Comments on: Six Degrees of Charles Darwin, and Rejlander’s Last Laugh.

By: Ricardo

Ricardo — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 23:25:43 +0000

Whoa, fantastic article, as usual.

One reason that illustration is still widely used in biology is that it’s easier to show small differences in drawing, where you can make the subjects be at the exact same sizes, positions and “lighting”, and where you can exaggerate or simulate various subjects’ features to better illustrate ones’ point.

A similar argument can be made for hyper-real illustrations.

By: winsor

winsor — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 23:26:41 +0000

Gob smacked. What a terrific article, Roger. I really hope this is a chapter in a forthcoming book. You should be writing one.

By: simon

simon — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 19:13:56 +0000

very interesting. Rejlander looks like a true artist to me.

also an inkjetprint technically isn’t a photograph… (of course it is no exactly the same, but just to make a point in showing that it is hardly ever just black and white)

By: Shawn

Shawn — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:18:09 +0000

Great article, fascinating history. Certainly appears to be a pioneer in post processing.

FYI, it does not appear to be the same set of steps in both images (Poor Jo & Rejlander Introducing Rejlander). The latter image has a railing and the former does not.

By: Nikhil Ramkarran

Nikhil Ramkarran — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 13:52:40 +0000

“How to” articles and gear reviews will always be the most popular writing on photography, but I find these detailed research articles on historical issues, whether on lens development or quirky and fascinating photographers or photographs to be endlessly fascinating. Thank you and please keep them coming.

By: Joel Dowling

Joel Dowling — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 13:47:17 +0000

Fantastic write-up…I think that I have found my doppelganger.

Ugggggh.

By: Nqina Dlamini

Nqina Dlamini — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 06:05:51 +0000

Great read as always. I kind of agree with Rejlander, but it should be made clear to the observer that he is viewing a retouched image.

By: A

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 01:15:05 +0000

Interesting; Rejlander’s work on Ginx’s Baby sounds similar to rotoscoping. Obviously it’s not quite the same; as we’re re-using the original image, rather than supplanting it; but it’s an interesting technique!

By: Siegfried

Siegfried — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 22:47:54 +0000

Roger,
I wonder on how many links are there between Rejlander and Warnock (John Edward). Three or four, maybe?

Thanks for another historical essay,
Zig