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At first I thought these were cute little still lifes, but from the date range ... were these of scientific use during a period when color photography wasn't e
by abeppu 5y ago
At first I thought these were cute little still lifes, but from the date range ... were these of scientific use during a period when color photography wasn't easily accessible? I'm aware that color photography did exist and was producing pretty good results in the early 20th century. By the late 30s/early 40s, would it be surprising to still be using watercolors to try to capture and convey images where subtle color differences are important?
- detaro 5y agoLook at a modern-day plant or animal field guide. A lot of the time you'll find drawings, not photos. Getting color "correct" in photos isn't that much easier (esp in the past, digital workflows help), and drawings are flexible in presenting the right amount of detail, optimal perspectives and perfectly "representative" specimens. Of course with plants you don't have the problem of them running away and not sitting still properly, so you can pose photos well, but drawings are still done a lot.