Here, we look at three photographic societies in Edinburgh:

1.  The Edinburgh Calotype Club  -  early 1840s

2.  Photographic Society of Scotland  -  1856 to 1873

3.  Edinburgh Photographic Society  -  1861 to date

1.

Edinburgh Calotype Club

Early 1840s

• A group of legal men from Edinburgh visited Sir David Brewster in St Andrews in the early-1840s.  They then formed the Edinburgh Calotype Club.  It was the first photographic society in the world.

• Two Calotype Albums have survived from the Edinburgh Calotype Club.  One is held by the National Library of Scotland and the other by the Edinburgh Room at Edinburgh Central Library.

• Here are a few of the photos in the Calotype Albums

Hugh Lyon Playfair with Cello

©  Reproduced with acknowledgement to the Trustees of the National Library of Scotland

• George Heriot's Hospital

   

  ©  Reproduced with acknowledgement to the Trustees of the National Library of Scotland

  Dean Orphanage

  

  ©  Reproduced with acknowledgement to the Trustees of the National Library of Scotland

  Holy Trinity Church  -  Dean Bridge

  

  ©  Reproduced with acknowledgement to the Trustees of the National Library of Scotland

  Head of West Bow

  near the top of the 'Royal Mile' and Edinburgh Castle

  

  ©  Reproduced with acknowledgement to the Trustees of the National Library of Scotland

2.

Photographic Society

 of Scotland

From 1856

Background

• The Great Exhibition was held in the Crystal Palace at Hyde Park, London, in 1851.  It included a Photography Section with examples of the recently invented collodion process.  This opened up photography to a wider public.

• Over the next few years, photographic societies opened in various cities around Britain, including:
                                        -  Leeds                1852
                                        -  London *          1853
                                        -  Liverpool         1853
                                        -  Manchester    1855
                                        -  Edinburgh **  1856
   

  *    This society became the Royal Photographic Society
  
  **  This society was named The Photographic Society of Scotland.

  Outings

  • Both Professional and Amateur photographers joined the Photographic Society of Scotland.  Many of the latter were wealthy.

  • Prince Albert became Patron of the PSS.

  • Sir David Brewster became President.

  • Horatio Ross became Vice President

  • The society held lectures, exhibitions and photographic outings.  Here is one of their outings to Craigmillar Castle.  Note the large cameras and top hats.

  PSS Outing  -  1856

  

• Sir David Brewster

  Calotype by Hill & Adamson

  

  ©  Reproduced by courtesy of Edinburgh City Libraries and Information Services

•  Brewster was born in Jedburgh in 1787

•  Attended Edinburgh University from the age of 12

•  Awarded an Arts Degree by Edinburgh University in 1900

•  Became editor of the Edinburgh Magazine, later Scots Magazine, aged 20.

•  Editor of Encyclopaedia Britannica for 22 years

•  President of Photographic Society of Scotland from 1856

•  President of Royal Society of Edinburgh, 1864

•  Principal of Edinburgh  University, from age 78 until his death, 9 years later.

Horatio Ross

Self portrait, preparing a collodion plate

• Horatio Ross was born in 1801.

• Named after his godfather, Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson.

• He was a wealthy landowner.

• 1832-34: MP for Arbroath.

• Won the first steeplechase on record.

• Represented Scotland at shooting.

• He once walked from the Dee to Inverness, 97 miles without stopping

• Horatio Ross and his wife were both photographers.  Here are some photos taken by his wife in the Scottish Highlands.  These seem to me to give a good impression of hunting and fishing in the Scottish Highlands.

Waiting

Photograph by Mrs Horatio Ross?

© Reproduced with permission of Stephen Beadle

The Scottish Highlands

Photograph possibly by Mrs Horatio Ross?

© Reproduced with permission of Stephen Beadle

The Scottish Highlands

Photograph by Mrs Horatio Ross?

© Reproduced with permission of Christies Images Limited, London

The Scottish Highlands

Photograph possibly by Mrs Horatio Ross?

© Reproduced with permission of Stephen Beadle

________________________________

PSS Exhibitions

• Their first PSS exhibition in 1856 attracted 1,050 prints and 8,000 visitors.

Press Reports

• Press reports show how the public and the press still regarded photography with some astonishment, even seventeen years after its discovery.

• Here are some extracts from press:

"Another Exhibition has opened to delight our pleasure-loving Auld Reekieites who are noted as dillettántí and Fine-Art rhapsodists.

Photography already appears scarcely less marvellous than the electric telegraph." 

[Caledonian Mercury  22 December 1856]

"This is a most extraordinary exhibition; and we suspect that very few persons, if any, who have not visited it can have the most remote idea of the immense progress which Photography (or Sun Painting, as some term it) has made during the last few years." 

 [The Edinburgh Evening Reporter & Scottish Record  -  Dec 31, 1856]

• The Courant included some poetry when it commented on the exhibition!

