Manipulated Photography: The Artful Illusions of Lewis Reed
Long before modern editing tools existed, Lewis Reed was already experimenting with ways to reshape a photograph. He layered exposures to place the same person in two places at once, coaxed ghostly figures to appear in broad daylight, sketched new landscapes directly onto his negatives, and teamed up with his daughter Mary Jane to bring soft color to black-and-white scenes.
His collection of manipulated photographs showcases his extraordinary creativity and versatility, employing methods such as hand-tinting, double exposure, applied handwork, and surreal ghost-like effects.
This special spotlight explores the imaginative world of Lewis Reed’s manipulated photography, a body of work that reveals his curiosity, sense of humor, and remarkable skill with the photographic tools of the early 1900s.
The Art of Double Exposure: Two Worlds on One Plate
Lewis Reed and the same two ladies with bundles of flowers appear in this photo twice: standing on a bridge over Seneca Creek at Black Rock Mill, and again on the left at the foot of the bridge. The photo was taken in 1905.
Among his most striking techniques was double exposure. With precision and careful planning, Reed could layer two images onto a single glass plate.
A favorite example is a photograph where the same person appears twice in the same scene–once on a bridge, and again at the foot of it. The slight vertical seam where the exposures meet is still visible today, a reminder of the handmade magic behind the picture.
Without the benefit of modern editing tools, Reed achieved what we would now call a “clone effect”–over a century before Photoshop.
Ghosts in the Frame: Early Special Effects
Surrealistic, ghost-like effect of Lewis Reed (right) standing next to a tree in the middle of train track.
Reed also created what he called “ghost photographs.” To produce them, he pre-exposed a faint figure onto a glass plate and then photographed a second subject over it. The result: an incompletely exposed ghostly image as well as a ‘sitter’ looking perfectly unaware.
Hand-Drawn Fantasies: Adding Scenery by Pencil
Lewis Reed himself drew on the glass negative, using a hard graphite pencil, to create the illusion of a couple gazing out on a mountain range, which was not part of the original photograph.
One of Lewis Reed’s most artistic manipulations involved hand-drawn backgrounds. He sometimes sketched new landscapes directly onto the negative–mountains, cliffs, or textured skies–before printing the final photograph. The finished piece blends photography and illustration in a way that feels surprisingly modern, reminiscent of today’s mixed-media art.
A Collaboration in Color: Hand-Tinting by Mary Jane Reed
Amanda Reed after hand-tinting by Mary Jane (Reed) Gartner. Pastel was apparently a good choice for coloration.
Color film did not exist in the early 1900s, but Reed’s daughter, Mary Jane Reed, added life to his images with delicate watercolor hand-tinting. She brushed pale blues into skies, warm tones into skin, and soft greens into landscapes, giving Reed’s photographs an entirely new dimension. This father-daughter collaboration bridges technical skill and artistic intuition, two generations creating together.
Lewis Reed’s masterful use of hand-tinting, double exposure, and detailed handwork reveals not only his artistic creativity but also his technical skill in an era long before digital editing tools. These techniques allowed him to transform ordinary photographs into captivating visual stories full of playfulness and surreal charm. His work stands as a testament to the time, patience, and imagination required to manipulate photos by hand. For those intrigued by Lewis Reed’s fascinating photo manipulations and the art of early 20th-century photographic editing, the full series is available for exploration on this blog under the “manipulated photography” category.
For more on manipulated photography, visit the series: https://reedbrothersdodgehistory.com/category/manipulated-photography/.
From Rockville to Gaithersburg: The Montgomery County Fair Through the Lens of Lewis Reed
Special Feature for Montgomery County Agricultural Fair Week
August 14–22, 2026
A look back at the fair’s early years through the lens of Lewis Reed.
Every August, hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair to enjoy livestock exhibitions, agricultural displays, carnival rides, competitions, concerts, and family traditions that have endured for generations. While today’s fairgrounds in Gaithersburg are familiar to many, the fair itself began long before the current site existed.
Organized in 1846 by the Montgomery County Agricultural Society, the annual fair was established to promote agriculture, encourage innovation, and strengthen the county’s farming community. For decades, it brought together farmers, merchants, craftsmen, and families from across Montgomery County to exchange ideas, exhibit their finest livestock and crops, and celebrate the region’s agricultural heritage.
