Behind the Scenes - Time Exposure

I became interested in Civil War photography when I was a museum director in San Diego.  We had a visiting speaker from the National American Museum of History, Smithsonian Institution, who presented an illustrated talk of Civil War images.  I was hooked.  I couldn’t believe the photos taken in the mid-nineteenth century could be so clear and sharp.  One of the greatest photographers of the time was Alexander Gardner and I used him to befriend and mentor my fictitious photographer, Joseph Thornhill.  Together they had many adventures on the battlefield.

When I visited Antietam, I tried to envision what the now pristine green fields would’ve looked like then.  Amidst the chaos and bodies strewn everywhere, I could see in my mind an odd sight – a civilian steps out of the mist to greet Joseph. The mystery begins.