The Meaning Of A Moment : an Analysis of the Photomicrographs of Dr. Max Poser in Response to Their Physical Location and Trajectory

Dr. Max Poser was a researcher, scientist, and lecturer in the fields of ophthalmology and physiological optics at the New York based optics company, Bausch & Lomb. This thesis examines a group of his silver gelatin photographs located at George Eastman House and compares this series of 1930s photomicrographs to other images by Dr. Poser at the Bausch & Lomb archive. This thesis contextualizes the photographs within the history of photomicrography, the biography of Dr. Poser, and his work at Bausch & Lomb to understand why these photographs were made. Several of these photomicrographs were exhibited and published before arriving at the museum, and these frameworks show how the usage of a photograph can change how it is understood. Finally, the thesis examines the physical locations where each of the objects is kept and how those locations generate different connotations that reflect the mission of each institution.