History of Photography in Siouxland, W H Over Museum, Vermillion, SD

When I am out surveying Siouxland, I am always happy with serendipitous encounters that allows me to find a unique place to visit and photograph. Such encounters can enrich one’s knowledge and makes visiting a place all the more enjoyable, such as the W.H. Over Museum in Vermillion, SD. Meeting Lynn Muller, owner of an extensive collection of Kodak cameras, which in itself is a history of photography in America.

Camera collector Lynn Muller talks about his extensive collection of Kodak cameras as well as some other brands he also collected at the W. H. Over Museum in Vermillion, SD Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

George Eastman created an empire built on encouraging people to take photographs. Muller was gracious enough to take some time to show me his collection and talk about the history of Kodak. He explained he became interested in photography during the Vietnam war. An art student, he said there wasn’t the ability to have paints, an easel or canvas, so he picked up a camera. He began his collecting in 1971 and that still continues today.

Camera collector Lynn Muller said many of the original Brownie cameras sold for only a dollar, making them accessible to many more people, especially families, as they recorded daily life which made the brand extremely popular. His extensive collection of Kodak cameras as well as some other brands are on display at the W. H. Over Museum in Vermillion, SD Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

Muller’s collection includes many examples of the Brownie camera, the first product Eastman mass produced, convincing the American public that it should photograph everyday events in the lives of its family to remember those moments.

Camera collector Lynn Muller said Kodak founder George Eastman was very good at marketing which helped propel his company and cameras to the top of the the consumer wants list as he talks about his extensive collection of Kodak cameras as well as some other brands at the W. H. Over Museum in Vermillion, SD Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

 

An early era instruction manual that came with a Kodak No. 3 folding camera that is part of Lynn Muller’s extensive collection of Kodak cameras as well as some other brands at the W. H. Over Museum in Vermillion, SD Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

He explained that Eastman also saw the opportunity of promoting this “hobby” to women, utilizing a marketing campaign to show them as independent people.

Kodak camera collector Lynn Muller said that George Eastman, founder of Kodak, was a master in marketing and targeted women in many campaigns that helped the brand become popular. Muller has an extensive collection of Kodak cameras on display at the W. H. Over Museum in Vermillion, SD Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

The breadth and depth of Muller’s collection is breathtaking, and if one calls ahead to the museum, it is possible to schedule time with Muller for him to explain the history of Kodak and many other camera brands of which he also collects. Therein lies my serendipitous moment when museum personnel let me into the special section holding the collection, Mr. Muller happened to stop by. It’s amazing to see all of the cameras, but no less amazing to hear him talk about Eastman and his rise to being a leading figure in photography, inventing the use of roll film rather than glass plates for taking pictures. And creating a smaller camera body as opposed to the larger cameras used by the likes of Matthew Brady and other early photographic pioneers thus bring photography to the masses. The first cameras contained a roll film with 100 exposures and cost about $25.00. Eastman brought the photographic experience to the masses and soon everyone was taking photographs to commemorate some aspect of their life or family’s life.

And it was fun to learn this history in Siouxland, without having to travel to New York state and visiting the museum in Rochester. Although that would be a nice trip for any photography buff. And as much as I like serendipity when I photograph, I don’t mind it at all when it happens in life as well.

Jerry Mennenga

Sioux City, Iowa

Art Deco examples of Kodak cameras that collector Lynn Muller has in his extensive collection of Kodak cameras at the W. H. Over Museum in Vermillion, SD Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

Camera collector Lynn Muller Said George Eastman started out with a simple box Brownie camera that evolved over the years as he talks about his extensive collection of Kodak cameras as well as some other brands at the W. H. Over Museum in Vermillion, SD Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

Some early model Brownie cameras owned by camera collector Lynn Muller as well as some other brands at the W. H. Over Museum in Vermillion, SD Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

Camera collector Lynn Muller shows off an early 1900 era studio camera as he talks about his extensive collection of Kodak cameras as well as some other brands at the W. H. Over Museum in Vermillion, SD Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

Camera collector Lynn Muller shows a jar of flash powder and flash device used originally by many photographers who needed extra light when taking a photo. He said Kodak later changed to more stable and safer types of flash devices such as flash sheets as he talks about his extensive collection of Kodak cameras as well as some other brands at the W. H. Over Museum in Vermillion, SD Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

Camera collector Lynn Muller shows an early Kodak salesman’s display book as he talks about his extensive collection of Kodak cameras as well as some other brands at the W. H. Over Museum in Vermillion, SD Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

Camera collector Lynn Muller holds in his hand one of the very first Kodak Brownie cameras ever made. He explained that as long as the subject was within the X marking on the camera box, it would be in focus. Muller has an extensive collection of Kodak cameras as well as some other brands at the W. H. Over Museum in Vermillion, SD Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)