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Manipulated photography before Photoshop

Manipulated photography before Photoshop

Electrical appliances for the home by Grete Stern, 1950. Manipulated photography before Photoshop

Manipulated photography before Photoshop
The Metropolitan museum of art has compiled a collection of photographs taken before the era of digital alteration which feature outlandish compositions. ‘faking it’ is comprised of almost 200 images captured between the 1840s and the 1990s. The exhibition takes place in the Metropolitan museum of art, New York city, USA, from October 11th until January 27th, 2013. The photographs in the exhibition were altered using a variety of techniques, including multiple exposure (taking two or more pictures on a single negative), combination printing (producing a single print from elements of two or more negatives), photo-montage, over painting, and retouching on the negative or print… in every case, the meaning and content of the camera image was significantly transformed in the process of manipulation.’

Manipulated photography before Photoshop

‘The vision (Orpheus scene)’ by Holland Day (American, Norwood, Massachusetts 1864–1933), 1907. Platinum print, national media museum

Manipulated photography before Photoshop

Trick photo of man standing on edge of building with 11 men in formation on his shoulders

Trick photo of man standing on edge of building with 11 men in formation on his shoulders

William Henry Jackson (1843-1942); Colorado Springs, Colorado, paste-up ca. 1913; Gelatin silver print and collage with applied watercolor; Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Fort Worth, Texas

William Henry Jackson (1843-1942); Colorado Springs, Colorado, paste-up ca. 1913; Gelatin silver print and collage with applied watercolor; Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Fort Worth, Texas

‘Lenin and Stalin in Gorky, 1922′ by unknown artist, Russian, 1949, gelatin silver print with applied media, Ryna and David Alexander

‘Lenin and Stalin in Gorky, 1922′ by unknown artist, Russian, 1949, gelatin silver print with applied media, Ryna and David Alexander

‘Two-headed man’ by unknown artist, American, ca. 1855. daguerreotype, Nelson Atkins museum

‘Two-headed man’ by unknown artist, American, ca. 1855. daguerreotype, Nelson Atkins museum

'Aberdeen portraits no. 1' by George Washington Wilson (Scottish, 1823–1893), 1857, albumen print from glass negative the Horace W. goldsmith foundation fund, through Joyce and Robert Menschel, 2011

‘Aberdeen portraits no. 1’ by George Washington Wilson (Scottish, 1823–1893), 1857, albumen print from glass negative the Horace W. goldsmith foundation fund, through Joyce and Robert Menschel, 2011

'Cloud study' by Gustave Le Gray (French, 1820–1884), 1856-1857. albumen silver print from glass negatives, Maurice Sendak

‘Cloud study’ by Gustave Le Gray (French, 1820–1884), 1856-1857. albumen silver print from glass negatives, Maurice Sendak

'Dirigible docked on Empire state building, New york' by unknown artist, American, 1930, gelatin silver print. twentieth-century photography fund, 2011

‘Dirigible docked on Empire state building, New york’ by unknown artist, American, 1930, gelatin silver print. twentieth-century photography fund, 2011

'Fading away by Henry Peach Robinson (English, 1830–1901)', 1858 albumen silver print from glass negatives, the royal photographic society at the national media museum

‘Fading away by Henry Peach Robinson (English, 1830–1901)’, 1858 albumen silver print from glass negatives, the royal photographic society at the national media museum

'Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (French, Albi 1864–1901 Saint-Andre-Du-Bois) as artist and model' by Maurice Guibert (French, 1856–1913), 1892, Philadelphia museum of art, gift of Henry P. Mcllhenny, 1982-14-2

‘Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (French, Albi 1864–1901 Saint-Andre-Du-Bois) as artist and model’ by Maurice Guibert (French, 1856–1913), 1892, Philadelphia museum of art, gift of Henry P. Mcllhenny, 1982-14-2

'Man juggling his own head' by de Torbechet, Allain & C., ca. 1880, Saint Thomas D'aquin, albumen silver print. collection of Christophe Goeury

‘Man juggling his own head’ by de Torbechet, Allain & C., ca. 1880, Saint Thomas D’aquin, albumen silver print. collection of Christophe Goeury

Room with eye' by Maurice Tabard (French, Lyons 1897–1984 nice), 1930, Roger Parry (French, 1905–1977) gelatin silver print, the Elisha Whittelsey collection, the Elisha Whittelsey fund, 1962

Room with eye’ by Maurice Tabard (French, Lyons 1897–1984 nice), 1930, Roger Parry (French, 1905–1977) gelatin silver print, the Elisha Whittelsey collection, the Elisha Whittelsey fund, 1962

Manipulated photography before photoshop

Giant and Lilliput. Manipulated photography before Photoshop

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