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A native from the Antilles, Paul-Emile Miot, joined
the French Navy and in 1857 organized a photographic
lab for the processing of plates taken in several naval ex-
peditions, in Terranova, Senegal, Perú, Chile, Oceanía,
Tahiti and the Marquis islands.
Eadweard Muybridge, a North American of mul-
tiple interests, travelled to Costa Rica, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Nicaragua and Panamá. The result was an
exhaustive photographic collection, particularly from
Guatemala, where he remained longer.
By the sixties, photography was so popular that all so-
cial classes could recognize photographs as identifi catory
elements. At the same time, albums of views emerged,
because of their exotic aspects or documentary value.
Additionally, railroad development often attracted
numerous foreigners looking for work in the region, and
often carried photographic equipment. Also, engineer
workers were documented by their constructors, tus
fi nding a new role for descriptive photography.
In the market of exotic places and images, in which
Central America was included, it is worthwhile to men-
tion stereographs. Anthony & Co. sent photographers
to several places in the world, and specially to this
region. In 1860 George N. Barnard (1819–1902) was
comissioned to make a series of stereoscopic views of
Cuba.
Later, thousands of stereographs from the region were
made, mostly by photographers belonging to American
companies. At the turn of the century, however, Brown
& Dawson visited the same area, and made views of
Martinica, Barbados, Puerto Rico and St. Thomas.
Bahamas
The English photographer Henri Louis Duperly (1840–
1908) owned a studio in Nassau in the 70s, under the
name “Duperly Brothers.”
Bermudas
N.E. Luscher was an itinerant photographer active in the
90s and made views of the main streets in Hamilton.
Several publishing houses produced stereoviews of the
island, for instance Balch, J.B. Heyl, H.L. Chase, T.
Frith and the Kilburn Brothers.
Costa Rica
Santiago Páramo (1841–1915), was an arquitect, painter,
sculptor and amateur photographer, and left behind
many graphic records of San José and Puerto Limón.
Masters of the stereoscopy like F. Albar, L. Fortino and
A.S. Taylor produced views by the 70’s, which are now
extremely scarce. H.N. Rudd and the studio Paynter
Bros. were active by the turn of the century and left
views of Alajuela and San José as well, and recorded
the activities of the United Fruit Co. and the banana
and coffee crops.Curaçao
The daguerreotype period was represented by Frederico
Guttich and Senior Hartman, this last one being based
in Martinique.
Several travelers were active in this Dutch colony,
like Epifanio Bellini (1823–1892) from the Domini-
can Republic; and the Bostoniano: Thomas Gray, M.
Hofman, L.A. Leavitt, Gabriel Salom Landaeta; and
the partners Velez & Serralle, who later too moved to
Cuba.
Alva Pearsall (1837–1898) visited not only Curaçao
but also Jamaica, Guyana and Surinam, as well as John
L. Ricker from New York.El Salvador
Emil Herbruger was based in Guatemala and made pe-
riodical trips to the capital city of El Salvador. Between
1870 and 1900, Henri Louis Duperly from England
(1840–1908), the French citizen Félix Morin, and the
African American photographer Robert M. J. Douglass
(1809–1887) were active.Guatemala
Like in all the entire region, daguerreian pioneers were
foreigners. In 1843 the arrival of the French León de
Pontelle from México city was recorded. He established
a studio in Calle del Colegio. After him, in 1846, Emilio
Herbruger arrived, but he soon left the country. Nicolás
Fuchs settled around 1847, and then went left, fi nally
returning from 1853 to 1858, to take ambrotypes, mela-
notypes and photographs.
In 1861 and 1862, the botanist Osbert Salvin recorded
indigenous indian groups.
In 1866 Emilio Herbruger returned, as the owner of
Hawley & Buchanan studio. Photographer and piano
teacher, in 1868 he dedicated his polka La Unión to
the guatemaltec ladies. The musical score’s front page
includes a mounted photomosaic of 68 photographic
portraits of his pupils. By 1871 he established his studio
“Fotografía Imperial” in Guatemala.
After Emilio Herbruger passed away (1890), his son
Emilio Herbruger junior took charge of the studio, until
the beginnings of the 20th century.
During the 60s, the photographers G.A. Hawley and
Enrique Seeligman, were active, making stereoscopics
as well.
Between 1882 and 1888, travelers such as Sanfred
Robinson made photographic registers of remote places,
industries, crops, and indian huts.