Alexander Gardner

Born in Paisley, Scotland, in 1821, Alexander Gardner's early life saw him as an apprentice jeweler and a proponent of cooperative communities influenced by socialist values. His interest in photography was sparked after seeing Mathew Brady's work at The Great Exhibition in London in 1851. This encounter proved pivotal, leading him to immigrate to the United States in 1856 and eventually join Brady's studio in New York. Gardner quickly became a key figure in Brady's operatio…