tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post387802474841655869..comments2024-03-04T06:12:38.695+13:00Comments on Photo-Sleuth: Sepia Saturday 163: A photographer at the front doorBrett Paynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07706734864792449845noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-86652470481492741392013-02-15T10:25:01.784+13:002013-02-15T10:25:01.784+13:00THis is a wonderful category I hadn't thought ...THis is a wonderful category I hadn't thought of. I do have a few , my favorite of two little girls standing on the front porch of a very tall brick building, also taken in the winter. You've wetted my appetite for this category!Tattered and Losthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00208918251232477186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-80629529203378204012013-02-14T15:52:05.778+13:002013-02-14T15:52:05.778+13:00A fine selection here, and the one one that drew m...A fine selection here, and the one one that drew me the most is that old thatched cottage. Something about it is simply endearing.<br /><br />Thanks for sharing all of this and putting in all of the hard work. <br />:)~ <br />HUGZBruno Lalibertéhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09607511642101907283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-26512244770223155172013-02-12T08:05:29.739+13:002013-02-12T08:05:29.739+13:00Sheila - Nancy mentioned the same thing. I've...Sheila - Nancy mentioned the same thing. I've never had one of these chaps knocking on my door, although I've often wished I had such a shot of my house.Brett Paynehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07706734864792449845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-84611499289548223422013-02-12T07:55:32.829+13:002013-02-12T07:55:32.829+13:00The itinerant photographers put me in mind of the ...The itinerant photographers put me in mind of the aerial photographers we used to have knocking on our door from time to time. The difference there was that they took the photo first and asked afterwards. I suspect they have had their business severely curtailed by Google maps satellite view even though it's really not the same at all.Sheila @ A Postcard a Dayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09140046386364588303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-24135670198049124102013-02-11T16:43:45.197+13:002013-02-11T16:43:45.197+13:00Deb - Judging by the number of existing cartes de ...Deb - Judging by the number of existing cartes de visite and cabinet cards with no photographer's mark on them at all, I belive there must have been far more than is suggested by the census records, but I have yet to see any estimates of numbers in the literature. The difficulty is that, by their very nature, the itinerants were hard to pin down on census night.<br /><br />Viridian - Thanks for the link to the Howes Brothers photographers. I was particularly intrigued by the story of a letter requesting a duplicate 86 years after the original was taken, and the Ashfield Historical Society being able to oblige. There are very few such collections of glass plate negatives which survive in their entirety.<br /><br />Karen - It's good to have confirmation of the itinerant photographers touring suburbs, and I'm pleased you found the article of some use.<br /><br />Jan - I'll discuss the identification of this location in a future Photo-Sleuth article. This house almost certainly still stands!<br /><br />Prenter & Optimistic - That's very kind of you.<br /><br />Mike Brubaker - It's a topic which returns to me frequently, in particular the relationship between photographer and subject. I suppose you could say it's what this blog is all about. I think in a studio portrait the relationship was far more formalised, and to a formula, so that it was less obvious. The photographer did his best to hide the relationship. With itinerant photographer that boundary was often visible in the photo.<br />Frank Scarratt, the Derbyshire postcard photographer and publisher who I have featured several times on this blog, used a bicycle, and later a motorcycle, to get around when photographing his scenes. He often left his bike leaning against a kerb, fence or wall in the scene, so that it's become known as his signature. It would have been quite a job carrying around the glass plates and the large wooden camera needed.Brett Paynehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07706734864792449845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-64646051206338428772013-02-11T16:26:39.059+13:002013-02-11T16:26:39.059+13:00Joan - I believe itinerant photographers started p...Joan - I believe itinerant photographers started plying the English (and presumably American) countryside with mobile darkrooms on carts in the 1850s once the collodion positive process had been developed, producing ambrotypes and tintypes. The tintypes in particular were relatively inexpensive, as were carte de visites, which most could afford.<br /><br />Hazel - The volunteer work is interesting, and very satisfying, much more my cup of tea than community fund-raising.<br /><br />Bob - Tauranga's a lovely place to live, but don't tell everyone. Yes, I think the opportunities for an itinerant anything these days are rapidly disappearing.<br /><br />Boobook & Kathy M. - Thank you.