By the time Lewis Reed began photographing Montgomery County around the turn of the twentieth century, the fair had become one of the county’s largest and most anticipated annual events. Carrying his camera throughout the fairgrounds, Reed documented not only the exhibits and attractions but also the people who made the fair an enduring community tradition.
Fairgoers stroll along the midway in their Sunday best, ca. 1910. Broad-brimmed hats, long flowing dresses, and tailored suits reflected the fashion of the era, when dressing for the county fair was as much a social occasion as the event itself.
Reed’s photographs reveal a fair that was both educational and entertaining. Agriculture remained its foundation, but visitors also came to enjoy the excitement of the midway, where amusement rides, games, and food vendors transformed the fairgrounds into a festive gathering place for young and old alike.
Ferris Wheel at the Montgomery County Fair, Rockville, ca. 1910. One of the fair’s most popular attractions towered above the fairgrounds, symbolizing how the annual exhibition combined agricultural traditions with modern entertainment.
Behind the excitement of the midway was the fair’s original purpose. Exhibition halls displayed the county’s finest produce, flowers, baked goods, preserves, and handcrafted items, while nearby barns housed prize-winning livestock representing the best of Montgomery County’s farms. Manufacturers exhibited the latest farm machinery and equipment, giving visitors an opportunity to see how new technology was steadily transforming rural life.
Agriculture remained the heart of the fair. Manufacturers displayed the latest farm machinery, giving local farmers an opportunity to compare new equipment and modern farming methods.
Visitors explored displays celebrating Montgomery County’s agricultural achievements, local craftsmanship, and community pride.
An exhibitor captures the attention of fairgoers.
One of Lewis Reed’s most compelling photographs captures hundreds of automobiles parked throughout the fairgrounds. As a lifelong automobile enthusiast and future founder of Reed Brothers Dodge, Reed recognized that the motorcar was transforming Montgomery County. His photograph preserves that moment when the automobile had become an integral part of daily life and community gatherings.
Hundreds of cars in the parking lot.
The grandstand and one-third-mile dirt race track were among the fair’s most popular attractions. Horse racing remained a favorite event, while bicycle races, motorcycle exhibitions, and eventually automobile competitions reflected America’s growing fascination with speed and mechanical innovation. Reed’s photographs preserve these moments at a time when transportation itself was rapidly changing.
Bicycle races became very popular throughout the country and were a novel event at the Rockville Fairgrounds as early as 1915. The track was a half-mile dirt racing oval with wide, sweeping curves and a grandstand for spectators, which made for clear views. Notice the riders are in shirts and ties.
Harness racing was one of the main attractions at the race track before the introduction of the automobile and the subsequent popularity of racing cars.
Spectators pack the grandstand for the automobile races at the Rockville Fair, August 25, 1923. Racing events drew visitors from across the region and showcased the excitement of the new motor age.
The Rockville fairgrounds continued to host the Montgomery County Fair until 1932, when financial hardships brought on by the Great Depression forced the Agricultural Society to sell the property. The site would later become the home of Richard Montgomery High School. In 1949, hundreds of volunteers joined together to establish the Montgomery County Agricultural Center in Gaithersburg, where the fair continues today.
Winter at the Rockville Fairgrounds, 1910. Lewis Reed’s photograph captures a rare, tranquil view of the fairgrounds between seasons, preserving a landscape that would eventually disappear from Montgomery County.
Much has changed since Lewis Reed walked the fairgrounds with his camera. The original race track has disappeared, the Rockville fairgrounds exist only in photographs, and Montgomery County has grown from a rural farming community into one of Maryland’s most populous counties. Yet the fair’s mission has remained remarkably consistent: celebrating agriculture, education, community, and innovation.
As visitors gather for this year’s Montgomery County Agricultural Fair, Lewis Reed’s photographs offer a rare opportunity to look back at the fair’s early years and experience a tradition that has united generations of Montgomery County residents for nearly 180 years.
