Matthew Farfan

A WOMAN WITH A PASSION
Born in Brome Township in 1857, Sally Wood had a passion for photography. After learning the art in Montreal's prestigious Notman Studios (the premier photography studio in Canada), Wood worked as a substitute for John A. Wheeler, a photographer based in Knowlton and Cowansville.

Sally Wood. (Photo: Brome County Historical Society)

Shortly after Wheeler left the photography business in 1897, Wood opened her own studio in Knowlton, which she operated until about 1907.

"MISS S. E. WOOD"
"Miss S. E. Wood," as she styled herself, was a gifted portrait and landscape photographer. Around 1905, she produced a series of illustrated postcards. Lovely, hand-tinted images depicting the architecture of Knowlton and the scenery of Brome County, these cards are among Wood's best known work. They are characterized by their clarity and artistic quality. They also display Wood's eye for beauty.

A RARITY
A woman photographer was something of a rarity a century ago. Not only was the field dominated by men, but the equipment itself was formidable. Nevertheless, Sally Wood managed to lug heavy cameras, lenses, tripods, and fragile and bulky glass negatives up and down mountainsides, in and out of carriages, and all around Brome County.

Knowlton Academy, c.1905, photographed by Sally Wood.
(Photo: Farfan Collection)

In the days before snapshot photography revolutionized the art of picture taking, Sally Wood was truly a pioneer woman photographer. And her work was outstanding. She died in 1928.

TO SEE MORE OF THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF SALLY WOOD,
CLICK HERE.

Reference:
Christian Vachon and les Archives nationales du Québec, Eastern Townships Reminiscences: Photographs of People and Places, Montreal, 1989.