Today, we’re taking a deep dive into photography, a medium of visual storytelling that has been around for centuries. These days the options are endless with smartphone cameras in your pocket, disposable cameras, film cameras, and Polaroid instant cameras. These all capture moments in time, preserving our memories. Let’s take a look behind and in front of the lens. But before I go, I’d like to honor the great documentary photographer Sebastião Salgado who died last Friday. See some of his legendary work here.
Yours in media,
Elizabeth He, Visual Communications Editor
This is a web edition of GBH's The Deep Dive, a weekly newsletter bringing you the best GBH has to offer.
New AMERICAN EXPERIENCE: Mr. Polaroid
The Women Behind a $3 Billion Company
At a time when there were few jobs for women in technology, genius inventor Edwin Land filled the ranks at Polaroid with recent female graduates from Smith College. Watch this short or the full documentary here. And read this cool article: 10 Fun Facts About Polaroid
Shots of the Past
Boston in the Early 1900s
How much has Boston changed? Explore how Boston looked then and now with these side-by-side images
Busing in Photographs
Photojournalists discuss Boston’s desegregation efforts in the 1960s through the lens of photography. See the images
A Photography Duo
Photographers Fred Baldwin and Wendy Watriss documented churches, farms, and families, as well as the racial and social tensions in the rural south. Learn about their lasting legacy
The Purloined Portrait
Follow the circuitous story of a rare Edgar Allan Poe daguerreotype that disappeared, but was ultimately found. Read to find out how and watch the item’s appraisal
What Is Photogravure?
Picture this: photography without the darkroom. Step into the light to explore this fascinating photomechanical process. Learn about photogravure
Music Photography
Icon: Music Through the Lens
Photographer Jonathan Mannion talks about his shoot with Lauryn Hill for Honey Magazine. Watch the clip or see more episodes
Eric Antoniou’s Music Photography Book
Documenting 40 years of legendary rock concerts. Read the conversation or listen to his interview on The Culture Show
Seeing Beyond
NOVA: New Eye on the Universe
See the latest stunning images and discoveries from the James Webb Space Telescope. Let’s travel into space
#ViralVibe
Ever wonder about the incredible images and objects that don’t make it into our documentaries? For Mr. Polaroid, we hit the jackpot at the @mitmuseum, home to over 1000 Polaroid artifacts, with wild things related to Lady Gaga, French fries, and more. Watch to see what we found
