Photography has only been around for about 175 years... that makes it a relatively recent invention. We don’t have any photographs from before 1839, and photos remained relatively rare throughout the 1840’s. This rarity was mainly due to the expense of having a photo taken back then, and the relative scarcity of photography studios. As it was a new technology, only a small number of people knew how to do it at first, and they tended to set up their studios in large cities, where they could get the most number of customers. Early photography wasn’t really available to the poor or rural population. On the rare occasion someone from either of these demographics got their photo taken during this period, it was because they’d saved up for it for a special occasion and/or made a rare trip into the nearest big city to visit relatives or get supplies.

Still, those who had access to photography embraced it… if they were of the younger generation. It was people in their teens through 40’s who showed the most interest in photography when it was first invented, and they used it with gusto. First, it was an interesting technological novelty. Then, it became a way of preserving images of family without the expense and lesser accuracy of getting a painted portrait done. The older generation didn’t show much interest in photography at first. They grew up without it, and had no photographs of their parents, grandparents, or older ancestors, so they didn’t see the point of it. Older people rarely went to photography studios on their own in those days...