Maine Photography: A History, 1840-2015

Maine has always played a rich and varied role in the art of photography. For hundreds of years, photographers, like other artists, have made their way to Maine to capture the natural beauty and human culture of the state. So, too, have many photographers come from Maine, and many contributions by Mainers have been made to the medium. Maine in Photography is the first comprehensive overview of the history of photography in the state. Providing basic knowledge of the most important people and institutions to have promoted photography, this volume also studies the ways in which photography has informed the understanding of the social and cultural history of Maine.
Beginning with the earliest daguerreotype portraits of the 1840s, this history traces the growth of the medium--emphasizing key contributions, such as the Stanley brothers’ invention of the dry plate process--through to the present. Key topics addressed throughout the book include the importance of photography in documenting labor and economic life, the close relationship between photography and the growth of tourism, and the role of Maine photographers in advancing the medium as a fine art form. Published in conjunction with the Maine Photo Project, this is a unique and timely addition to the body of work on the importance of Maine to American art.

Libby Bischof is an Associate Professor of History at the University of Southern Maine where she teaches courses on the social and cultural history of the United States, the History of Maine, and the role of photography in history. Her first book, Maine Moderns: Art in Seguinland, 1900-1940 (with Susan Danly), appeared in 2011. Bischof is an active public historian, enjoys working with K-12 teachers, and is a member of the Maine State Museum Commission. She lives with her husband and son in Gorham, Maine. Susan Danly has been a curator of exhibits on American art for more than thirty years. She has worked at the Mead Art Museum, The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, The Huntington Library and Gallery, and the Poprtland Museum of Art. She has published extensively on American art and photography, most recently the book Maine Moderns: Art in Seguinland, 1900-1940 (with Libby Bischof). She lives in Portland, Maine. Earle G. Shettleworth Jr. is the director of the Maine Historic Preservation Commission and the Maine State Historian. He has written and co-authored a number of books on Maine history. He lives in Augusta, Maine.