“Photography can only represent the present. Once photographed, the subject becomes part of the past” (Abbott, Bernice). Since the beginning of time humans have tried to commemorate their existence and one of the ways we have done so is through photography. Photography can be found anywhere. One of the most common places you can find photography is in a museum; which is where my story begins.

As I entered the doors of the Museum of Photography at the University of Riverside I was transported through time. I was taken back to a time when hydrotherapy was nearly a budding phenomenon. A time where the mention of daguerreotype; a picture made on a mirror-like surface, would stop people dead in their tracks. A time where death; as tragic as it was, was celebrated as art. The time of Post-Mortem photography.

As I ventured deeper into the world of Post-Mortem photography, I quickly discovered that Post- Mortem photography meant photography of the deceased. I immediately questioned the photographers’ motives and was hesitant to except their works as art. However, as I continued to examine and observe I realized that these photographs weren’t as horrific as I had made them UT to be. In fact, they were quite beautiful; In that they leave something behind for the living to hold on to.

As I continued through the halls of the museum I found several other photographs whose subjects were living. I favored these photographs over the other photographs because they were much more cheerful. Throughout my exploration of the museum In total there were four photographs that stood out to me. Photography term paper By zoologically out to be. In fact, they were quite beautiful; in that they leave something behind for exploration of the museum in total there were four photographs that stood out to me.