<br /><br />Postcardy - They may not be so common in North America, although I have one example of a cabinet card of an 1880s settler family outside their farmhouse, sent back to relatives in England.<br /><br />Little Nell - Thank you. I'm not sure why you can't enlarge them, because I'm not having any difficulty. Perhaps it's a browser incompatibility - what browser do you use?<br /><br />Helen - I think you are right to have some doubts about the permanence of digital images in our archives. I never like to delete anything, but I fear what will happen to my archives once I'm no longer around to preserve them.<br /><br />Kathy Morales - It's always helpful to include the mounts (and backs) of photographs on the scans, so remember to mention this when you ask relatives for copies of their family photos. You wouldn't want to miss the clues.<br /><br />Nancy - I have seen series of postcards of towns and villages in Derbyshire taken from the air, but not of individual homes. Yes, I agree about the child with a bird cage in the conservatory (shades of Cluedo?) - it is charming.<br /><br />Caijsa - I'm glad you found them so enjoyable.<br /><br />Tony - That's a lesson I learnt long ago when trying to build up a timeline and history of individuals in my family from photographs.Brett Paynehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07706734864792449845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-61282678045788844302013-02-11T15:42:43.070+13:002013-02-11T15:42:43.070+13:00The mystery of the man (or woman even) behind the ...The mystery of the man (or woman even) behind the camera always makes a great story on your blog, Brett. I've had similar questions about these house photos, especially the many shop postcards over at Howard's blog PostcardsThenandNow. The history of itinerant photographers seems a neglected trade worthy of more of your research. <br /><br />I've just started a eBook on my Kindle, The Lost Cyclist by David Herlihy, which is about three early bicycle adventurers who cycle around the world in the 1890s! What is interesting is that they carry cameras on their travels. If they managed it, I can easily see a local entrepreneur getting a camera outfit and riding a bicycle around to snap "house portraits". Mike Brubakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13065245846262417519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-59941107187058995102013-02-11T06:03:11.364+13:002013-02-11T06:03:11.364+13:00Amazing photos indeed sir!!Amazing photos indeed sir!!Optimistic Existentialisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11507986337866049924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-78093060122342665692013-02-11T04:49:39.824+13:002013-02-11T04:49:39.824+13:00Reading your post was like reading a book chapter ...Reading your post was like reading a book chapter by an expert author. I'm looking forward to the following chapters. Thanks for sharing! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-11465482150118008572013-02-10T15:27:36.104+13:002013-02-10T15:27:36.104+13:00Great post, and good spin! especially like unident...Great post, and good spin! especially like unidentified family group and house, c. mid- to late 1860s<br />Carte de visite " wow, want the house!<br /><br />JanThe Pink Geranium or Jan's Placehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11198239040764060238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-49212212789170850042013-02-10T15:20:18.840+13:002013-02-10T15:20:18.840+13:00How amazing- you answered many of my questions I&#...How amazing- you answered many of my questions I've had through the years. I do remember hearing from the elders too, how a photographer would happen by and often food or other such exchanges besides money would do just fine. Your first photo is excellent and for a moment I thought it was the same house in Alan's photo! This is a very informative and nicely written post, bravo!21 Witshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00071361755673253230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-37553063954568673262013-02-10T13:36:08.146+13:002013-02-10T13:36:08.146+13:00What a thoughtful and interesting post. There was...What a thoughtful and interesting post. There was a group of brothers in Ashfield MA USA who were itinerant photographers who had a studio for a few years - very similar to what you describe.<br />http://www.ashfieldhistorical.org/collections.html#Howes I know of this because my mother's family grew up near there. I have used one of their photos for Sepia Saturday.viridianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07938256248645774087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-91990673285513375542013-02-10T06:32:11.289+13:002013-02-10T06:32:11.289+13:00I just love this post! The idea of an itinerant ph...I just love this post! The idea of an itinerant photographer never crossed my mind; it makes sense, though, for there were itinerant portrait painters, too, who had to make way for the changing technology. Interesting stuff.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11658880722411505714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-72679036146845296202013-02-10T06:31:34.184+13:002013-02-10T06:31:34.184+13:00Its an interesting point re the house photo withou...Its an interesting point re the house photo without any children outside.It's often what <i>isn't </i> in the picture that can tell the story.