Photographing children has always been a challenge, and the 1860s were no exception. Complicating matters was technology—many kids just couldn’t sit still long enough to prevent a blurred exposure, even though the process lasted all of 15 seconds. This of course was an eternity to a child, and so often a mother would step in, hide herself behind a backdrop of cloth or a blanket, and hold the child in place.
Such is the case here in this carte de visite by Deck & Happersett of Kenton, Ohio. I never tire of seeing these images! This portrait is now available on Pinterest, Tumblr, and Flickr:
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