The development of photography in Samara in the middle of the 19th – beginning of the 20th centuries

The paper deals with the development of photography in Samara and the Samara province during the period of the Samara province establishment to the beginning of the 20^th century. The history of the photography as a technology is briefly presented. The paper also contains the data on the chronology of photo workshops appearance in Samara and the province as well as of the first photo business organizers. The author also describes methods of photography lovers organization in Samara at the turn of the 19^th–20^th centuries. The main categories of photographs of the period under review are considered. Having appeared almost simultaneously with the establishment of the province, the photographic business in Samara became an integral part of cultural life at the beginning of the 20^th century. Photography in pre-revolutionary Samara developed from individual wealthy citizens entertaining to the establishment of the Samara Photographic Society. By 1917 photographic establishments had spread throughout the Samara province and were accessible to most residents. The analysis of the photographic documents used allows us to say that the Samara photography of the period under review was dominated by photographic portraits and photographs, photographic postcards with views of the city. The paper is based primarily on documents and photographs of the Central State Archives of the Samara Region and the Samara Regional State Archives of Socio-Political History, most of which have not been included in scientific circulation.