Cathedral Spires, Yosemite

Carleton E. Watkins' albumen print captures the granite pinnacles of Yosemite Valley with the clarity and precision that made him a pioneer of American landscape photography. Using large-format cameras, Watkins documented the western wilderness during the 1860s, producing images that circulated widely through stereoscopic cards and albums. His work established photography as a credible medium for scientific documentation and tourism promotion, influencing how Americans visualized the frontier landscape during westward expansion.