<br />Fascinating photos (especially,for me,the ones of East London & of Burnley....both of which I have connections with)<br />Thanks.Great Post.tonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03746435400444226665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-30064857739092962162013-02-09T20:01:00.437+13:002013-02-09T20:01:00.437+13:00What a wonderful collection of photos. I had to wa...What a wonderful collection of photos. I had to watch them over and over again. Thank you for sharing!caijsahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07756133244115404511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-60024775559547955092013-02-09T13:56:45.166+13:002013-02-09T13:56:45.166+13:00Great photos. They reminded me of a friend of mine...Great photos. They reminded me of a friend of mine that used to go around trying to sell photos of your house from an airplane. I think he made quite a good living doing that but now google earth does it for free.<br /><br />I especially liked the photo of the child in the conservatory. Beautiful.<br />NancyNorth County Film Clubhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13683794164957833415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-4930563127331192642013-02-09T13:31:03.070+13:002013-02-09T13:31:03.070+13:00I'm already thinking of some of my photographs...I'm already thinking of some of my photographs in a new light. Perhaps gggrandfather standing with his granddaughter in front of his house was taken by an itinerant photographer in Durham. I have only a scanned image from a cousin. An email may be in order. Thanks for your interesting post and pictures!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-19708378660109645112013-02-09T09:05:38.530+13:002013-02-09T09:05:38.530+13:00Wow! I love the theme idea and all of the photos ...Wow! I love the theme idea and all of the photos that you came up with in this post. Each one is a story starter, as we imagine who they were and what went on behind the front door.<br /><br />Great post, thank you.<br /><br />Kathy M.Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07171271956883698673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-70528039034066847442013-02-09T08:35:44.497+13:002013-02-09T08:35:44.497+13:00So interesting to learn about the photography busi...So interesting to learn about the photography business in the early 20th century. For all the photography we do now I wonder how many images will endure like these to be studied in the future. Helen Killeen Bauch McHarguehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07042488205276127209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-72927739838625503902013-02-09T06:57:05.917+13:002013-02-09T06:57:05.917+13:00Another interesting post Brett. I tried to click o...Another interesting post Brett. I tried to click on the unidentified children to enlarge but couldn't, sadly. Little Nellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11862657943846727987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-57745403595107904072013-02-09T02:15:34.333+13:002013-02-09T02:15:34.333+13:00The topic of people outside their houses is intere...The topic of people outside their houses is interesting. I don't know if the are common here, but I am now going to keep my eyes open for similar views on postcards.Postcardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16399915833682943432noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-39658979281804509722013-02-08T23:39:20.793+13:002013-02-08T23:39:20.793+13:00Fascinating post. Fascinating post. Boobookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01395043246338753023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-20300941692952288322013-02-08T21:16:56.026+13:002013-02-08T21:16:56.026+13:00I've never been to Belper but that has is very...I've never been to Belper but that has is very like one there used to be in the village where I was born. I jumped when I saw the shot of Tauranga as a friend of mine has recently moved there. A travelling photographer would be out of pocket today.Bob Scotneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00662958579705940009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-14154832239755664432013-02-08T20:45:01.672+13:002013-02-08T20:45:01.672+13:00It must be wonderful having roses readily availabl...It must be wonderful having roses readily available for a photo op. What interesting stories of photographers and their trade. I love your volunteer work. I'd do it if given the chance.Hazelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07866700983578714993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4599702957095945938.post-69795061771534563452013-02-08T16:02:39.108+13:002013-02-08T16:02:39.108+13:00Several years ago, a distant cousin of some degree...Several years ago, a distant cousin of some degree or other, foisted off a large box of old photos to me. I have identified most of the photos and sent them onto to their rightful families. However, one of the things that surprised me was that itinerant photographers were even plying the sagebrush lands of eastern Oregon in the 1870s & 80s.<br /><br />Also, it seemed as tho the very poor dinna have photographs, only the middle class and wealthy. I liken it to having a tv in the 1950s or fancy cell phones today. --or perhaps it's just a phenomenon of my family.<br /><br />I look forward to your posts each week. Thanks.Joanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07948553013206247354noreply@blogger.com