EADWEARD MUYBRIDGE Father of Motion Pictures

Eadweard Muybridge, whose early experiments in photographing rapid action are landmarks in the history of photography, was born at Kingston-on- Thames, England, in 1830. Coming to the United States in 1852, he was subsequently commissioned by the government to take pictures of the Pacific Coast. His work met with little notice until 1867, when a series of his photographs of Yosemite were exhibited abroad and brought him a medal.
Somewhat later Muybridge joined an expedition to Alaska, and was one of the first to photograph that newly acquired territory. In 1870 he entered the employ of Bradley and Rulofson of San Francisco. This house was well known for its stereoscopic views, and some of their most interesting stereographs of the gold fields bear Muybridge's name.