early life and career Claude-Marie Ferrier (1811–1889) was an early French photographer, known for his portraits of prominent French people, his work at the London Great Exhibition, and for his production of stereoviews. He began his artistic journey in Lyon, France, where he studied at the École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts de Lyon. Initially drawn to painting, Ferrier soon discovered a fascination with the emerging medium of photography. Recognizing its potential for capturing reality with unprecedented detail and immediacy, he transitioned into this field, mastering techniques that…