Self-promoters, early adopters and cutting edge technology did not just appear this century.
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An exhibition now showing in Albury features photographs up to 163 years old that illustrate the methods and motivations of the museum workers who shot them.
As the museum's collection began to grow, 19th century curator Gerard Krefft recognised the new photographic techniques provided a way to record a rare animal specimen when fresh.
His endeavours produced examples such as a manta ray spread over a courtyard, a shark head crudely propped open, snakes, coral and insects, all of which can be seen at Albury Library Museum until October 11.
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Capturing Nature curator Vanessa Finney said Krefft and the museum taxidermist developed their skills over time and learned how best to arrange their subjects.
"Some of these early ones are just beautiful because you can see where they made their mistakes," she said.
"Sometimes you can even see something like a thumbprint in the emulsion and you can see the cracks and the bubbles where they didn't get the chemicals quite right."
Several images included a person to indicate the scale of larger exhibits and illuminating background details.
Ms Finney said Krefft also realised photography's potential for promoting discoveries, and the discoverer, beyond just those who visited the museum. In three shots, he posed with the manta ray, which he wanted to name after the then Prince of Wales.
"So he sent those photos to the prince, asking him if it would be all right if he named it after him, but incidentally, of course, advertising himself as well," Ms Finney said.
Albury Library Museum's Emma Williams said Capturing Nature, the first time these early scientific photos could be seen, presented an insight into 19th century views of natural history, museology and photography.
"We think visitors will be amazed by the large scale photographic images and amazed by the stories behind them," she said.
"We are soon to launch a virtual tour of the exhibition so our Victorian visitors can experience it despite not being able to visit."
Ms Finney said the travelling exhibition displayed early camera equipment and outlined "how many things could go wrong" when creating the glass plates.
"For a generation that doesn't even think of manual photography, to go back to the beginnings of photography is another whole step in how difficult this is," she said.
