In the shade of the colonnade on the right of the image is a small tent. This is Bedford’s portable darkroom. Here he would have prepared his glass negatives, each approximately 12 x 10 inches, before placing one in the camera for exposure. After exposure, each plate had to be developed and fixed involving several complex stages. The tent would have been cramped, hot and filled with fumes. The working conditions were undoubtedly difficult even for a skilled photographer such as Bedford. Acquired by the Prince of Wales, 1862