Wallace and William Goodridge relied
on tintype and carte de visite (calling card) portraits to establish
their East Saginaw business. Their skill is particularly evident in
their photographs of children. The carte de visite made it possible
to produce multiple images from a single negative. Most cartes de visite
were of individuals.
But William also created pictures of places and
events that many people would want to see or remember and mass marketed
them.
Always looking for ways to attract
customers, William and Wallace offered views of East Saginaw in unusual
formats. They experimented with new technology and began marketing their
photos in sets.
After William's
death in 1890, Wallace
experimented with x-rays and eventually moving pictures. But he
continued the services that had brought success to the studio. He worked
with artists to create beautiful hand-tinted portraits like this one of his
nephew William.
