Yesterday, I went to the "Skirmish on the Holston" at the Ramsey House Plantation in South Knoxville to watch a Civil War reenactment. I had been to a few in Southern California, but I have to admit, it was enjoyable to watch the men and women reenact history in an area of the country where the war actually occurred, versus among the scrub brush and eucalyptus trees of Chino.
The problem with battle pictures of these reenactments is, of course, one of distance - unless you have special permission, you cannot get close to the reenactors when they are on the "battlefield." I understand this; after all, people are there to see history remade, and someone running around in modern clothes with a big, ole white Canon 70-200mm lens would distract from that (although next time I will ask if I can remain hidden in brush and trees).
But, in reviewing my battlefield photos, it occurred to me that they needed to be edited in black-and-white - and the though came to me, "What would my pictures look like if I were a photojournalist in 1863?" Of course, action shots would be out of the question - exposure times were simply too long (one of the advantages of photographing the dead is that they don't move - sorry, but that was the reality of back then).
So, let's pretend I brought my Canon 7D (and the 70-200mm) back to the 19th century:
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| Leading the Charge |
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| Out to Collect the Fallen |
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| Looting the Dead |
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| Retreat from Ambush |
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| Assessing the Risk |
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| The Moment of Fire |
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| Avoiding Shells |
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| Skirmish at the Tree Line |
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| Misfire |
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| Battle's End |
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