Valentine Blanchard
Valentine Blanchard (1831 – 14 November 1901) was a prominent English photographer who was widely recognized for his artistic and technical contributions to photography in the 1860s. Both his landscape and his portrait photography were highly valued by the public, commanding high prices and selling well. He was much appreciated by his peers for the technical innovations he pioneered in photographic processes. Blanchard was born in Wisbech, Isle of Ely. Other Wisbech photographers included Samuel 'Philosopher' Smith and Lilian Ream. According to Bill Jay, Blanchard "took stereoscopic pictures, cartes-de-visite, 'quality' portraits, instantaneous views, and art studies in platinum". He died in Meadow Lea, Herne Common, near Canterbury. Early life He was born and raised in Wisbech, the son of Lucy (née Bates) (1794–1871) and Valentine Blanchard (b1790) a solicitor's clerk. In 1851 the census records him living with his parents in Bedford street, Wisbech. On completing an apprenticeship he moved to London. Career By 1852 Valentine had completed his printing apprenticeship, moved to London and on 7 May 1854 he married Mary Ann Allen. About this time Valentine set out on a new career as a photographer, using the Daguerreotype process. In 1858 he was advertising Blanchard was one of