Wire Photo Question
frankhardy
Posts: 8,143 ✭✭✭✭✭
Can someone explain to me exactly what is meant by the term "wire photo"? Is it an original photo from "wire" news services such as AP, etc?
Shane
0
Comments
A wire photo is a photo that is used by news services such as UPI, AP and such. I think the term "wire photo" comes from the fact that the photos used to be transfered over "wires" like phone lines. Back in the day, wire transfer was the fastest way to transmit information to other offices. I would assume that the wire was hooked up to a machine that was able to print the photos, therefor a first generation photo was taken directly from the negative, second generation would be the ones recieved and printed from over the wire, third generation would be a copy of those.
As I said, I may be wrong. This is mostly speculation and what little bit of information I have been able to come up with in research. Hope this helps!
Shane
In the early 1900s, there was no overnight national distribution of images. Photographs were shipped by plane, train and even boat. While this was okay for the many popular monthly magazines, most early daily newspapers had relatively few and dated images
While since the turn of the century news services could send the printed text of a story via telephone lines (‘wire’) to subscribing newspapers, they also wanted to be able send photographs in a similar way. Originally, this was just a pipe dream. Even today the idea of sending actual photographs over the telephone sounds a tad incredible. The invention of the wirephoto process eventually led to overnight photograph distribution.
The wirephoto process allowed photographs to be transferred through telephone lines. The process required a large, expensive wirephoto machine both at the source and at the receiving end. The original photograph was placed inside the wirephoto machine. A special electronic eye scanned the photograph and translated it into electrical impulses. These impulses were sent through the telephone wire to the identical wirephoto machine at the receiving end. At the receiving machine the impulses were translated to light that was used to develop the image onto photographic paper. The development would take minutes to over an hour, as the photographic paper was slowly exposed line by line. In fact, the ultimate way to identify the wirephoto (the received image) is to look for the tiny horizontal or vertical lines.
The result was that that the receiving newspaper would have a copy of the original photograph that it could use to make prints for the newspaper. This wirephoto had an identical image to the original photograph, but of lesser quality.
A wirephoto could be sent simultaneously to many receivers. For example, the Associated Press could put the original photograph into the wirephoto machine and send copies to the Seattle Times, New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle and Green Bay Press-Gazette all at once. The Associated Press’ main office in New York City could send wirephotos to its regional office in Atlanta, and the Atlanta office could send wirephotos to the New York City office. As you can imagine, this made photograph distribution quicker and more efficient than transporting a box of photos by train.
While the wirephoto process was invented in 1921, and AT & T had it’s first commercial wirephoto service in 1925, it took at least a decade for the process to be used widely. The early machines were large, overly expensive and the process was unreliable. The early wirephotos were usually of poor quality and hostage to the fickleness and ‘breaks’ of the telephone lines. When someone sent a wirephoto across the telephone lines, it often took more than an hour and the sender had no idea if a recognizable image would be received at the other end. Before 1935, wirephotos were only used for especially important, breaking news.
In 1934 Associated Press (AP), the world’s largest news service, installed an advanced and effective wirephoto system. Starting the following year, the wirephoto system became practical. Soon after other major news services installed their own wirephoto systems. This included AP’s rivals International News Photos, United Press Association and ACME.
Though press photos were still distributed the old fashioned way, and a local newspaper would still hire its own photographers for local stories, the wirephoto system was the dominant form of photo distribution from 1935 until the mid 1970s.
Shane
Cycleback has the best info!
Here's my favorite wire photo:
mike
If you want to read more, this site I believe is the best out there. It is filled with information that I found invaluable. Cycleback Print and Photography Site
Stone, is that a wire photo you own?
<< <i>I didn't either until I bought my first wire photo and did some research. Maybe I am off base here, but I think wire photos are a very undervalued collectible. Most collectors don't know alot about them which means there are some real gems out there waiting to be discovered. I read at one time PSA was going to start authenticating them which I think is a great idea.
If you want to read more, this site I believe is the best out there. It is filled with information that I found invaluable. Cycleback Print and Photography Site
Stone, is that a wire photo you own? >>
Yes.
mike
Here's my favourite wire photo which I forgot to place a bid on earlier this year. Grant Fuhr after being drafted by the Oilers with Gretzky congratulating him and welcoming him to the team.
Photos That Were Used On Baseball Cards
But I gotta say I just love any wire photo with Ted in it.
<< <i>Great photos guys! Thanks for sharing them.
But I gotta say I just love any wire photo with Ted in it.
Thanx Ted
Here's a cool item - don't know whether you've seen this - I have shown it before.
A batting order with Williams hitting 3rd and signed by the manager.
mike
I don't think I've seen that, what an incredible piece of Sox history!
I got to admit, I'm jealous!
Thanks for sharing it with me.
Looking for Penn State autographs/memorabilia/cards/etc
WANTED: Yogi Berra Signed Ron Lewis '69 Mets Postcard
So ... was a cow the early version of a heavybag?
I've really started to pick up a few wire photos and postcards. I would love it if PSA started grading and/or authenticating them.
Arthur
I would love it if PSA started grading and/or authenticating them."
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There was an article in SMR some-months back, about wires.
I think PSA either does authenticate or is contemplating
doing so.
Nick
Reap the whirlwind.
Need to buy something for the wife or girlfriend? Check out Vintage Designer Clothing.
<< <i>I picked up the Newcombe/Sievers Rookies of the Year wire photo from the Lelands Gaynor auction recently (about $40 after shipping and b.p.). Since I should be able to get Newcombe to sign it, I'll say I didn't overpay.
Nick >>
You actually should easily be able to get both to sign it. (if you wish to) Sievers signs free of charge through the mail all the time. If you sent it to him, I'm sure he would gladly sign it for you. I'd recommend writing to him first though for permission before sending it out. Just to be sure it's ok.
Looking for Penn State autographs/memorabilia/cards/etc
WANTED: Yogi Berra Signed Ron Lewis '69 Mets Postcard