In the 60-s of the XIX century while carrying out hydrographical measuring in the Caspian Sea one of the expedition members captain-lieutenant A.F.Ulski shot a few pictures depicting views of Baku from the sea. These photos have become the first available samples of Azerbaijan photography. Being taken in 1858-1866, these photos reflect such beauties of the city as the Maiden Tower, the mosque of the Shirvanshahs Palace, castle walls, etc…Later photo studios that spread all over Baku were called ” Ekskhana” (the reflection parlor). One could never establish such a studio without governor’s special permission. Due to these documents the exact date of studio opening, the names of the photographers functioning in Baku at the end of XIX and the beginning of XX centuries are known to us. “Pridvornı © photographer”, “Rembrandt “, ” Renesans “, “Light and Shadow”, “CIC”, ” Lessercon”,”Azizbala ” photo studios were among the most profitable and respectable ones. Even the person from Kharkov, who brought the French cinematography to Baku three years after it had been established in France, A.M Mishon had his own “Ekskhana” in this city. At the end of XIX century he was heading the photographers’ union.Baku played a significant role in the activity of the immobile photographers, as well as the photographers- wanderers traveling in the Caucasus, including Azerbaijan. At the end of XIX and the beginning of XX centuries D.I. Yermakov was among the ones whose more than 50 photos dedicated to Azerbaijan were sent to the Russian Geographical Society.The photographers depicted with great love the city of Baku being on the leading edge in the world according to its industrial growth rate at the end of the XIX century, with the scenes of villages surrounding it, oil drills, industrial constructions, road building, fashionable buildings erected in various architectural styles. Through the years in their galleries these photographers portrayed the people of all layers, their lifestyle, garment and ethnic features.
Sara Nezirova