“ Old Sol had scarcely spoken thus, when forth I went straightway

   To his Great Exhibition-Room, my shilling there to pay;

   And scarcely had I passed the door, and laid my money down

   When I exclaimed  'A shilling’s worth!  Why this is worth a crown.'

   He really is a painter!  His own account is true.

   I only wish we saw him here far oft’ner than we do.”

     [The Courant  22 January 1857]

• The Daily Scotsman also include a poem:

“ But even such a favoured street acquires a new renown,

   And gives a brighter lustre to that corner of the town.

   When day by day both grave and gay are thither seen to run

   With eager anxious haste to seek the Temple of the Sun.”

     [The Daily Scotsman:  31 January 1857]

Photos for Sale

• Some of the exhibitors offered to sell copies of the prints that they exhibited.  In the 1856 PSS Exhibition:

-  George Washington Wilson sold 40 prints at 10d each  (equivalent to £4 each now).

-  Henry Peach Robinson sold 57 prints at prices ranging from
 3 shillings to 15 shillings each (equivalent to £14 to £70 each now).

Composition Pictures

• Henry Peach Robinson composition pictures - i.e. pictures that used multiple negatives to create the images that he wanted.  Here are some of his results:

'Fading Away'

Copies on sale at 15s 0d each in 3rd PSS Annual Exhibition

©  The Royal Photographic Society, Bath, England.  web site http://www.rps.org.

Here They Come

Winner of Silver Medal in 4th PSS Annual Exhibition

©  Reproduced by courtesy of Margaret Halket, West Sussex

'Somebody's Coming'

Winner of Silver Medal in 8th PSS Annual Exhibition

©  Reproduced by courtesy of Edinburgh Photographic Society

• Henry Peach Robinson won many Medals for his photography - and he let people know about them by adding them to his notepaper:

Letter from H P Robinson.

• Rejlander is another photographer who produced composition pictures.  Here is one that he sent to a Photographic Society of Scotland's Second Exhibition, held in 1857.

©  The Royal Photographic Society, Bath, England.  web site http://www.rps.org.

'Two Ways of Life'

Controversy

• Composition pictures (where several different negatives were used to make a print) were somewhat controversial in the 1850s, some photographers believing them to be 'cheating'.

• But this photo, produced from 32 negatives by OG Rejlander and submitted to the Photographic Society of Scotland's 1857 Exhibition, was more controversial than most.

• O G Rejlander considered his photography to be Fine Art, and his photo had been highly praised when exhibited in Manchester.

• However, the PSS Hanging Committee declined it because of its semi-nude female figures.

Press Comment

• The Daily Express was vexed with the decision and wrote:

“O G Rejlander's ‘Two Ways of Life’ was exhibited in the Art Treasures Exhibition in Manchester.  The Prince Consort has three copies of it.

 Sir David Brewster, the President has one copy.  It will scarcely be credited that the amateur ‘hanging committee’ of PSS rejected it because there were half-draped female figures in it.

Call at Mr Wood’s, 88 Princes Street, where the rejected photograph may be seen.”

• A compromise may have been reached.  I have read a report that the picture was displayed with one half hidden behind a draped cloth, though I'm not sure where it was on display in this way.

The Outcome

• Professional photographers tried for more representation on the 'Hanging Committee', but were not successful, so they began to hold their own informal meetings.

• In 1861, together with a number of amateur photographers, they formed Edinburgh Photographic Society.  The earlier society, The Photographic Society of Scotland, then began to go into decline

RPS Competition

• Incidentally, the Royal Photographic Society held a competition in 2009, inviting entrants to create a modern equivalent of Rejlander's 'Two Ways of Life'.

• This was the winning entry, submitted by Dan Ponting who graduated from Bath Spa University in 2008.  Dan used himself as the model throughout his picture.  He used Photoshop to put the different elements of the picture together, and titled it 'Self(ish) Characters'.

• Here are 'Two Ways of Life' and 'Self(ish) Characters'

  1857

  

  ©  The Royal Photographic Society, Bath, England.  web site http://www.rps.org.

  2009

  

  ©  Dan Ponting.  web site www.danponting.com

3.

Edinburgh

Photographic Society

See also 'Further Notes'

1861 to date

Members

• Both amateur and professional photographers soon joined EPS.

• The EPS Secretary read a paper in 1867, in which he said.

  “In a good working society, there should be a thorough admixture
  of different classes of the community among the Members, such as:

  -  professionals

  -  working amateurs of all ranks

  -  others calling themselves amateurs who may have only
   a general hankering after photographic pursuits.” 

  “Ornamental Members, useful from their position and influence in giving a certain status to a society, not to be despised, and in assisting to augment the funds.”

