1. Something Interesting or New
I was surprised to learn that photogrammetry was used as early as the 1900s for crime scene observations. I had no idea that such a scientific approach was used so early in criminal investigations, and it’s impressive how these early methods laid the foundation for modern crime scene analysis. Reading about Alphonse Bertillon’s contribution to this process, especially by reducing the manual work needed through orientation points, was interesting.
I’m curious how long it took to set up the process of documenting scenes and capturing images within a grid for precise measurements and accurate scene recreations. I often get measurements wrong, so I can’t imagine the pain of remeasuring and redoing the entire process for the perfect picture of a crime scene.
Album of Paris Crime Scenes, Attributed to Alphonse Bertillon, 1901-8.
Link: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/284718
2. Interesting Artistic Opportunity
One artistic opportunity made possible by scientific approaches to imaging is the ability to capture the passage of time, as seen in early photographs of solar eclipses in the 1800s. These images didn’t just record the eclipse but allowed for the observation of celestial movement over time. I’m incredibly interested in space, and if I remember correctly, images around this time period were even used to calculate the measure of distance traveled at the time. The ability to document these distant phenomena so early on, deeply impacted humanity’s understanding of space! Henry Rowland’s 1888 photographic map of the solar spectrum is a great example of how extended exposure and manipulation of light-sensitive emulsions provided a detailed glimpse into natural phenomena otherwise invisible to the naked eye. Technology has advanced so far — we now have solar glasses to observe eclipses and photography tools that illustrate greater detail and color!
I find the idea of observing processes over time, especially in space, fascinating—how light influences these processes and how different stages can be documented. The emulsion process and long-exposure photographs, in particular, offer an incredibly unique way to visualize phenomena that lie beyond our natural perception.
A long-exposure photograph reveals the apparent rotation of the stars around the Earth. (Photograph ©1992 Philip Greenspun.) Link: https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/OrbitsHistory