Figure 1.--This Photograph by Robert Doisneau is one of many taken in the the 1950s depicting French children, including mant taken in classrooms and school playgrounfs, providing a wonderful record of French schoolwear.

The work of some photographers are particularly noteworthy. Readers should exercise some caution in comparing the work of early photographers with their modern counterpart. Photography in the mid-19th century was still a highly experimental medium. The early photographers faced an ardous process every time they wanted to create an image. He had to mix their own chemicals, treat and print their copper, paper or glass, and handle large bulky equipment. The early pioneers, however, managed to create very powerful, emotionally charged and technically good images of considerable historical importance. Here we will not catalog all great photographers. We will exclude landscape photrraphers (such as Ansel Adams) and war photography (Mathew Brady) and rather concentrate on portrait, people, and everyday life. Such photography can provide important fashion information. We know of a few such photraphers of special interest and will gradually add to the list as we learn of more such photographers. We are focusing here on 19th century photographers, but will add 20th century photographers as well if there work includes useful child studies.

Individual Photographers

HBC has noted the work of these photographers whose work includes many wonderful images of children over the ages, providing an enormous amount of information about contemprary fashions as well as other interesting aspects of childhood. Most of these noted photographers had careers which primarily focused on their own countries and thus are agreat source of information on individual countries or in some cases specific regions within the country.

Photograhic Site

HBC has noted a wonderful site, "Master of Photography" with useful information about their photography and samples of their work. HBC readers may want to begin research on a specifiv photographer at his site.

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Created: September 15, 2001
Last updated: 10:56 PM 2/16/2011