Musical Accompaniment: The Monster Mash by Bobby “Boris” Pickett 🎃
For important context, today’s post features a picture taken in 1906. I have no idea what kind of camera the photographer used but the newest, most compact model on the market at the time was the Kodak #3A Brownie. It cost $10 (about $360 in 2025), and its dimensions were 3¼ x 5½. It weighed about 2¼ pounds.
This picture was made by Horace D. Ashton. He called it Bricklayers, 16 Stories From Ground, New York. It’s not too easy to actually see the bricklayers. At least not if you are preoccupied with the fact that Horace’s shoes are definitely, definitely over the ledge.
The camera didn’t have an automatic timer and it wasn’t threaded for a cable, so it required both hands to operate. When you take into account that there appears to be nothing for a guy to hold on to or brace himself with, this was a very tricky shot. This picture gives me heart palpitations!
Nelson Atkins Museum of Art
old spirituals 