Moss Brae Falls, Near Mt. Shasta

American photographer William Henry Jackson made his name documenting survey expeditions into the American West during the 1870s, particularly with his large-scale photographs of the Rocky Mountains and the stretch of land that would become Yellowstone National Park.

This photograph of Moss Brae Falls was taken near Mount Shasta in northern California with a 17-by-21-inch glass plate. Survey photographers like Jackson had to carry fragile plates across rough terrain, making their work extremely difficult. In spite of this strenuous task, Jackson carried even larger plates—20 by 24 inches—up the Rocky Mountains, thus demonstrating not only his professional skill but also his agility as an explorer.