Nowshera, Kashmir (number 1000)

Samuel Bourne's "Nowshera, Kashmir (number 1000)" captures a moment from his extensive nine-month photographic expedition to Kashmir in 1864. Bourne, a British photographer who arrived in Calcutta in 1863, quickly established himself as a master of landscape photography in India. This albumen print, created from a wet collodion negative, is characteristic of his meticulous approach and technical skill, which allowed him to produce stunning images even in the remotest areas of the Himalayas. His journeys were epic undertakings, often requiring dozens of porters to carry his heavy equipment. This particular photograph is part of the approximately 2,200 images Bourne created during his six years in India, showcasing the breathtaking scenery and architecture of the subcontinent. His work for Bourne & Shepherd became the premier photographic studio in India, making his images widely distributed and celebrated for their compositional excellence and detailed rendering.