For Photography Historians: Color Photography 1907 - 1915

[Radtech1]

I found an incredible collection of color slides produced in Russia from 1907 - 1915 by photographer / inventor / craftsman / chemist Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii: Photographer to the Tsar. He developed a technology that was the theoretical antecedent to the Foveon Chip.

From is biography on the website:

"Born in Murom, Vladimir Province, Russia in 1863 and educated as a chemist, Prokudin-Gorskii devoted his career to the advancement of photography. His research yielded patents for producing color film slides and for projecting color motion pictures. Around 1907 Prokudin-Gorskii formulated a plan to use the advancements that had been made in color photography to systematically document the Russian Empire. His ultimate goal was to educate the schoolchildren of Russia with his "optical color projections" of the vast and diverse history, culture, and modernization of the empire. Outfitted with a specially equipped railroad car darkroom provided by Tsar Nicholas II, and in possession of two permits that granted him access to restricted areas and cooperation from the empire's bureaucracy, Prokudin-Gorskii documented the Russian Empire around 1907 through 1915."

Visit the website HERE - very interesting for photographers and people who just like history.

Rad

[Atomic79]

That is truly fascinating. Having seen so many images from the early 1900's, but to see in color was amazing. I wonder if the images we make today will wonder the people 100 years from now. Thank you.

[R Hardman]

They will be laughing at all our 2-dimensional images. That is a pretty cool site. Visionary.