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Even in the 1890s, many photographers worked anonymously for
photographic studios or documented the business history of large companies. Harry
Barley and Asahel Curtis were two such photographers, but their experiences were widely
different. The White Pass & Yukon Route company was originally organized to build a
narrow gauge railway from Skagway, Alaska, to Whitehorse, Yukon. They employed a full time
photographer, Harry Barley, to keep the
British backers of the company appraised of progress during railway construction and
after. Barley's studio was in Skagway but he travelled all the over the country
documenting the company's assets. The White Pass & Yukon Route acknowledged Barley's
work and did not question his right to sign the prints.
Asahel Curtis took photographs of
the Klondike gold rush for his famous brother's studio. Edward Curtis was already well
known, and as was the practice of the day, all the photographers in his studio printed
under his name. When Edward wrote an article for The Century Illustrated Monthly
Magazine, he used Asahel's photographs without crediting him. Although this was
standard practice, Asahel fought his brother, and eventually gained the rights to his own
photographs.
© Government of
Yukon Heritage Branch 2001. All Rights Reserved |
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