Gitchell's Studio collection (accession 2017-0077)
Content Description
This collection contains an estimated nine hundred thousand printed photographs, negatives, and slides captured by professional photographers at Gitchell’s Studio in Charlottesville between 1972 and 2016. The collection provides provides a photographic history of the Charlottesville, Virginia including the University of Virginia and includes printed photographs, negatives, slides, and photographs saved on CD-Rs and DVD-Rs. The collection is organized by year and event. Most of the content is commissioned photographs paid for by Charlottesville and Albemarle County residents or businesses. The subject matter of the photographs spans wedding portraits, personal portraits, family portraits, corporate events, commercial scenes, sporting events and graduations for the University of Virginia and area high schools, church events, University of Virginia sports, and the Dogwood Festival. This guide only describes accession 2017-0077 (addition 1) of the collection and does not include a description of the original deposit.
Dates
- Creation: 1972-2016
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1990 - 2014
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is unprocessed but available for use.
Conditions Governing Use
The University of Virginia holds some of the copyrights in this collection. Please inquire about permissions for reuse. Visit our Permissions and Publishing page for more information about use of Special Collections materials. The library can provide copyright information upon request, but users are responsible for making their own determination about lawful use of collections materials.
Biographical Note on Gitchell's Studio
Gitchell's Studio was first established in 1907, when brothers John and Frank Gitchell purchased "New Era Photography”, a studio on East Main Street in Charlottesville. The brothers changed the name to "Gitchell's Studio" and began to serve the area with their photography expertise. The Gitchell brothers quickly became known for their high-quality products and attention to detail, beginning to rival the much older and larger Holsinger Studio firm by the early 1920s. John Gitchell enrolled at the Effingham College of Photography in Illinois before returning to Charlottesville. John and Frank Gitchell married sisters, Allie and Mary Omohundro, respectively. The four operated the business in Charlottesville until 1934, when John and Allie relocated to Harrisonburg, opening their own Gitchell’s Studi” there. Frank continued operations in Charlottesville, with his son William "Bill" Gitchell succeeding his father in managing the photography studio. In 1988, after over forty years of supervision of the studio, Bill Gitchell sold the studio to James Carpenter, the chief photojournalist for the "The Daily Progress" of Charlottesville. Both the Charlottesville's Gitchell’s Studio and Harrisonburg Gitchell’s Photography are still in operation, separate from one another since 1934.
Biographical Note on James Carpenter
James G. Carpenter (1950), is a Charlotesville native. Born in 1950 to William and Emily Carpenter, he attended Lane High School Charlottesville where he began his photographic career. Carpenter landed a job as a staff photographer for the Daily Progress right after high school in 1968. By the time he was twenty-one, he was the chief photographer at the newspaper. In July, he joined the Army Reserve and began active duty the following year. He served for twenty years with the U.S. Army Reserve, retiring with the rank of master sergeant. Jim earned his Master's Degree in Photography through the Professional Photographers of America (PPA)in 2000. As a staff photographer, Carpenter was twice honored for his photo journalism work by the Virginia Associated Press by naming it "Photo of the Year." In addition, his work received awards from the Virginia Press Association for twenty consecuetive years. In 2016, he semi-retired and closed down Gitchell's Studio store front but continues Gitchell's Studio from his home.
Source
“History of Gitchell’s Studio.” Gitchell’s Studio, https://www.gitchellsstudio.com/history-of-gitchells-studio. Accessed 2 May 2025.
"Jim Carpenter, Photographer." Marshaling May Days: A Digital Exhibition UVA School of Law. https://maydays.law.virginia.edu/oral-histories/jim-carpenter-photographer. Accessed 2 May 2025.
Maurer, David A. "Photographer Jim Carpenter will see what develops during semi-retirement phase." Daily Progress. (Charlotesville, VA), December 3, 2016.
Extent
196 Cubic Feet (196 boxes, cubic foot and Banker's boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Metadata Rights Declarations
- License: This record is made available under an Universal 1.0 Public Domain Dedication Creative Commons license. The Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library of the University of Virginia makes its bibliographic records and the metadata contained therein available for public use under the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Designation.
Arrangement
No arrangement has been done and materials are in the order received. According to the original box listing, there is no box 27, 103, or 135.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
This collection was a gift from James Carpenter to the Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia on 14 April 2018.
Condition Description
Poor to good. Some items have water/mold damage.
- Title
- Guide to the Gitchell Studio collection
- Author
- Eric Willersdorf, Student Accessioning Archivist Assistant
- Date
- 28 April 2025
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library Repository
Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library
P.O. Box 400110
University of Virginia
Charlottesville Virginia 22904-4110 United States