William Baker. Albumen print, Getty Museum. Public domain photograph.

Abraham Bogardus was born on 6 January 1822 in Dutchess County, New York. He grew up in a family of photographers and learned the daguerreotype process from his father, Cornelius Bogardus. In 1846 he moved to New York City and opened his own studio, where he quickly gained a reputation for his high-quality portraits. Bogardus became known for his innovative techniques, such as using a concave mirror to reflect light onto his subjects and a large-format camera to capture more detail. He also developed a process for making multiple copies of a single image, which helped popularise photography as a form of mass communication. Bogardus's portraits were sought after by many prominent figures of the day, including Abraham Lincoln, P.T. Barnum and Walt Whitman. He also photographed many of the major events of the day, including the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge and the funeral of Ulysses S. Grant. In addition to his work as a photographer, Bogardus was also an inventor and entrepreneur. He patented several inventions related to photography, including a portable darkroom and a device for transferring photographic images to glass. He also ran a successful photographic supply business. Abraham Bogardus died in New York City on 3 February 1908. He is remembered as one of the most influential photographers of the 19th century and a pioneer of commercial photography.