Mathew Brady was an early photographer most famous for his work during the Civil War. He spent his whole life savings to train and equip a group of men for his expedition. He was granted special permission to follow around the Union army from camp to camp and from battle to battle documenting all aspects of life during the war. In the end nobody wanted BradyáÇs pictures. The debts brought on by his project would plague him for the rest of his life. (W.J.G, 585) .
Mathew B. Brady was born about 1823 in Warren County, New York. (WebsteráÇs, 129) He was born into an Irish family and was brought up with little education. It is said that he had his own way of spelling the first part of his given name and he did not know what his middle initial represented. (W.J.G., 584) It could be because he was born with failing eyesight that he had trouble with his education. (May, 2) It is a kind of irony considering his chosen profession. Although he had no formal education he managed to scrape together a reasonable facsimile. (W.J.G., 584) His friend William Page, the painter, encouraged him to draw. In 1840, Page introduced him to Samuel Morse, who was experimenting with an early type of photography called the daguerreotype. He became instantly fascinated. (WebsteráÇs, 129) .
Samuel Morse taught Brady all about daguerreotypes and soon he was experimenting on his own. (WebsteráÇs, 129) While he experimented the technology was rapidly improving. In 1844 he became skilled enough to open his own professional studio in New York. BradyáÇs photos grew in popularity and his studio attained much success. He entered his work in the annual exhibitions of the American Institute. In the years 1844-48 his work won the sliver medal at the exhibition and in 1849 he was awarded the first gold medal for a daguerreotype. (W.J.G., 585) At this time he began experimenting with producing tinted plates on ivory.
An important part of becoming an effective social worker includes understanding social policies. In order to better understand these policies it is necessary to become familiar with elected officials on all levels. An understanding of the policies and the elected officials will also put social worke...