Did you know that motion pictures were invented to help settle a bet?

In the 1860s, Englishman Eadweard Muybridge (1830 -1904) established himself as a pioneer in photography while capturing landscape images for a US Government photographic survey of the Pacific Coast.

Around 1872, Railroad Magnate Leland Stanford, former governor of California and founder of Stanford University, hired Muybridge to help settle a $25,000 wager. He hoped that the photographer could prove with pictures that at a point during its stride, a trotting horse has all four hooves off the ground. After many attempts, Muybridge proved Stanford to be correct.

The now famous series was shot using 12 cameras – each triggered by a tripwire as the horse went by. It is said that it cost Stanford $40,000 to win the $25,000 bet.

Muybridge then went on to shoot more than just horses.
Muybridge continued to study locomotion with multiple cameras. In addition to horses, he also shot a myriad of animals as well as handsome young ladies – usually nude.

In 1874, Muybridge learned that his wife was having an affair when he discovered love letters sent to her by her lover. On October 17, Muybridge tracked down the man, a Colonel Larkyns, at the Yellow Jacket Quicksilver Mine near San Francisco. He greeted him with these words, "Good evening Colonel, my name is Muybridge and here is the answer to the letter you sent my wife". Muybridge then shot the Colonel between the eyes –– killing him instantly.

In the end, Muybridge was acquitted as his deed was deemed justified.

Larkyn's child, borne by Muybridge's wife, was raised by Muybridge after his wife died a few years later.

Now you know!

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Did You Know?
To shoot his famous "series photographs", Muybridge had to build an elaborate setup reputed to have cost over $40,000. A special track was built and coated with rubber to keep down dust. On one side of the track, a 40 foot "Camera house" (complete with darkroom) housed twelve cameras set 12 inches apart. Each camera's shutter was triggered by a tripwire released by the horses hoofs.

The setup was soon expanded to as many as 36 cameras. These were tripped by a single wire which started a sequence controlled by an electrical system.

The biggest obstacle Muybridge faced was the slow shutters and long exposures typical of photography in his day.

Eventually, Muybridge moved back east and continued his work with assistance from the University of Pennsylvania. He improved his techniques and took advantage of advancements in photography as they came along. He photographed nearly everything from baboons to ostriches. He also photographed many men, women and children –– usually naked. He made 100,000 negatives in all. In 1887 the university published 781 large plates showing 12 to 36 frames per plate. While the full collection cost $500, Muybridge offered smaller lots that were sold separately. Best sellers by far, were the 181 plates he listed in his catalogue as "women, nude".


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