Photographs taken with the very first 'secret ' handheld camera will go on display on Saturday at the State Library giving Sydneysiders a rare chance to take a glimpse of what life in Sydney looked like back in the 1800 ’ s . The Crowd Source collection holds around 150 photographs taken by Arthur Syer , a 27-year-old man living in Sydney who took advantage of the very first hand held camera , the Detective Camera . 'It was the first time people really had the opportunity to take a photograph without their subjects knowing , ’ said museum curator and historian Margot Riley . The detective camera gave amateur photographers the opportunity to capture the true essence of life on Sydney streets , defining it as a ‘ real revolution and turning point in photography. ’ ‘ The word snapshot emerged from this style of photography and the photographers were called snap shooters ’ She said the detective camera gave amateur photographers the opportunity to capture the true essence of life on Sydney streets , defining it as a ‘ real revolution and turning point in photography. ’ ‘ This was really the beginning of the mass photography you see today . It parallels with the way people look at the world now , always taking images with their phones , ’ she said . ‘ The word snapshot emerged from this style of photography and the photographers were called snap shooters , ’ Ms Riley added . She said that this was the first time people would ’ ve been confronted with the idea of being photographed or observed on the streets without their knowledge , spurring on early conversations about privacy laws . This was the first time people were confronted with the idea of being photographed without their knowledge . The camera was wrapped in a small parcel so that it did n't draw attention from the photographers subjects . 'Pesky snap shooters ' were the reason people initated early talks about surveillance and privacy . ‘ It definitely caused some controversy , ' she said . ‘ There were plenty of people being annoyed by pesky snap shooters roaming the streets , taking photos of unsuspecting people going about their business. ’ The Detective Camera was produced between 1883 and 1887 using a dry negative which was already loaded into the device . It was focused and ready to take a photograph from around six feet away . The camera was loaded , focused and ready to take a photograph at around six feet away . ‘ These photographs are very rare and unique because they represent the missing link between the old style tripod photography and Kodak box photography. ’ It was the first time individuals who were n't trained in the science and chemistry of photography had the opportunity to dabble in the art . ‘ Not long after this camera was marketed the roll film and Kodak camera box were invented . ‘ These photographs are very rare and unique because they represent the missing link between the old style tripod photography and Kodak box photography. ’ The photos taken with the hand held camera captured more natural gestures and poses giving us a better sense of the streets and a far more accurate view of our history . ‘ You get to see some really lovely scenes of youthful anticipation ' Ms Riley thinks photos taken with the hand held camera captured more natural gestures and poses giving us a better sense of the streets and a far more accurate view of our history . ‘ You get to see some really lovely scenes of youthful anticipation . One of the photos shows a group of girls dressed to the nines , many with bare feet- something that was quite normal for that time. ’ She said it is important to share this link to our past to ‘ encourage people to build a bridge between then and now. ’ The candid shots give us a better look at what life was really like for Sydneysiders in the 1880 's . People from the Flickr community helped identify landmarks and other details in the photos to help locate where they were taken . This shot is on the corner of Elizabeth and King Street in Sydney 's CBD . The images were collected over a period of time and were originally released on the photo hosting website Flickr . They received a 'wonderful response ' from the Flickr community with some members even reaching out and helping curators identify where in Sydney the photos were taken . The Crowd Source exhibition will run from April 4 until August 23 . ‘ We want to share these images and encourage people to build a bridge between then and now ’
the 'Detective Camera ' is showing a collection of photographs taken in the 1800 's by the first hand held camera . The photographs were taken in the 1880 's by Arthur Syer , a 27-year old man living in Sydney . The hand held camera was the first time people could be photographed without their knowledge . Amateur photographers using The State Library initiated the first talks about surveillance and privacy laws . This was also the first chance people had to use a camera if they were n't trained in the science behind photography . The exhibition will run from April 4 to August 23 .