecture, and objects expanded the range of subjects captured by early photographers.
As photography grew in popularity, there was a continual search for processes that would combine the simplicity of the daguerreotype with the reliability of the calotype. This led to the development of the wet collodion process in 1851 by Frederick Scott Archer. Collodion (a sticky substance) was used to coat glass plates with light-sensitive chemicals. These plates were then exposed and developed while still wet which allowed for shorter exposure times as well as higher-quality images.
The wet collodion process allowed for multiple prints, like the calotype, but with much sharper detail, akin to the daguerreotype.
However, Richard Maddox noticed that his health was affected by the collodion’s ether vapor and he began searching for a substitute. In 1871, he suggested a new method. In the British Journal of Photography, he published an article on ‘An Experiment with Gelatino-Bromide‘. In the article he described that sensitizing the chemicals cadmium bromide and silver nitrate should be coated on a glass plate in gelatin, a transparent substance used for making candies. Charles Harper Bennett then created the first first gelatin dry plates for sale. This was before the emulsion could be coated on celluloid roll film.
It became the “dominant” photographic process for the next few decades. A variant of this process, the tintype, became popular for its portability and affordability. Tintypes were made on thin sheets of iron (not tin) and were commonly used for portraiture during the American Civil War.
By the late 19th century, photography had evolved beyond being just a scientific tool or a commercial medium. It began to gain recognition as an art form. Movements such as Pictorialism sought to elevate photography to the status of fine art by emphasizing its aesthetic qualities. Pictorialist photographers like Julia Margaret Cameron and Henry Peach Robinson used soft focus, elaborate compositions, and symbolic subject matter to create images that resembled paintings. They believed photography should express emotions, ideas, and beauty, rather than simply document reality.
The Platinum Print and Gum Bichromate processes were popular among Pictorialists because they offered more control over the tonality and texture of the image, allowing photographers to create unique and expressive works of art.
A significant milestone in photography’s history came with the invention of roll film by George Eastman in the late 19th century. Eastman’s company, Kodak, introduced the first consumer camera in 1888, famously marketed with the slogan: “You press the button, we do the rest.” This innovation influenced photography by making it accessible to the general public. Before this, photography was a complex, labour-intensive process that required knowledge of chemistry and access to expensive equipment. With the Kodak camera, anyone could take pictures, send the film to Kodak for processing and receive their prints by mail.
This democratization of photography had profound effects, as it shifted the medium from a specialized field to a mass cultural practice. The introduction of film also marked the transition from glass plates to the flexible, plastic-based medium still used in modern analog photography.
The documentary “Fixing the Shadows” introduces us to photography’s early pioneers, but the evolution of the medium goes far beyond those first experiments. From the invention of the daguerreotype and the calotype to the rise of mass-market photography with Kodak, each technological advance built on the last, pushing photography closer to the modern form we see it today.
Through these developments, photography transformed from a novel way to “fix shadows” into a product of mass communication and an art form. The constant interactions between science, industries and creativity has ensured that photography remains one of the most influential and versatile media in the modern world. Its origins are a blend of art and technology that continues to configure how we see the world.
Picture stories are a way to convey narratives through a series of images that collectively tell a story or evoke a particular mood. When doing street photography in a place like Saint-Malo, picture stories can be used to document the essence of the city, capturing its atmosphere, people, and daily life in a visually compelling way.
They allow the photographer to go beyond single moments and instead present a broader, more nuanced view of the surroundings.
In Saint-Malo, a photographer might use a picture story to capture the rhythms of daily life—locals going about their business, fishermen preparing boats in the harbor, or street vendors selling goods in the market. Each image can be a chapter in the story of the city’s lifestyle.
It’s a city steeped in history, with its fortified walls, cobblestone streets, and old-world architecture. A picture story could capture the contrast between the historical aspects of the city and modern life, showing how the old and new coexist. This could include shots of tourists exploring ancient buildings or modern street art juxtaposed against centuries-old stone walls.
Picture stories can focus on the unique cultural elements of Saint-Malo. This could include capturing the Breton culture through traditional clothing, festivals, or the distinct maritime heritage of the city. A series of photos could tell the story of local customs, such as the importance of seafood to the region, showing fishermen at work, bustling markets, and plates of fresh oysters being served.
