📸 Journey Back in Time: Early Photography in Sarawak 🌿

Did you know photography reached Sarawak not long after it was invented in Europe in 1839? 🕰️ Back then, taking a photo was no easy task—heavy cameras, long exposure times, tricky chemicals, and Borneo’s tropical heat made every shot an adventure! 🌞🐝

By the 1850s, cameras arrived in Kuching, likely brought by visiting Europeans. These early photos were rare and expensive—each carefully planned and posed. 🎞️

One pioneer was John Thomson (1837–1921), a Scottish travel photographer. Around 1867, he captured Kuching as a quiet riverside town, its wooden houses hugging the Sarawak River. 🌊🏠 His photos show local life, customs, and communities—offering a rare window into 19th-century Sarawak.

Photography became more practical with the wet-plate collodion process—imagine carrying glass plates, chemicals, and a portable darkroom through the jungle just to capture a single shot! 😲🛠️

By the late 19th century, photography studios began popping up, and families, schools, and weddings started appearing in photos. 📷 Families could finally capture their own memories, not just have images taken by visitors.

Through these snapshots, we see more than buildings or rivers—we see identity, culture, and everyday life. Sarawak’s early photographers, like K.F. Wong, Hedda Morrison, Ha Buay Hon, and Ho Ah Chon, captured the heart of the state for generations to come. ❤️

Photography in Sarawak isn’t just about pictures—it’s about memory, perspective, and history. These early images still speak to us today. ✨

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