It's easy to forget that in the grand scheme of things, humans haven't changed much in the past few hundred years. Our love for animals has remained unchanged for centuries. To prove my point, as I was browsing through the Library of Congress' extensive Prints and Photographs Online Catalog (PPOC), I stumbled upon some incredible photographs of cats and dogs in various staged scenes. The best part? These scenes were captured in 1914, making Mr. Frees way ahead of his time!
Me and Frees
"These unusual photographs of real animals were made possible only by patient, unfailing kindness on the part of the photographer at all times." - Harry Frees, One More River
According to Life Magazine, Frees began his photography career while attending a party, when a paper hat was said to be traveling around the room, eventually settling on the head of a small cat nearby. Frees was hooked!
Mr. Frees was born in Reading, Pennsylvania and had a habit of creating imaginative creations.
Check out his fantastic creations below:
Image credits belong to Harry W. Frees and the United States Library of Congress' Prints and Photographs Division in Washington, D.C.