THE LONG VIEW
This on-line presentation has been recreated from the original materials used in the exhibit of historic and contemporary panoramic photographs called “The Long View”. This exhibit was on display at the National Archives and Records Administration facility in College Park, Maryland from 1998-2000. Each of the images, with full captions, is presented in the order they would have been viewed on site. In a few limited instances, original materials have been omitted and new materials substituted. This was done to enhance the presentation and better demonstrate the wealth of historic information available to researchers at the National Archives.
This presentation should also not be confused with “Taking the Long View”, an excellent on-line resource for historic panoramic photographs made available through the Library of Congress.
Except where noted, all images are from the Still Picture holdings of the National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, Maryland.
Introduction
This is an exhibit designed to suggest to the viewer a different context for a familiar saying. When we say that a person has taken a “long view” on a particular issue, it implies that the opinion was drawn from a careful consideration of facts and ideas from the present, but especially from the past. On the other hand, panoramic photographs offer the viewer a “long view” of a scene by virtue of their physical appearance and means by which they were made.
Most panoramic photographs, as you can see from this exhibit, are long and skinny. Underlying this obvious trait is the fact that most panoramic cameras “pan” or move in one way or another while being operated. This means that the photographer cannot compose an image based simply on what is in front of them. They must also be aware of what is on their sides and even to their rear. All things need to be considered, including those not readily apparent to the human eye.
The word “panorama” is derived from the Greek “to see all” and might also be used to describe an historical institution such as the National Archives. This institution is the keeper of records that permit a full consideration of the past, in terms of official Federal Government activities. By virtue of the quality, variety and quantity of records in its holdings, the National Archives offers the researcher an opportunity to arrive at an historical point of view they might otherwise have not considered. In other words, the records allow one “to see all” of certain historical events, just as a Cirkut panoramic camera allows one “to see all” of a given scene. This exhibit offers many examples of panoramic photographs which are coupled with relevant non-photographic information, most of which are federal records in the National Archives’ custody.
The panoramic photographs of the National Archives are in the Still Picture holdings. In the past, these images were not readily available for researcher use due to their compromised physical condition. A concerted effort was made between 1993 and 1996 to flatten, treat and properly house the more than 3,500 panoramas in the collection. This effort was carried out by the Document Conservation Laboratory. Another purpose for this exhibit was to celebrate the completion of this project, which finally allows the researcher access to these unique pictorial records.
TO START AT THE BEGINNING OF THE EXHIBIT, PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK DIRECTLY BELOW - "LONG VIEW - 1". IF YOU WISH TO BROWSE THE PAGES INSTEAD, PLEASE NOTE THE PHOTOGRAPHER'S NAME(S) OR SUBJECT HEADING FOR THAT PAGE.
