On a recent trip to Wisconsin Dells, I happened upon the H. H. Bennett Studio & History Center, operated by Wisconsin State Historical Society. It was a rewarding experience and a welcome break from the area's ubiquitous water parks. Bennett was an accomplished 19th Century portrait and landscape photographer and a pioneer in many areas, including stop-action photography, the photo essay and photographing fireworks. He has a kinship with latter-day pinholers in that he made all of his own equipment (except for lenses), including cameras, shutters, portable darkrooms, print frames, etc. He invented a rotating solar printing house for making contact prints. It was built on a circular rail and Bennett would move the house every 30 minutes to align it with the sun and maximize the production of prints. Bennett's studio and darkroom are in their original working state. The photography business remained in the family until Bennett's granddaughter sold it to the state in 1998. Check out the musuem if you're in the area and are not averse to glass lenses. http://www.shsw.wisc.edu/sites/bennett/
