A great uncle of mine, John Riley Harris. Photo taken around 1895 at Niagara Falls according to the writing on the back. He was a photographer.
I’d imagine he was quite pleased with the way this double exposure turned out. Not quite sure if it’s Niagara Falls since I don’t see any falls? He did live in Buffalo for a short time, so it could be.
That is actually the Rapids located between the Falls and the Whirlpool, about 3 miles north of the falls. You can hike into the Niagara River Gorge at the Whirlpool to an outcropping of stone and stand right next to the water. That is likely where the background for this photo was taken. In 1895, water was already being diverted to power watermills at factories, but not like today for hydroelectric power, so the water volume would have been much greater. That water would be roaring.
This photo is a composite however, with the image with the person being superimposed onto the background photo. Still a neat photo!
[deleted] on
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tlm11110 on
Yeah, this is Photoshop before it wasn’t even a thing. The glow around the man and rocks is the giveaway. Not to mention the dry location in the middle of the rapids.
Clairquilt on
Back in the day, the rapids well below Niagara Falls were viewed with just as much awe as the falls themselves. Stunt performers were engaged as much with going through the rapids as they were with going over the falls, and just as many died attempting the feat. This photo would have been the result of a tourist attraction where visitors could sit in front of a large realistic painting of the rapids and be photographed, creating the illusion of them posing right in front of the dangerous rapids. The subject in the photo was likely nowhere near the actual rapids, or Niagara Falls itself, which is located about 2.5 miles above the infamous rapids.
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That is actually the Rapids located between the Falls and the Whirlpool, about 3 miles north of the falls. You can hike into the Niagara River Gorge at the Whirlpool to an outcropping of stone and stand right next to the water. That is likely where the background for this photo was taken. In 1895, water was already being diverted to power watermills at factories, but not like today for hydroelectric power, so the water volume would have been much greater. That water would be roaring.
This photo is a composite however, with the image with the person being superimposed onto the background photo. Still a neat photo!
[removed]
Yeah, this is Photoshop before it wasn’t even a thing. The glow around the man and rocks is the giveaway. Not to mention the dry location in the middle of the rapids.
Back in the day, the rapids well below Niagara Falls were viewed with just as much awe as the falls themselves. Stunt performers were engaged as much with going through the rapids as they were with going over the falls, and just as many died attempting the feat. This photo would have been the result of a tourist attraction where visitors could sit in front of a large realistic painting of the rapids and be photographed, creating the illusion of them posing right in front of the dangerous rapids. The subject in the photo was likely nowhere near the actual rapids, or Niagara Falls itself, which is located about 2.5 miles above the infamous rapids.