Umetnik
Rojen v Oneonta, Združene države
Carleton Watkins: Pionir krajitudinalne fotografije
Zgodba o začetkih in mladosti (1829–1851)
Rod: 11. novembra 1829 v mestu Oneonta, New York.
Carleton E. Watkins je bil najstarejši iz acht otrok, ki so rojeni v družini židate in gostodajalke, Johna in Julije Watkins.
Njegovo otroštvo je bilo tesno prepleteno z naravo; na podeželju je razvijal svoje lovske in ribične veščine, hkrati pa je sodeloval v lokalnih kulturnih dejavnostih, kot sta glasbeni klub in cerkveni zbor presbiterijanske cerkve.
Leta 1av 1851, vodila ga je obljuba bogastva, je z mladostnim prijateljem Collisom Huntingtonom odpravil na pot proti San Franciscoju.
Fotografski začetki in zgodnja kariera (1851–1861)
Čeprav zlata v Kaliforniji sprva nista našla, sta tako Watkins kot Huntington ustvarila uspešno prihodnost na svojih področjih.
Watkins je sprva delal kot dobavitelj za rudarske operacije, kasneje pa je služil kot prodajalec v knjižnici Georgea Murrayja.
Ključni trenutek: Nepričakovana izpostavljenost v studiu daguerreotipista Roberta H. Vancea je Watkinsu omogočila učeništvo, kljub temu da ni imel predhodnih fotografskih izkušenj.
Z neverjetno hitrostjo je osvajal to umetnost, s čim bolj preseval svojega mentorja in si prislužil ugled zaradi vrhunske kakovosti dela.
Do leta 1858 je Watkins vzpostavil lastno fotografsko podjetje, kjer je izvajal naloge, kot je bilo ilustriranje Kalifornije za Jamesa Masona Hutchingsa in dokumentiranje rudarskih posestv.
Era Yosemiteja in mammoth plat (1861–1867)
Prelomna pot: Julija 1861 je Watkins potoval v dolino Yosemite, opremljen s svojo ogromno kamerom za "mammoth" plošče (ki je uporabljala steklene plošče dimenzij 18x22 palca) in stereoskopsko kamero.
S tem je ujel nekatere prve podrobne fotografije Yosemiteja, s čimer je njegovo veličastje predstavil občinstvu na vzhodu Združenih držav.
Te slike so bile ključnega pomena pri prepričevanju Kongresa, da se dolina Yosemite ohrani kot narodni park – kar je neizmovno spomen moči vizualne dokumentacije.
Leta 1864 ga je Kalifornijska državna geološka raziskava poobložila za fotografiranje Yosemiteja.
Svojo prvo javno galerijo je odprl leta zględ 1867 in se izložil na Univerzalni izložbi v Parizu, kjer je za svoje delo prejel medaljo.
Uspeh, padci in pozna življenje (1867–1916)
Watkinsova "Yosemite Art Gallery" je prikazovala več kot sto velikih pogledov na Pacifiško obalo in tisoče stereoskopskih slik.
Poslovne izzivi: Kljub umetniškemu uspehu se je Watkins soočal s težavami pri vodenju podjetja in izgubil svojo galerijo kreditorju J.J. Cooku, ki je nato brez navedbe avtorja reproduciral njegovo delo zaradi takratne odsotnosti zakonov o avtorskih pravicah za fotografije.
Na to je odzval s ustvarjanjem "Nove serije" slik, v poskusu, da bi ponovno pridobil svojo umetniško vizijo.
Watkins se je leta 1879 poročil z Frances Sneed in imel dva otroka: Julio (rojeno 1881) in Collisa (rojeno 1883).
Postopno slabšanje vida mu je v 1890ih onemogočilo delo, kar se je končalo z nezmožnostjo izpolnitve naročila Phoebe Hearst.
Zadnja leta in dediščina
Finančna težave so družino Watkins obrabile na življenje v železniškem vagonu za obdobje eighteen mesecev.
Zemljotres in požar v San Franciscu leta 1906 sta uničila njegov studio skupaj z nešteto fotografijami in negativami.
Watkins se je upokojil na ranchu Capay, leta 1910 pa je bil razglasen za nezmočnega, zaradi česar je bil zaprej v državni bolnici Napa za duševno bolne.
Smrt: Umrl je leta 1916 in pokopan je v neoznačen grobu na bolnišnih posestvih.
Watkinsova dediščina traja kot pionir krajitudinalne fotografije, katere slike niso le zajemle lepote ameriškega zahoda, temveč so igrale ključno vlogo pri njegovi ohranjanju.
Muzej
Na razstavi v Aberystwyth, United Kingdom
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