Mammoth Plates

Photographic techniques and formats were continually improving in mid-nineteenth century America. Among other things, people wanted ever larger photographs. Beginning with smaller cartes-de-visites, photographers increased the size of their photographs by using ever larger glass plates (and cameras) to capture their subjects. These 15 ¾ x 20 ¼ inch wet plates were coated in a chemical bath called collodion.

These major developments took place as the nation continued to expand. The American West’s vast expanses were ideal subjects for mammoth plates. California photography helped to inspire a new tourism industry. In the process, photographers created some of the most remarkable views of the Golden State’s natural wonders. Some mammoth plate photos of Yosemite even helped to convince President Abraham Lincoln and members of Congress to preserve the beautiful valley in 1864 for future generations.