Picturing the family

Besides being simple mementos, family photographs can offer insights into the past. This free course, Picturing the family, looks at some of the ways photographs can reveal, and sometimes conceal, important information about the past. It teaches the skills and provides some of the knowledge needed to interpret such pictorial sources.

• Introduction
• Learning outcomes
• 1 How to avoid damage when handling photographs
• 1 How to avoid damage when handling photographs
• 2 Background history
• 2 Background history
• 2.1 Styles of photograph
• 2.1.1 Card mounted photographs 1860–c.1914
• 2.1.2 Postcards c. 1902–1950s
• 2.1.3 Amateur snapshots 1880s–
• 2.2 Photographs as primary sources
• 2.3 Photographs as artefacts
• 2.4 National variation
• 3 The portrait tradition: ideology
• 3 The portrait tradition: ideology
• 3.1 Introducing ideology in portraiture
• 3.2 Idealisation
• Activity 1
• 3.3 Limited positive characterization
• Activity 2
• 3.4 Characterisation and sexual stereotyping
• 3.4.1 Control of the sitter
• Activity 3
• 4 The portrait tradition: methodology
• 4 The portrait tradition: methodology
• 4.1 Facial expression
• 4.2 Pose
• Activity 8
• 4.3 Characterisation and sexual stereotyping
• 4.4 Groups
• Activity 10
• 4.5 Touch
• 4.6 Touch and feeling
• 4.7 Exceptions
• 4.8 Backgrounds and accessories
• Purpose
• Idealisation
• 4.8.3 Personal possessions
• 4.9 Lighting
• 4.9.1 Natural light
• 4.9.2 Idealisation
• 4.9.3 Limited characterisation
• 4.10 Retouching
• 4.11 Colouring
• 4.12 Key concepts
• 5 Camera culture
• 5 Camera culture
• 5.1 Capturing commemorative events
• 5.2 Records of achievement
• 5.3 Prized possessions
• 5.4 Special occasions
• 5.5 Rites of passage
• 5.5.1 Christening
• 5.5.2 Skirts and breeching
• 5.5.3 Birthdays
• 5.5.4 Confirmation
• 5.6 Rites of passage (continued)
• 5.6.1 Young adults
• 5.6.2 Engagement and marriage
• 5.6.3 Honeymoons
• 5.6.4 Wedding anniversaries
• 5.7 Rites of passage (continued)
• Death
• 5.7.2 Post-mortems
• 6 Portraits in the open air
• 6 Portraits in the open air
• 6.1 The rise of the itinerant photographer
• 6.2 Street photography
• 6.2.1 Studio conventions in street photography
• 6.2.2 Informational content
• 6.2.3 Groups
• 6.3 Seaside photography
• Activity 26
• 7 Writing
• 7 Writing
• Conclusion
• References
• Acknowledgements