MAN OUTFITTED WITH A PORTABLE DARKROOM

The wet-plate process was the most common photographic method from the 1850s to the 1880s and was used to make ambrotypes (unique positives on glass), tintypes (unique positives on metal), and glass negatives for making multiple prints. Even if a photographer wanted to make only one photograph, he had to carry all of this equipment—a tent or some type of portable darkroom, chemicals, water, glass plates, a camera, and a tripod. The easiest way to carry everything was to use a backpack.