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Index Introduction Photography Album Contact Sheet Photo Tinting
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South Kitchen Garden Photo
GARDEN PHOTOGRAPHS

The "Garden Album", contains several photographs of the gardens, often without a human subject. This decision to capture the beauty of the garden emulates a personal sense of pride in the garden held by the photographer. In the "Garden Album" we find several different views of the gardens, which is why it was titled as such. In the photographs of the garden the photographer’s intent was to capture the beauty and to document the growth of the garden. "…The garden is looking very pretty the roses that came from San Francisco have been lovely…the verbina are just coming out but the sweet peas are backwards as they were not sowed until we returned from Yale…" (Courtesy of BC Archives – MS0284 Box 12 File 10) Suggesting that Arthur was the primary photographer of the snapshots is re-enforced by the examination of the garden photographs. As an amateur photographer, he would have been primarily concerned with capturing family memories and documenting the gardens at Point Ellice House. As the amateur photographer, Arthur’s interest in the garden would have allowed him the chance to capture his fond memories on film.
Kathllen and friends photo
CONCLUSION

The collection of O’Reilly snapshot photographs present an excellent example of Amateur Victorian Photography. By studying this collection, several social concerns of the O’Reilly family are teased out. The family was concerned with portraying themselves as active members of Victorian high society, pursuing such pastimes of gardening, tea parties and horseback riding. Kathleen’s presentation in the photographs and as the dominant subject of the snapshots best illustrates the O’Reilly’s desire to be portrayed as members of high society. If Arthur was the primary amateur photographer at Point Ellice House, he has left a remarkable demonstration of Victorian social concerns.

There is always collaboration between the subject and the photographer. It is possible to be too aware of how easily photographs can be manipulated by this collaboration. Perhaps we are unable to properly trust photographs for this. In this photograph the photographer has received the attention of the ladies, who raise their teacups in attention. This awareness should then be used to draw further attention to the examination of the photographer’s methods and decision to manipulate. (Davidson, p. 20) There is a sense in which photographs capture reality, not just interpret it, and it is not as simple to define as the mechanical truth. Photographs are more than just products of the camera, or the personal views of the person behind the camera. To be fully appreciated, we must examine the entire context of the image.