The NYTImes Lens blog has a feature on an unknown Reconstruction-era photographer named Hugh Mangum, who took “penny pictures” of ordinary people. I thought the title came from sitters paying a penny for a photo, but apparently it refers to the camera itself.
His portraits, presented many on a page, are full of life. I couldn’t help wondering about the stories of the individuals and the relationships. A nice find.
Here’s the type of camera he used.
And there are more of his photos at Duke University Libraries’ Digital Collections.
A Few Reasonable Words 