A young couple

I imagine this must be a picture to mark a First Communion.  It is one of the many pictures taken by Belgian photographer, Norbert Ghisoland.  He was a miner's son, born in Frameries in 1878, who went on to become an "accidental anthropologist" by recording the social history of the time.

At one time studio photography was expensive enough to restrict it to the wealthy but techniques improved to reduce the costs and opened up opportunities to those of more modest means.  Ghisoland's aim was only to provide his clients with the pictures they wanted but the 45,000 (about half the number he originally took) of his negatives have left a great record of the times.

These pictures, found accidentally in the family attic by Ghisoland's grandson, have been the subject of several exhibitions in Belgium and around the world.

This is a post for Postcard Friendship Friday hosted on Beth Niquette's blog The Best Hearts are Crunchy.