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a century of great photography
from the virginian-pilot

October 20, 2006 – January 7 , 2007

It has been said that the daily newspaper is “the first draft of history.” For more than 100 years, The Virginian-Pilot and its forebears have used photography to visually record and interpret history in the making. Launched at the close of the Civil War, The Norfolk Virginian has undergone no less than a dozen mergers to become the paper that it is today. In the 1865 prospectus, the founders proclaimed, “We design that the Virginian shall be especially devoted to the advancement and prosperity of Norfolk and her sister city, [Portsmouth], and the large section of Virginia whose interests are common with theirs.” With time, this geographical hub now extends from the Eastern Shore to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The photographs published over the years reflect this expansion.

This unique exhibition begins in the early 1900s and includes more than 300 photographs which will surely resonate with viewers of any age or background. The images comprising this show are those by the staff photographers, covering items of interest to the readers of the time, and do not include wire service photographs that were simply published in the Pilot. The show has two major components. The first is primarily historical and features photographs depicting the growth of the area from the early 1900s through the 1990s. The contemporary section begins in 1980, a significant date because the paper underwent a dramatic transformation in the way that it employed photographs and graphics to tell a story. With a more artful approach, the paper was propelled into a leading role in newspaper photography. This change was instigated by Executive Editor Frank Caperton when he hired Bob Lynn to lead the photo revolution. Now retired, Lynn was ably assisted by Alex Burrows who is now the Pilot’s Director of Photography and carries on the tradition of great photography.

Nhat Meyer (b. Vietnam, 1973) Norfolk Tides’ Ralph Milliard, right, waits for the sky to clear at Harbor Park just before their season opener against the Durham Bulls, April 9, 1998

In addition to photographs, the exhibition will illustrate the advancement of technology with examples ranging from bulky large-format press cameras to the sleek digital marvels of today. The installation will incorporate the Pilot’s actual photographic darkroom where film was processed and prints made by the orange glow of a safelight. Now an antique, this magical aspect of the photographer’s realm has been replaced by the laptop computer.

The conclusion of the exhibition features a 1950s era coffee shop where visitors are invited to peruse the day’s The Virginian-Pilot newspaper. Additionally, two computer monitors will be installed where the future of the newspaper can be explored on Pilotonline.com and HamptonRoads.tv. An 80-page catalogue, published in the format of the daily newspaper, accompanies the exhibition. On view in the Norfolk Southern Large Changing Gallery, the exhibition is sponsored by The Virginian-Pilot.

A podcast related to the exhibition is available for download. For more interactive features such as commentary from the photographer featured in the exhibition, a daily blog, podcasts, and more, visit The Virginian-Pilot's multi-media page devoted to this show.

For general information, please call (757) 664-6200. For media information, please contact the Office of Communications at (757) 333-6295 or communications@chrysler.org.