# School portraits teach modern photographers

> 100-year-old school photos show why naming people matters more than camera settings.
- Title: School portraits teach modern photographers | Shortify
- Summary: 100-year-old school photos show why naming people matters more than camera settings. Modern photographers should label group photos to help future…
- Keywords: school portraits, class photos, naming people, photography, historical photos, mountain school, wilbraham, School, portraits, teach, modern, photographers
- Source: Digital Camera World — https://digitalcameraworld.com/photography/portrait-photography/more-than-a-century-old-these-school-portraits-have-something-profound-to-teach-modern-photographers-and-its-got-nothing-to-do-with-equipment-or-settings
- Published: 2026-10-19T07:41:41+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: school portraits, class photos, naming people, photography, historical photos, mountain school, wilbraham
## 1927 school portrait
A 1927 class photo from Mountain School in Wilbraham, Massachusetts shows nine pupils and a teacher.

> Teacher Pearl Curtis Supernow and her pupils at Mountain School, Wilbraham, June 1927.
## Names on the back
The photo's back lists every child's name, including Paul Kittredge, James Curns, and teacher Pearl Supernow.

> Paul Kittredge, James Curns, Gilbert Stacy, Wilfred Bennett along the front, then Madella Stacy, Georgia Curns, Florence Dupont, the teacher Pearl Supernow, Janet Piper and a girl whose surname they weren't sure of ("Louise?").
## 1906 school photo
A 1906 photo from Fairview School in Illinois shows the school's location and district with copperplate text.

> Niles Township, Ill, District 72, Sept. 1906
## 1901 graduation photo
A 1901 graduation photo from Independence, Missouri includes future president Harry S Truman and his wife.

> Graduating class photograph, Independence, Missouri, 1901.
## Why names matter
Modern photographers lack the human detail that names add to historical photos.

> Those details need to be written down by an actual human.
## The plea
Photographers should spend five minutes labeling group photos to help future generations.

> Think of future generations. And next time you shoot a group of people, take five minutes to write down who's who.
## Key takeaway

Modern photographers should label group photos to help future generations identify people.