One of America’s most prolific, important, and adaptable artists, Jackson spent over 80 years involved with photography, thoroughly documenting the country through decades of change. In the 1870s he photographed on surveys and expeditions, working alongside artists like Sanford Gifford and Thomas Moran in sometimes treacherous conditions—for both him and his fragile glass plates.

In 1879 Jackson established a photography studio in Denver, where he was often commissioned by the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad and was able to ensure much more favorable photography conditions, including his own railroad car for lodging and darkroom development. While rail photographs of the 1860s had sought to celebrate engineering feats and raise financial support, by the 1880s business and tourism were the order of the day, making Jackson’s image of a well-heeled group casually enjoying once inaccessible scenery particularly effective.

—Text taken from the Carter Handbook (2023)