Through a New Lens

Prior to 1900, photography was largely an activity for experts. Cameras were bulky, complicated, required hazardous chemicals, and perhaps most importantly, were expensive. However, when Kodak introduced the ‘Brownie,’ a low-priced, point-and-shoot camera that year, it well and truly changed the game. Photography was finally within the reach of amateurs and the low price allowed […]

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Ever Upward

In the 1890s, it was fashionable for well-to-do gentlemen to experiment with photography. It took someone with both time and money to be a successful amateur photographer and James C. Wilson (1834-1901) certainly fit the bill. Born in Ireland, Wilson emigrated to Australia in 1857 and quickly rose to prominence as the first mayor and […]

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