The dominant photographic processes of the 1840s were often too expensive, difficult, or technical to be widely used, but the invention of ambrotypes and tintypes in the 1850s put photography within reach of a much wider public and allowed the production of outdoor scenes like this one. Babbitt was one of the savviest early American photographers, setting up shop at Niagara Falls to take advantage of its status as a tourist destination. He quickly developed a reputation as a competitive businessman. Babbitt would photograph tourists without their knowledge and then try to sell them the images before they left. He fiercely guarded his lucrative location facing Horseshoe Falls, intentionally ruining the images of competitors, sometimes by swinging large umbrellas to block their view of the falls. His aggressive approach to photography is still prevalent today, experienced by theme-park visitors and anyone who has ever been “photobombed.”

—Text taken from the Carter Handbook (2023).