[Giant Redwood, Santa Cruz]

Carleton Watkins began photographing California's colossal trees as early as 1860, recognizing both their historical and aesthetic significance. To people outside the state, tales of the grandeur of those trees seemed like folklore. To provide a sense of scale, Watkins often placed a figure at the base of the tree, as in this image of a giant redwood. The sign posted on the tree at the left advertises a "Moonlight Party in the Big Trees," while to the right of the redwood, a platform suitable for dancing awaits.