Carleton Watkins Enter a
feeling, not
a gallery.
Choose a mood and the room itself answers — the light cools or warms, the air changes pace, and only the works that carry that feeling step forward from the dark. Everything else recedes into shadow.
Carleton Watkins
Carleton Watkins: Pioneer of Landscape Photography Early Life and Origins (1829-1851) Born: November 11, 1829, in Oneonta, New York. Carleton E. Watkins was the eldest of eight children born to John and Julia Watkins, a carpenter and an innkeeper respectively. He enjoyed a rural upbringing, developing skills as a hunter and fisherman, and participating in local activities like the glee club and Presbyterian church choir. In 18
51, driven by the allure of fortune, Watkins journeyed to San Francisco with his childhood friend, Collis Huntington. Early Career & Photographic Beginnings (1851-1861) Though initially unsuccessful in finding gold, both Watkins and Huntington found success in their respective fields. Watkins began working as a supply deliverer for mining operations before becoming a store clerk at George Murray’s bookstore. A pivotal moment:…