Street photography lives off candid shots of people in public spaces. In Saint-Malo, a photographer might tell a story of human connection, loneliness, or community by capturing fleeting moments like children playing on the beach, elderly couples walking along the ramparts, or locals sharing a drink in a café. Each image contributes to an emotional narrative about life in the city.
It is also a coastal city, and its environment shifts dramatically with the tides. A picture story could explore the transformation of the same street or beach at different times of day—during high and low tides, bustling with tourists in summer, or quiet and deserted in winter. This approach can tell a story about the passage of time and the ever-changing nature of life in a seaside walled town.
So generally picture stories in Saint-Malo street photography help convey the city’s multifaceted character. They document individual scenes and weave together a larger narrative that can show this place’s spirit, culture, and history. Through thoughtful sequencing, a photographer can create a powerful visual journey that interests viewers into the picture story sequence.
Cyanotypes are a fascinating alternative photographic process that allows photographers to create images with deep, rich blue tones. Invented in 1842 by scientist and astronomer Sir John Herschel, the cyanotype process was originally used to reproduce notes and technical drawings (known as “blueprints”) but quickly became popular for its aesthetic qualities in photography and art.
The process is simple yet captivating: it involves coating a surface (usually paper or fabric) with a light-sensitive solution, placing an object or a photographic negative on top, and exposing it to sunlight or UV light. The areas exposed to light turn into a brilliant Prussian blue, while the areas shielded by the object or negative remain white or lighter in tone. Once the exposure is complete, the image is developed by rinsing the print in water, fixing the vibrant blues.
Cyanotypes are one of the oldest photographic processes, giving photographers a chance to explore a piece of history firsthand. The distinct blue hues are unique to this technique, evoking nostalgia and offering a vintage look that can’t be replicated digitally.
Unlike digital photography, cyanotypes offer a tactile experience, as you mix chemicals, apply them to your surface, and watch the image develop. This hands-on, almost alchemical process encourages students to experiment, work with their surroundings, and appreciate the science behind photographic development.
Cyanotypes encourage creative experimentation. Students can use various materials to print on, like fabric, wood, or glass, and can create images without a camera by placing objects directly on the paper for photograms. Toning or bleaching the cyanotype after development can also lead to a range of colors, making it a highly customizable art form.
The chemicals used in cyanotypes are relatively safe compared to many other photographic processes. Sunlight can often be used for exposure, reducing the need for expensive equipment, which makes it an accessible method for new photographers and artists to explore alternative techniques.
Studying it not only enhances technical skills but also deepens students’ understanding of the medium, inspiring them to think creatively and engage with photography as both an art form and a science.
In the print screen below I have edited it so that the layout of the photographs is even. I moved around the images so that everything is put together and so the writing is placed together and not that it would un-interest the reader if it were outside the images. I like the photographs I have chosen and I believe that the black and white adds to the element of of the “Mellow” title and overall atmosphere of it.
In this print screen I have included the development of the first picture story. I included the rearrangement and movements I made of the photographs as well as the rearrangements I made to the text. I liked the arrangement of the text at the top at first but then realised that the text appears more better in between the two landscape photographs.
In this print screen I have included different variations of my photographs that I took whilst in St Malo. The development of my picture stories can be shown as the title has changed, I played around with the words and made it bolder, the text writing had some adjustments and I decided to include a drop shadow. I have included as well a border around my images so that they differ a bit from the blankness of the background.
I like how it turned out as the picture story looks full of naturey colours and it doesn’t look too in the viewer’s face.
I believe that the picture story looks good with the drop shadow as it adds to it and doesn’t make it as blank and simplistic as it could appear in general. I decided to keep the white background as I feel it would look tol heavy wih am image behind to other imges.
In my final piece exam period I learned how to manage my time better so that I have time to manage every single step.
In order to cut the photographs to a satisfactory measurement, I used a Kraft knife and the metal paper trimmer as well as a long ruler to balance the other subject in a straight line. As well as using black thick card used to border the photographs and white mount board on all my final pieces.
