Victorian photography

I have nearly gone blind this week, I think, cropping and resizing and retouching photos for the book. Like the one of Maureen below, which looked like a copy from a newspaper, perhaps. But I have gone through a lot of interesting photos. We all know Victorian era photography from its morose, overly sentimental and ornate style, but take this photo of the family of E.C. Bard, Florence's grandparents. Notice the blank or startled stares, the stiff poses, the look on Josephine's face like someone just dug her up, then add in the morbid backdrop, and for the piece de resistance, the artful spider web in the right corner. Voila! Instant Addams Family! (As always, you can click on the photo to see it in a larger size.)


Grandma Florence wasn't even born yet, but I wonder what her family was like...

E.C. Bard family (circa 1895) left to right: E.C. Bard, Charles Bard (standing), his wife, Helen, Blanche, Pearl, Elgin Daniel (standing), Josephine, Hattie. Sitting in front: Clyde, Alice Ann Mather (E.C.'s mother), Glenn.