Stereoscopic views were popular with the general public. The cards could be placed into a hand-held viewer which combined the two separate images into one three-dimensional image. From the late 1850s, Bedford started making photographic expeditions to different parts of the country, including Wales, Devon, Wiltshire, Bristol, Exeter and Warwickshire. The resulting views were printed and sold in their thousands, leaving Bedford with a highly successful commercial business. Unusually, Bedford appears in the central view. More commonly, Bedford included his wife and two sons in his topographical photographs.