Photography and Reenactments

Photography at reenactments has been a hot topic. Is it really right for reenactors to take photos? In our age everyone wants a photo of what they are doing to share with their friends online. 

The minute I can't take photos at reenactments is the minute I pack up and pursue my copious other hobbies. Yes, that's harsh. Hardcores will say sayorara quicker than they can pull a Boxbury Russet out of their haversacks and farbs will be left wondering what the big deal is.

I fully understand the "If they didn't have it, don't use it mentality." I agree to it on almost all accounts. This is one where I feel as 21st century people we deserve to have a little 21st century luxury. Many people feel that reenactors taking photographs are one of the most irksome things in reenacting because it ruins the setting we've created. I agree, but I also think it's a necessary evil. Photos from an event not only document our fun times but also get people interested in what we do.


Most people will argue that you can just get photos from friends or have spectators email you copies. This is fine if you just want to show them to your friends. It is not fine if I want to post them online and it is not fine for people who will be using them for webpages, advertising, and publications. Which is what almost every person does these days.

There's no good solution. If you don't like cameras in camp, the best thing to do is set an example and not bring one yourself. Try doing things the period way: sketch a picture or write a very descriptive letter to your friends and family at home.   If getting some photos truly affects how much you can enjoy a reenactment, by all means, take a few shots.       

Tips for Reenactors:

-Try to take photos at off hours when you know spectators will not be in camp (early in the morning or at night.) This is the hardest for me because if I make a particularly awesome lunch I always want to snap a photo. Which brings me to the next tip.

-Always look around. If you are alone snap a photo quickly and put the camera back in your tent. 

- Settle with a few photos and don't be upset when you don't get those action battle shots. I think you can capture a day in 5 shots or less. Save the rest for after hours. If you feel that you absolutely want battle shots, consider dressing like a spectator for an hour or two. 

-Try to use the smallest, unobtrusive camera as possible. Bring the dslr out at night. Take your photo and be done with it. Don't keep it out and don't play with it. Don't show your photos to other until night or when you get home.

-Some people experiment with hidden cameras. This may get easier as cameras get smaller. Izzy at Confessions of a Reenactor has a nice set-up but it involves some acting as modern cameras don't require immediate post processing.

Reenacting photos are really my favorites. If I couldn't take them reenactments really wouldn't be much fun for me. I love sharing my weekends and photos really help. I know my view on this is an unpopular one but I really think having photos adds to the hobby. It's also a way to see how the hobby changes. Remember those farb photos from the 70s and 80s? I'd also prefer this stuff documented by us, not people who don't know what they are photographing or people from that new school of "journalism" who like to take part in events, Halloween costumes and all.

I do have to thank National Geographic for those lovely photos of reenactors standing next to portable toilets and in parking lots. I'm glad the general public "knows" what reenacting is about now.

Happy 4th of July: Questions for my Readers

This in an invitation for all of my readers to get to know each other. If you have a blog or website, you can post the answers there and leave a link in my comments or if you don't you can just post your answers in the comments.













Questions:

1. Websites, blogs and social media can skew our lives and make us look hyper-focused on one aspect of your life. What are some interests/hobbies/ect. that you have that you think your readers/friends might not know about?

2. What have blogs/the internet introduced you to that you never knew about before?

3. What are your top 10 most visited websites?

4. What is your favorite/most bizarre/interesting fact about something in history?

5. If you could wake up tomorrow and have acquired a new skill in your sleep, what would it be and why?

6. If you could spend 1 year in a different time period, which would you choose and why?

7. What are your internet pet-peeves?

8.  What is your newest hobby/interest? Tell us a little about it.

9. If you could invite 3 deceased people to dinner who would it be and what would you talk to them about?

10. If you had to play a character in a movie, who would you play and why?

March to Destiny: The Shippensburg Reenactment 2012

The Shippensburg Reenactment “March to Destiny” is always a lot of fun. Maybe it is because it is a Confederate victory in my home state or maybe it’s because it is civilian and military centered.  Civilians can enjoy a number of lectures, an ice cream social and a ball. Not to mention that you can be chauffeured into town in a wagon or carriage. 

This weekend was hot but not to the extent that we couldn’t enjoy ourselves. We didn’t attend any of the lectures as we have in past years and instead wandered the town together, and read in the shade of the trees. It was a very relaxing event. No drills, short battles and the townspeople really support the weekend when time-travelers take over.

From The New York Herald, 1863

For those of your not familiar, Shippensburg is a small town in PA that was occupied by Confederates on the way to Gettysburg. The town retains much of its 1860s appearance, albeit with modern establishments. One such building containing a hardware store, opened its doors in 1858. In modern times, the store is called Pague & Fegan but it was originally called McPherson & Cox  Hardware Store. The building itself was looted by Confederates in June of 1863 but McPherson reportedly hid his most expensive assets in the walls and wallpapered them over, preserving a portion of his livelihood.   

The town has many stories of the raids. In his report to Colonel R. H. Chilton, Lieutenant-General R.S. Ewell simply stated "At Carlisle, Chambersburg, and Shippensburg, requisitions were made for supplies, and the shops were searched, many valuable stores being secured. At Chambersburg, a train was loaded with ordnance and medical stores and sent back. Near 3,000 head of cattle were collected and sent back by my corps, and my chief commissary of subsistence, Major [W. J.] Hawks, notified Colonel [R. G.] Cole of the location of 5,000 barrels of flour along the route traveled by the command." 

Forgive the Lack of Posts...

Low or No-Cook Civil War Dishes for Reenacting in the Hot Summer Months

 One of the most frequent questions that reenactors get asked is "Aren't you hot in that?" and the answer is "Yes!" Cooking over the fire isn't usually too bad but there are some events, like the 150th Manassas, where it is so hot no one can move and no one was willing to cook and it really wasn't safe for anyone to be eating hot food. Here are some tips and recipes for those days where it is so hot that you burn your hand picking up your tin plate that you left sitting in the sun.

There are three ways to avoid cooking in the heat. The first is to plan to bring foods that require little or no preparation such as nuts, fruits, bread, pies and cakes or things that can be prepared ahead of time at home. The second way is to plan to cook at night after the sun goes down and eat the dishes cold the next day. The third is to cook meals that are prepared without heat.



No Preparation Food:

 -Peanuts, bread, cakes, bread, pies, pickles, apples,watermelons, cheese, hardtack, etc.

Things to Eat Cold:

 -This includes pretty much anything that you are okay with eating cold but also includes period dishes such as cold meat slices or hard-boiled eggs. This is a period option, especially in the army where men have time to cook but might have to wait until later to eat. 

No Cook Dishes:
 

What we know today as "Cole Slaw," although the dressing is a little different.

 It's a good idea to have cold drinks available. This version of Lemonade doesn't need to be heated.

This isn't like today's chicken salad and is much more like a chicken cesar salad with a few additions. The recipe recommends gherkins, which are cucumbers and chopped hard-boiled eggs.






Be creative with your meals and preparation times. If you are going to make breakfast and know it's going to be a hot day, try to start early. You can also get an early start on lunch or start meals at night. Try anything to keep yourselves away from the fire for long periods of time.