Panoramic Photos

Some photographs are too wide to fit in an ordinary frame. A panoramic photograph can run 3, 4 or even 6 feet long, taking in an entire town, a whole regiment or a convention of thousands in a single sweep.

The camera that made most of these was called the Cirkut, introduced in the early 1900s. It sat on a geared tripod and turned slowly through an arc while the film moved past a narrow slit inside. The result was one long continuous image, sharp from end to end. The camera could swing through a full circle if the photographer wanted it to.

That slow turning has a famous side effect. Because the camera took several seconds to cross the scene, a quick person standing at one end of a group could run behind the crowd and reach the other end before the camera got there. They appear twice in the same picture. People did it on purpose often enough that it is worth checking for in any large group shot. Anyone who moved while the camera passed may also appear stretched or blurred.

Panoramic photographers made a living from groups and events. They covered military camps during World War I, college reunions, fraternal conventions, company picnics, church gatherings, bathing beauty contests and parades. They also photographed whole towns from hills and rooftops, harbors, and natural wonders such as the Grand Canyon. The collection here is arranged by state, with a section of views from around the world and several themed sets.

Look at the edges of these pictures. A Cirkut camera bends straight lines, so a straight street or a row of seated people can curve gently across the print. Look at the faces, too. In a big group photograph almost everyone is clearly visible, and families still search these pictures today for a grandparent standing in the third row.