Anthropocene Final Pieces:
Firstly, I focused on my Anthropocene photographs and decided to layer them horizontally on top of each other. I mounted them up with white behind so that the colour can pop and so that the photographs aren’t all over the place. The presentation of the photographs mean that they are easily seen by the viewer and they look interesting in the way they are put as there’s only three of them not four.
Presented in the image at the top, I decided to include a photograph I took at the reservoir in St Ouens and I used Photoshop’s artificial intelligence to dry up the highlighted water area in order to make it appear in a different time, potentially something as a result of the climate’s impacts. In the middle photograph I placed two images side by side to contrast each the as the image on the left is of nature and the yellowy branches, whereas the image of the right of it is of the zoomed-up La Collette tower flipped. I thought it was especially interesting to flip this as the black and white imaged flipped looked like some sort of structure that can be climbed up or some sort of puzzle.
Lastly, the image at the bottom is taken in a near by beach near St Brelades called Beauport. Along the trail there is a cliff which ha been photographed, in this photograph on the left where there are normally fields upon fields I artificially placed some virtual houses over looking the bay. I believe these houses look realistic despite being the opposite.
Landscape Photographs:
I placed and bordered my landscape photographs in white mount board to level my image as well as to have a white border around.
In terms of my landscape photographs I focused on taking them in a different positioned and direction despite being in the same location around.
I like the fact they are in black and white as it adds to the photographs and they’re textures, layers and other aspects like the outlines contrasting with the white elements.
I found it important that the photograph is close up as the structures of the land and nature are more prominent whereas if it were at a further distance the detail would not be that clear, there is one photograph which is photographed from a higher perspective and more distanced, on this occasion the photograph is further away but there are details which make the image more elaborate and full.
Urban Landscape Photograph:
In my urban landscape photograph I decided to present this individually as I think it is effective singularly. I mentioned in my plan that I would have presented it by itself.
In final pieces I decided to put them together, not in the way I shall compose final prints when mounting but in the virtual gallery as if it were in a exhibition. I find it important for the final pieces to be in the order similarly when presenting as it gives the effect of opposing features to juxtapose the anthropocene inspired photographs with the input of artificial intelligence.
In terms of this virtual gallery, I feel that the three landscapes demonstrated look like a continuation of a project as the photographs are very similar in terms of location, colour scheme and general appearance. The textures and shapes are obviously different, making the three photographs work well.
In terms of this urban landscape photograph I like the fact that it is the centre of attention and that it is very much singular as it does not correspond with the other photographs well. If I were to change anything in my virtual gallery above I could have removed the other plain white frames so the main urban landscape frame is the most prominent or had placed the urban landscape frame onto a smaller virtual gallery with a portrait like border.
In my final piece plan I plan to present my three black and white landscape photographs mounted and presented. I feel that the triangular composition looks effective and playful as it’s an odd number of images so it’s not exactly symmetrical yet the outcome still looks interesting and unique.
I believe that the composition between the photographs is good as the white blank space breaks apart from the rest of the photographs.
I decided to do this arrangement/composition of these photographs as it would have looked not as effective having the three landscape photographs individually mounted and presented by itself.
In this urban landscape image I decided to present it on it’s own as it would add to the photograph, not collaging/grouping the photograph means that it would be singular and individual compared to the others, that’s how it would be different and therefore make it unique.
I like the idea of presenting it by itself as there are many colours and textures included in the photograph which don’t need to be paired with any other image to add to it.
The image almost looks split as the coast line is directly contrasted from the sand textures from the bottom of the image to more than half way through it.
The opposing locations look symbolic and deserve to be individualised in this composition as it is presented better.
In terms of the anthropocene photographs, I’m planning to present the photographs mounted up and in a collage with the anthropogenic AI impacted images and in between those two image, I plan to put photoshop made collage as a contrast to the naturally coloured anthropocene photographs.
I believe this will look interesting as despite all three of the images being from the same topic, I feel that the black and white/ yellow coloured collage will oppose the other two images and will appear fascinating.
The screenshot above demonstrates what I may do, I will either separate the images and keep the white border around them as it may look effective rather than keep it all together.
Each of the photographs has a different colour scheme despite being similar structures/ land. The photograph in the middle counterbalances the others as the middle image is of a tower similarly to the one at the bottom photograph despite the in in the middle being more close-up, flipped as well as in black and white and the nature of the middle left
