| The
Diamond Years of Texas Photography |
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Before the Lens: Jno. Trlica's Photographs of Granger, Texas |
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Hallettsville
Photographer Left a Legacy of Memories - Page 2
by Murray Montgomery |
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1
According to many, Henry Braunig was an outstanding photographer of
his era. He used an Emil Busch, 8x10 lens for all his portraits. That specific
lens was one of the best available at the time. In the years 1913 and 1914 he
served as president of the Texas Professional Photographers Association. He also
trained others who would go on to become highly-respected photographers, including
Dr. John Matthias Kuehne, longtime Professor of Physics at the University of Texas.
In
1940 Braunig planned to retire but with America on the brink of war, many new
military enlistees and their families began to come to him for portraits. He put
off retirement saying, “How could I retire now, who would take these boy’s pictures?”
Sadly, after putting off retirement to serve others, Braunig’s studio was a victim
of the 1940 flood and many of his photographic plates, dating from the beginning
of his career, were destroyed.
Henry Jacob Braunig died in December 1945
at the age of 84 – he was still working in the studio just days before his death.
On Dec. 11, 1945, The Lavaca County Tribune included the following: “Not
even he knew how many newly married couples came to him in his long career of
67 years as photographer to have their event eternalized. To many of them, the
wedding was not complete without a picture from Braunig.”
Some 13 years
later, in January 1958, The Lavaca County Tribune ran a small article about
Braunig. It stated, “All of the negatives that Mr. Henry J. Braunig had at the
time of his death are being displayed on a counter at the Hallettsville Hardware
Company. If you find negatives of favorite loved ones you may take it home free
of any charge whatsoever as a courtesy of Thomas Keith Hill who bought the equipment
of Mr. Braunig thinking he would continue the business.” The story indicated that
there were thousands of negatives on display.
Chances are that many families
in this area have old pictures in their possession with the name “Fey & Braunig”
imprinted on them – if you have one of these, take into account the love and dedication
that went into the creation of that image.
It was reported that as death
was approaching and he was surrounded by his children Braunig remarked, “If I
had an opportunity to live my life over, I would want it exactly as it was.”
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