The earliest documentation of photography in the Atlantic region appeared in an advertisement placed by William Valentine, portrait painter, in the Saint John Morning News on November 15, 1841. Newly returned from the New England States, where it is believed he learned of the Daguerrotype process, Mr. Valentine advertised "Photographic Likenesses by the Daguerrotype Process". According to Harry Piers (Artists in Nova Scotia, Harry Piers, Collections of the Nova Scotia Historical Society, Volume 18), it was believed that Valentine received instruction from Daguerre himself in Paris.

In Halifax, Valentine placed an advertisement in the Halifax Times on January 18, 1842 for "Daguerrotype Likenesses". The Times' editor was so impressed with the photographs that he himself placed an advertisement in his paper recommending visitors to Valentine for Daguerrotype likenesses as well as oil portraits. Valentine's studio is believed to have been the first in British North America and he is credited as the first photographer in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland. He may well also have been the first photographer in Prince Edward Island as he was known to have visited PEI as a portraitist.

John Clow is on record as the second photographer in the Atlantic Provinces. He was known in Saint John as a portraitist and his advertisements for portrait paintings appeared in the local papers at about the same time that Valentine was in that city. Clow's advertisements disappeared near the end of November of 1841 and reappeared in January of the following year advertising both portraits and daguerrotypes. It is believed that Clow went to New England in December 1841 to learn the daguerrotype process.

While Valentine and Clow were the first Atlantic photographers, they were quickly joined in their trade by others. The growing popularity of photography and lack of local studios brought many established photographers to the Atlantic provinces from the larger provinces. Montreal photographer, Thomas C. Doane advertised in the Yarmouth Herald on 27 May 1842 and his brother, Samuel O. Doane, opened a studio at Barrington Head, Shelburne County, before his death in 1867. Keith and Davidson advertised their studio in Hantsport, Hants County, in 1857 (Acadian Recorder, 3 January 1857). Daguerreotype studios were opened in Halifax by T.A. Cleverdon, also a miniature artist, (Halifax Sun, 3 June 1851); A.H. Lincoln & Co (British North American, 29 April 1853); D.J. Smith (British North American, 9 November 1853) and J.A. Saltieri & Co. (British North American, 19 November 1855). William Chase advertised a display of daguerreotypes, ambrotypes and talbotypes, some of which had been sent to the United States to be coloured by professional artists (Acadian Recorder, 10 January 1857) and Chase and Margeson photographed the proceedings of Halifax Natal Day in 1858. It was said of William Chase that in the field of talbotypes he was quite alone in Halifax and that "experienced connoisseurs declared his portraits and scenes equal to those taken by the most popular artists in Great Britain and the United States" (Acadian Recorder, 18 April 1857). An exhibit of "microscopic photographs from the plate of Mr. Fox Talbot" was held by the Nova Scotia Literary and Scientific Society on 13 February 1860 (Halifax Sun, 17 February 1860).

Photographers listed in the 1864 Nova Scotia Directory include Samuel Doane; Abner Hodgson, East Branch River Philip; David E. Rop, Sherbrooke; Thomas Mayo, Windsor; H.A. Borden, Canning; Charles Gould, Liverpool; Alfred H. Hood, Liverpool; Obadiah Slocomb, Argyle; George Holstead, Yarmouth; and George D. Harris, William A. Bashford, Charles G. Mitchell, Robert B. Wilson and Maria P. Williams, all of Halifax. L.G. Swain advertised his photographic studio in the town of Yarmouth in the 1866-67 Nova Scotia Directory. Halifax photographers Chambers, William D. O'Donnell and Parish received honourable mention "for good manipulation" in the Dublin Exhibition of 1865 (from Report of the Nova Scotia Department of the Dublin Exhibition of 1865, p 16-17). William O'Donnell was awarded a prize in the 1868 Nova Scotia Provincial Exhibition for coloured photographs - daguerreotypes finished in oils and water colours.

The first aerial photograph in Canada was taken at Halifax from a balloon by Captain H. Elsdale who was stationed there with the British Army in 1883-1884. Some of his photographs are held by the National Archives of Canada.

Charles H. Climo opened his photographic studio in Halifax in 1898 (Halifax Evening Mail, 10 May 1898) and A.R. Cogswell advertised his photographic goods in the Halifax Directory of 1895-96. Cogswell later advertised his photographic products by American Aristotype and Eastman Kodak.

McAlpines Maritime Provinces Directory for 1870/71 lists photographers in every major city in the Atlantic provinces. There were 10 studios in Saint John, New Brunswick; 8 in Halifax, Nova Scotia; and three each in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island and St. John's, Newfoundland.

The Waldren Studio was based in New Glasgow, Pictou County. George Waldren came to New Glasgow around the turn of the century from Kingston, Ontario, after having purchased a photography studio from Mr. Lewis Rice. Along with a business associate, Captain Rudolf, they operated the Waldren and Rudolf Studio. Waldren purchased Rudolf's share of the studio a few years later, and the studio was renamed Waldren's, a name that can still be seen in New Glasgow today. Waldren ran his studio until his death in 1940, creating thousands of highly desired photographs. His obituary stated that "the 'Waldren photo' was in a class by itself" and that "he possessed the artist's touch and could take a real life like picture."

Go back to the Short History of Photography.