William H. Jackson, 1843-1942
photographer
"William Henry Jackson is known as America’s pioneer photographer. . . . Jackson's artistic growth as a landscape photographer germinated with the 1869 work and quickly matured when he was hired by Ferdinand V. Hayden as the official photographer for the U.S. Geological and Geographical Survey of the Territories. Influenced by Thomas Moran, a painter on the survey, and photographers C. R. Savage and A. J. Russell, Jackson absorbed the aesthetic of romantic engagement of the western landscape and development and colonization of the Territories. However this was countered by the inherent drama of being the first to photograph many high mountain peaks, valleys and western scenes in a more descriptive and topographic style." [1]
"Mr. William H. Jackson performed his duties with great zeal, and the results of his labors have been and will continue to be of the highest value. During the season he obtained nearly 400 negatives of the remarkable scenery of the routes, as well as the canon, falls, lakes, geysers, and hot springs of the Yellowstone Basin, and they have proved, since our return, of very great value in the preparation of the maps and report." --F. V. Hayden [3] |
- "Andrew Smith Gallery," William Jackson, section goes here, accessed February 2, 2013, http://www.andrewsmithgallery.com/exhibitions/western/jackson.html.
- "U.S. Geological Survey Photographic Library," U.S. Geological Survey Photographic Library, 1871, accessed November 21, 2012, http://libraryphoto.cr.usgs.gov/htmllib/btch239/btch239j/btch239z/port0213.jpg
- F. V. Hayden, Preliminary Report of The United States Geological Survey of Montana and Portions of Adjacent Territories; Being A Fifth Annual Report of Progress (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1872), pg. 4.
- Yellowstone's Photo Collection, Yellowstone National Park Archives, Yellowstone National Park, accessed February 7, 2013, http://www.nps.gov/features/yell/slidefile/index.htm.
- Ibid