  Photos by a few EPS Members

Alexander Ayton  -  Group Photos

•  Alexander Ayton, who was later to become EPS President, took many group photos.  Here are three of them:

Australian and Scottish Cricket Teams

©  Copyright: For permission to reproduce, please contact peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk

 Alex Ayton's Wife, Catherine and 8 of her children

© The Ayton family.  Reproduced with acknowledgement to
Elizabeth Trubuhovich  (great-granddaughter of Alexander Ayton). 
Also husband Ron, sister Alison and niece Christine.

Photographic Convention

Edinburgh  -  1892

©  Reproduced by courtesy of Edinburgh Photographic Society

©  Reproduced by courtesy of Edinburgh Photographic Society

___________________________________________________

John Moffat

• The Edinburgh professional photographer, John Moffat, who had a studio in Princes Street from 1853 was elected EPS President in 1892.

• 

  ©  Reproduced by courtesy of John Moffat, formerly of Eastbourne.

• Here are some of his photos:

Talbot by Moffat

Taken at Moffat's Princes Street Studio, Edinburgh, 1864
following a meeting at Photographic Society of Scotland

©  Reproduced from the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television collection,
by courtesy of the Science and Society Picture Library.

Gladstone by Moffat

Mr & Mrs Gladstone on Mr Binko's Electric Railway  -  1884

©  Reproduced by courtesy of Trevor ER Yerbury, Edinburgh

Robert Louis Stevenson by Moffat

 Aged 3

©  Reproduced by courtesy of Edinburgh City Libraries and Information Services

 Aged 7

©  Reproduced by courtesy of Edinburgh City Libraries and Information Services

 Aged 15

©  Reproduced by courtesy of Edinburgh City Libraries and Information Services

 Aged 20

©  Reproduced by courtesy of Edinburgh City Libraries and Information Services

_________________________________________________

Archibald MacLucas

• Archibald MacLucas was a member of EPS for many years.  He was elected EPS President in 1917, 1941, 1946 and 1954.  He became known as 'The Grand Old Man of EPS'.

As a young man

©  Reproduced by courtesy of the MacLucas family

In later years

©  Reproduced by courtesy of the MacLucas family

• Here are some photos that he took of his son, Norman:

Newspaper Seller

©  Reproduced by courtesy of the MacLucas family

Newspaper Seller

©  Reproduced by courtesy of the MacLucas family

Flower Seller

©  Reproduced by courtesy of the MacLucas family

Boot Cleaner

©  Reproduced by courtesy of the MacLucas family

________________________________________________

Photographic Outings

• EPS arranged photographic outings, travelling by train, cycle, boat, barge and other transport.

• The press reported in the 1880s:

- EPS organises frequent camera excursions and a grand annual picnic.

- On this occasion the whole of the photographic establishments are closed and amateur and professional employer and employé meet together and have a right good time.

- Games included sack and barrow races, three-leg race, battledore, quoits and a walking backwards race."

• The photographic journals reported that in 1883:

  -  A Party of 109 travelled on a decorated barge with a couple of violins, ’cello and piano, dances and song.

  -  On the outward journey, there was a solo singing competition with seven lady competitors, the prize being a 10” x 8” portrait in carbon of the winner (presented by Mr Balmain).

  -  The bachelors won the Tug of War between married and single.

  -  There was music and dancing for 3 to 4 hours on the barge for the return journey.”

• Here are photos of some of their outings:

Cadzow Forest - 1877.

©  This photograph is included with  National Galleries of Scotland permission.   See Copyright Conditions

Blackford Glen - 1890

©  This photograph is included with  National Galleries of Scotland permission.   See Copyright Conditions

Edinburgh Zoo - Around.1964

©  Reproduced with acknowledgement to  Edinburgh Photographic Society

________________________________________________

Exhibitions

• EPS has held annual exhibitions since 1861.  Photos have been selected by a panel of photographers and sometimes artists.  The first Exhibition, in 1861, when EPS was only six weeks old, included more than 700 prints.

• Now, up to 4,000 prints are received annually, from which about 200 are selected and hung on the walls.

• Here are the selectors for the 1936 exhibition at work.  They included the artist Tom Curr on the right.

• 1936 Open Exhibition

  Judges: Alexander Highly,  J Campbell Harper,  Tom Curr

  

  © Reproduced with acknowledgement to Sandy Brewer, Galloway, Scotland  -  Sandy is currently researching the work of Tom Curr

• Tom Curr was a strong supporter of the Boys' Brigade and Girls' Live Brigade movements.  Here are a couple of his religious paintings:

'Follow Me'

©  The Curr Family.  This image is from a 1930s reproduction, exact date to be determined.

Reproduced with acknowledgement to Dr Sandy Brewer, Galloway, SW Scotland

'Jesus in Edinburgh'

©  The Curr Family.  Reproduced with acknowledgement
to Dr Sandy Brewer, Galloway, SW Scotland