A presentation from my seminar paper entitled "Earthquake in View" - explores the symbolic representation of disaster images from Charleston\'s 1886 Earthquake.

1. Earthq uake in
View
A Case Study on
of Calamity in
the Visual Repres
Public Photograph
entation
s from
quake
Charleston's 1886 Earth
by Perry McKenzie
olbert
Mentor: Dr. Lisa T
Hibernation Hall. No. 33 of Earthquake Views by George L. Cook

2. Hibernation Hall. No. 33 of Earthquake Views by George L. Cook

3. Hibernation Hall. No. 33 of Earthquake Views by George L. Cook

4. wns
“We have not b uilt our cities or to
have no
with earthqua kes in view. They
my, as it
place in ou r domestic econo
ecome
were, a nd if they are to b be
common, every day affairs, it is to
p out of
feared that th e bottom will dro
st before
our artificia l civilization almo
we know it.”
- The Atlanta
ust
Constitution, Aug
29th, 1886
Hibernation Hall. No. 33 of Earthquake Views by George L. Cook

6. Cook's Earthquake Views of Charleston and Vicinity. Taken after the 31st of August,
1886. No.143,

7. Caption: 'Cook's Earthquake Views of Charleston and Vicinity. Taken after the 31st
of August, 1886. No.85, Chapel Street.'

8. Charleston Earthquake Scene. Possibly from Cook's Earthquake Views, No.56, Alderman
Murray's residence, Wentworth Street.'

9. Choosing Which Photographs to Analyze
Public vs. Scientific
and Artistic
Private Commercial Value
Natural Problems
Disaster
...

10. Choosing Which Photographs to Analyze
Public vs. Scientific
and Artistic
Private Commercial Value
Prob
lem
Natural
Disaster ... s

11. The Collections
Commercial Scientific
Original USGS Slide
“Hibernation Hall,” George L. Cook’s photograph. Earthquake Views, No. 33 “St. Michael’s,” Plate:/Zuni 14. USGS’s photograph, available in digital collection .

12. Understanding Context:
The
“Mental Picture”
Public’s experience
with disaster
photographs St. Michael’s Episcopal Church. From photographs of the
Federal Navy and seaborne expeditions against the Atlantic
Coast of the Confederacy, 1863-1865.
Social Biases that
Would have affected
public’s interpretation
Visual Intentions of
Photographer
1865. "Charleston, South Carolina, after the Bombardment.
Ruins of the Cathedral of St. John and St. Finbar.
*Layout Digita"y Created

13. Understanding Context:
The
“Mental Picture”
Public’s experience
with disaster
photographs St. Michael’s Episcopal Church. From photographs of the
Federal Navy and seaborne expeditions against the Atlantic
Coast of the Confederacy, 1863-1865.
Social Biases that
Would have affected
public’s interpretation
Visual Intentions of
Photographer
1865. "Charleston, South Carolina, after the Bombardment.
Ruins of the Cathedral of St. John and St. Finbar.
*Layout Digita"y Created

14. Understanding Context:
The
“Mental Picture”
Public’s experience
with disaster
photographs St. Michael’s Episcopal Church. From photographs of the
Federal Navy and seaborne expeditions against the Atlantic
Coast of the Confederacy, 1863-1865.
Social Biases that
Would have affected
public’s interpretation
Visual Intentions of
Photographer
1865. "Charleston, South Carolina, after the Bombardment.
Ruins of the Cathedral of St. John and St. Finbar.
*Layout Digita"y Created

15. Understanding Context:
The
“Mental Picture”
Public’s experience
with disaster
photographs St. Michael’s Episcopal Church. From photographs of the
Federal Navy and seaborne expeditions against the Atlantic
Coast of the Confederacy, 1863-1865.
Social Biases that
Would have affected
public’s interpretation
Visual Intentions of
Photographer
1865. "Charleston, South Carolina, after the Bombardment.
Ruins of the Cathedral of St. John and St. Finbar.
*Layout Digita"y Created

16. Analyzing the Photographs Themselves
Commercial Photography:
George L. Cook

17. Analyzing the Photographs Themselves
Commercial Photography:
George L. Cook
Cook's Earthquake Views of Charleston and Vicinity. Taken
after the 31st of August, 1886. No.8, U.S. Court House.'

18. How the Photographs were Presented:
no textual explanation or introduction inside
horizontal printing provides optimum room for image
playful font and text formatting shows commercial value
visual disarray of cover layout represents earthquake
playfulness shows entertainment not scientific purpose

19. Earthquake Views: Churches as Symbols
First Four Pictures:
Thumbnails of “Before”
accentuate the dramatic
contrast.
Well known churches
within the community.
Full page printing
unlike images later in
book which are 2 per
page.

20. Symbolic Representation:
Imbedded & Intentional
Interior of Unitarian Church (Earthquake View No. 15)

21. Beauty in Ruin:
Buildings as Visual Stories of Calamity
*Layout Digita"y Created

22. Scientific Photographs:
The United State Geological Survey (USGS)
All images provided by USGS Photographic Library, Charleston Earthquake Collection

23. “Perfect and
Fair Records?”
ew”
rthqu ake Vi
’s “Ea
eL . Cook
Georg
Retouched USGS Report Photo as it
appears in Actual Page Layout

24. Retouching for Clarity:
A Subjective Decision
Original Photo Retouched USGS Report Version

25. Retouching for Clarity:
A Subjective Decision
Original Photo Retouched USGS Report Version

26. e Reliability of “Scie ntific” Retouching
Th
Be aware of Subjec tive Origins!

27. e Reliability of “Scie ntific” Retouching
Th
Be aware of Subjec tive Origins!

28. for Disaster: Calamity as Spectacle
Market

29. Photography of Natural Disaster:
Buildings as Translators of Damage Wrought