Nicholas II and Photography

[Kalafrana]

I understand that Nicholas was a keen amateur photographer. Did he do his own developing, or was he content just to take pictures?

If he did his own developing, did he have a darkroom in the Alexander Palace?

[Forum Admin]

Nicholas did not develop or print his own photos.  They were processed by Kodak in St. Petersburg and/or by Karl Hahn (Gan in cyrillic)  who did have a darkroom in the Alexander Palace, as well as on the Standart.

[Alixz]

FA - I had asked that question before and I thank you for your answer.

I had always wondered about the developing of the pictures and I was told that the girls had learned to develop their own.  That seemed strange as most of the cameras were sealed and had to be returned to Kodak for the film to be removed and processed.  The camera was then sent back with fresh film in it and it was again sealed against light.

For those of you who don't know, George Eastman the founder of Eastman Kodak, called the company Kodak because he thought that was the sound that the shutter button made when pushed to take a picture.

He was a modest, unassuming man... an inventor, a marketer, a global visionary, a philanthropist, and a champion of inclusion.

Eastman died by his own hand on March 14, 1932 at the age of 77. Plagued by progressive disability resulting from a hardening of the cells in the lower spinal cord, Eastman became increasingly frustrated at his inability to maintain an active life, and set about putting his estate in order.

"Eastman was a stupendous factor in the education of the modern world," said an editorial in the New York Times following his death. "Of what he got in return for his great gifts to the human race he gave generously for their good; fostering music, endowing learning, supporting science in its researches and teaching, seeking to promote health and lessen human ills, helping the lowliest in their struggle toward the light, making his own city a center of the arts and glorifying his own country in the eyes of the world."


http://www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/kodakHistory/eastmanTheMan.shtml

[Sarushka]

I don't recall the source offhand - Gilliard? - but I believe Maria Nikolaevna learned to develop photos in Tobolsk.

[Kalafrana]

Many thanks for the quick and clear answer. I'm a little disappointed, as I had a nice vision of Nicholas enjoying himself in his darkroom, maybe going off there to escape the cares of state.

[Yelena Aleksandrovna]

I didn't know that interest of the Tsar, very interesting, thanks for start the topic!

[Olga Maria]

I don't recall the source offhand - Gilliard? - but I believe Maria Nikolaevna learned to develop photos in Tobolsk.

Yah...She's the best at it as what her sister Olga said.