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Photo by A. Wittemann 1885 5th Ave. & 42nd St.

LIGHT & The CITY 
Photography in 19th-Century New York

Witness the birth and evolution of photography in New York, the city where this transformative medium first found its American voice. From the daguerreotype's arrival in 1839 to the emergence of pictorialism, this documentary traces photography's journey from a scientific novelty to a powerful tool for social commentary, political action, and artistic expression. At its heart are the pioneers who shaped early New York photography: Mathew Brady, capturing the city's elite and the grim realities of war from his Broadway studio; Jacob Riis, whose searing images exposed the squalor of tenement life, sparking social change; and Alfred Stieglitz, whose Camera Club championed photography as a fine art.

 

"Light & City" also reveals the vital, yet often overlooked, contributions of women photographers and immigrant communities who used the camera to document their new lives and assert their presence in American culture. Against the backdrop of technological innovation and a rapidly changing urban landscape, the film explores how New York itself became both the subject and the catalyst for a new way of seeing. From the pastoral tranquility of Central Park to the monumental achievement of the Brooklyn Bridge, from intimate family portraits to haunting images of the Civil War dead, "Light & City" illuminates the 19th century as not only the origin of American photography but also the crucible where the modern image – and the modern city – were forged. Narrated and guided by Eric Taubman, co-founder and director of the Penumbra Foundation, the film offers viewers a unique connection between past and present. Drawing on rich archival materials, rare images, and expert commentary, "Light & City" delivers a dynamic, layered portrait of a transformative century and the medium that preserved it.

 © 2025 | Heritage Film Project, LLC

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