Timothy H. O'Sullivan

Born in the year 1840 in New York City
Death: January 14th 1882 at the age of 41 of tuberculosis
Best Known For: Civil Wr photos and landscape images of the American West


Began career as an apprentice to Matthew Brady and worked in his Washington studio under Alexander Garner


Before the Civil War many soldiers wanted their pictures taken in their uniforms and O'Sullivan was one of the first to take portrait shots


When war began he went off on his own to capture images of the American Civil War


Where he took one of his most famous pictures the, "Harvest of Death"

"Harvest of Death" (1863) Confederate dead at Gettysburg

- He strayed away from the traditional images of the war of soldiers primarily at rest and in good spirits, to the more real and horrid scenes of war                                                                               

- Decided to leave Brady over the issue of not getting proper credit for his work, like the image above

- Went on to creating his own photographic business and traveled around the United States taking photographic surveys

- From 1867 to 1869 focused on landscape images working for Larence King’s United States Geological Exploration of the 40th Parallel
- And then went on an expedition of the Panama and was a lead photographer for them in 1871, 1873, and 1874
- When he returned he was made the first photographer of the United States Geological Survey

- With high recommendations from Brady, King and Gardner O'Sullivan was appointed chief photographer of the Department of Treasury in 1880 but left the position in only a few months for his poor health

This photograph taken by O'Sullivan creates nice depth of field
and use of lighting to make the image appear as it does. The
framing of the image draws the eye from the rick in the front to the
mountain range in the back. Nice rule of thirds. The way the
mountain appears darker against the clouds really gives it a even view.

One of Timothy O'Sullivans most famous shots called
"Dead Boy at Fredricksburg" (December 1862)