Martin Behrman

Martin Behrman (1862-1845) was an amateur photographer based in San Francisco. Following the 1906 earthquake, Behrman launched a project in which he aimed to preserve as much of the original photographic documentation of San Francisco as possible. He began a process known as copy-stand photography, in which older photos, such as glass plates or daguerreotypes, are re-photographed with modern equipment and printed on paper. Behrman’s endeavor proved highly insightful, as his reproductions of these early photographs have made them far more accessible for historians and collectors alike.