Photographs taken with the very first 'secret' handheld camera will go on display on Saturday at the State Library giving Sydneysiders a rare chance to take a glimpse of what life in Sydney looked like back in the 1800’s. The Crowd Source collection holds around 150 photographs taken by Arthur Syer, a 27-year-old man living in Sydney who took advantage of the very first hand held camera, the Detective Camera. 'It was the first time people really had the opportunity to take a photograph without their subjects knowing,’ said museum curator and historian Margot Riley. The detective camera gave amateur photographers the opportunity to capture the true essence of life on Sydney streets, defining it as a ‘real revolution and turning point in photography.’ ‘The word snapshot emerged from this style of photography and the photographers were called snap shooters’ She said the detective camera gave amateur photographers the opportunity to capture the true essence of life on Sydney streets, defining it as a ‘real revolution and turning point in photography.’ ‘This was really the beginning of the mass photography you see today. It parallels with the way people look at the world now, always taking images with their phones,’ she said. ‘The word snapshot emerged from this style of photography and the photographers were called snap shooters,’ Ms Riley added. She said that this was the first time people would’ve been confronted with the idea of being photographed or observed on the streets without their knowledge,  spurring on early conversations about privacy laws. This was the first time people were confronted with the idea of being photographed without their knowledge . The camera was wrapped in a small parcel so that it didn't draw attention from the photographers subjects . 'Pesky snap shooters' were the reason people initated early talks about surveillance and privacy . ‘It definitely caused some controversy,' she said. ‘There were plenty of people being annoyed by pesky snap shooters roaming the streets, taking photos of unsuspecting people going about their business.’ The Detective Camera was produced between 1883 and 1887 using a dry negative which was already loaded into the device. It was focused and ready to take a photograph from around six feet away. The camera was loaded, focused and ready to take a photograph at around six feet away . ‘These photographs are very rare and unique because they represent the missing link between the old style tripod photography and Kodak box photography.’ It was the first time individuals who weren't trained in the science and chemistry of photography had the opportunity to dabble in the art. ‘Not long after this camera was marketed the roll film and Kodak camera box were invented. ‘These photographs are very rare and unique because they represent the missing link between the old style tripod photography and Kodak box photography.’ The photos taken with the hand held camera captured more natural gestures and poses giving us a better sense of the streets and a far more accurate view of our history . ‘You get to see some really lovely scenes of youthful anticipation' Ms Riley thinks photos taken with the hand held camera captured more natural gestures and poses giving us a better sense of the streets and a far more accurate view of our history. ‘You get to see some really lovely scenes of youthful anticipation. One of the photos shows a group of girls dressed to the nines, many with bare feet- something that was quite normal for that time.’ She said it is important to share this link to our past to ‘encourage people to build a bridge between then and now.’ The candid shots give us a better look at what life was really like for Sydneysiders in the 1880's . People from the Flickr community helped identify landmarks and other details in the photos to help locate where they were taken. This shot is on the corner of Elizabeth and King Street in Sydney's CBD . The images were collected over a period of time and were originally released on the photo hosting website Flickr. They received a 'wonderful response' from the Flickr community with some members even reaching out and helping curators identify where in Sydney the photos were taken. The Crowd Source exhibition will run from April 4 until August 23. ‘We want to share these images and encourage people to build a bridge between then and now’
The State Library is showing a collection of photographs taken in the 1800's by the first hand held camera .
The photographs were taken in the 1880's by Arthur Syer, a 27-year old man living in Sydney .
The hand held camera was the first time people could be photographed without their knowledge .
Amateur photographers using the 'Detective Camera' initiated the first talks about surveillance and privacy laws .
This was also the first chance people had to use a camera if they weren't trained in the science behind photography .
The exhibition will run from April 4 to August 23 .