Historic Hood River
Campfire Days
7-6-2022
Notes
When I said yesterday that nothing says summer more than watermelon in the woods, I forgot about marshmallows and a campfire. While I posted this image 11 years ago, I think a repost with a better scan is appropriate. Examining the raw scan I can easily read the label on the box the girl in from is holding. It says, “Angelus Marshmallows.” Angelus Marshmallows popularized marshmallows as a common consumer item in 1907, so these young ladies (circa 1912) were trendsetters. The popular Angelus Marshmallows cookbook introduced the sweet potato casserole to an innocent world.
nels
In taking a photograph is this still the times where the subjects have to 'hold' the poise for a period of time? And if so, how long?
ArthurB
By the 1910s they were using relatively fast emulsions, which means they were sensitive enough to light that an exposure of a fraction of a second was normal in ambient light. That said, Ella May Davidson's photos often show motion blur. It's hard to handhold a camera steady enough even with a moderately fast exposure (like 1/30s). I used to joke with Matt that if I had a time machine I would go back to give Ella May a tripod.
L.E.
“…….While the marshmallow confections we enjoy today are made up mainly of sugar, water, and gelatin, that wasn't always the case. They once contained sap from the marshmallow plant…… “The French were introduced to marshmallow in the early to mid-1800s. Owners of small candy stores whipped sap from the mallow root into a fluffy candy mold…..”
By 1907 candy makers figured out they could leave the mallow plant out and just whip up sugar, gelatin and water. So yes, these girls are definitely trendsetters. I wonder if the photo was used as an advertisement.
kmb
@nels I would say the smiling girl standing in back center didn't hold the pose quite long enough…she looks a little motion blurred.