The 2025 New England Journal of Photographic History contains four articles that further our knowledge of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century photography in New England. Authors Lee McIntyre, John Felix, and Chris Culy introduce readers to Annie Pratt, whose Whitman Studio in Chelsea and Malden, Massachusetts, produced some of the most iconic photographs of Helen Keller when Keller was in her early twenties and becoming well-known worldwide. 

Ron Polito’s article on the early development of paper photography in Boston describes how photographers in the city responded to the introduction of non-daguerreian processes.

The many exquisite daguerreotype images produced by the Southworth & Hawes studio are well known; less familiar, however, are details about the relatively brief period during which the famous studio produced cartes de visite for their customers. John Felix and Karen Matlock’s article on the few years Southworth and Hawes produced CDVs prior to dissolving their partnership helps fill an important gap in the famed studio’s history.

Finally, Ron Polito’s piece on Sydney Southworth, a relative of the well-known Albert Southworth, tells the story of a man who—like many others—occasionally explored the emerging photographic business of the 1840s before discovering that his calling perhaps lay elsewhere. An expanded version of this article can be seen below under Online Supplementary Materials.

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Published By: PHSNE – The Photographic Historical Society of New England, Inc.

Standard 8.25″ x 10.75″ 62 pages; 76 illustrations; Perfect-bound © 2025

PHSNE is a 501(c)(3) non-profit society. Founded in 1973, our members bring their curiosity, enthusiasm, and knowledge to bear on every aspect of photo history, from the earliest experiments to the present day—and tomorrow. We welcome your participation and support of our society.

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2025 PHSNE Journal – Online Supplementary Materials

The Other Southworth and a Life of Melancholy by Ron Polito