Two New Books Featuring Lewis Reed’s Historic Montgomery County Photographs
More than 125 years ago, a young boy named Lewis Reed picked up a camera and began photographing the world around him. What started as a youthful fascination with photography grew into one of the most important visual records of Montgomery County’s history.
From the late 1890s through the mid-twentieth century, Lewis Reed documented a county in transition. His photographs preserve everyday life during an era when dirt roads gradually gave way to paved highways, horse-drawn wagons shared the road with the first automobiles, and small rural communities evolved into the suburban landscape we know today. Today, the Lewis Reed Photograph Collection contains more than 2,500 photographs and continues to serve as an invaluable resource for historians, educators, museums, and local preservation projects.
For a little more than a decade, I have been privileged to preserve, research, and share this remarkable collection through books, online exhibits, presentations, historical markers, and hundreds of articles published here on Reed Brothers Dodge History. It has been my goal to ensure that Lewis Reed’s photographs remain accessible to everyone interested in Montgomery County’s rich heritage.
I am pleased to announce the completion of two new softcover companion books inspired by the Montgomery History online exhibits that celebrate Lewis Reed’s photographic legacy and introduce these remarkable images to an even wider audience.
Montgomery County: Through the Lens of Lewis Reed
Created as a companion volume to Montgomery History’s online exhibit of the same name, this compact book presents a carefully selected collection of Lewis Reed’s finest photographs. Inspired by the online exhibit, it preserves a remarkable visual record of a Montgomery County that has largely disappeared.
Taken during the first decades of the twentieth century, these photographs capture a county undergoing profound change while demonstrating Lewis Reed’s remarkable gift for documenting history as it unfolded. Today, they stand among the most significant visual records of Montgomery County’s early history.
Montgomery County: Then and Now – Photography of Lewis Reed and Barry Gartner
Also created as a companion volume to Montgomery History’s online exhibit of the same name, this full-color book pairs Lewis Reed’s historic photographs with modern images recreated from the same locations by his grandson, Barry Gartner. Together, the photographic pairs reveal more than a century of change while preserving a visual connection between Montgomery County’s past and present.
The result is a unique comparison of familiar landscapes, demonstrating how photography can bridge generations and deepen our understanding of the communities that continue to evolve.
Now Available
I’m excited to share that Montgomery County: Then and Now – Photography of Lewis Reed and Barry Gartner is now available to preview or purchase through Blurb’s print-on-demand bookstore.
Readers can browse the entire book online before ordering, making it easy to explore this unique photographic journey through Montgomery County’s past and present.
Preview or order your copy here:
Montgomery County: Then and Now – Photography of Lewis Reed and Barry Gartner
The companion volume, Montgomery County: Through the Lens of Lewis Reed, will also be available soon.
Continuing the Legacy
Every publication built around the Lewis Reed Photograph Collection helps preserve a remarkable visual record of Montgomery County’s history. More than historic images, these photographs connect us with the people, places, and landscapes that shaped our communities and remind us how much can be learned from a single photograph.
Thank you to everyone who has encouraged and supported this work over the years. Your interest in Lewis Reed’s photography has helped ensure that this extraordinary collection continues to educate, inspire, and preserve Montgomery County’s history for future generations.
To explore these and my other publications, please visit the Featured Publications page here on Reed Brothers Dodge History.
High Flying History: When the Goodyear Blimp Came to Rockville
A Night on the Mooring Mast
According to a 1938 report from The Montgomery County Sentinel, the visit was far more than a simple flyover; it was a full-scale community event that turned Rockville into a temporary hub of aeronautical wonder. Local residents, who had long wondered how such a massive airship could be anchored away from a permanent dock, were given the rare opportunity to see a mobile mooring mast in action as the Enterprise stayed overnight.
The spectacle wasn’t limited to the skies, as Reed Brothers also sponsored a “Life Guard” tire demonstration to prove the safety of Goodyear’s latest technology. In a display that had to be seen to be believed, a car traveling at upwards of 60 miles per hour underwent a deliberate blowout to demonstrate that it could maintain control without serious consequences. This high-speed event was conducted with the full cooperation of local police authorities, who assisted in managing the crowds that gathered to witness the future of automotive safety and aviation.
A Ride to Remember (From the Womb)
History is often best told through the personal stories of those who lived it. One of the most charming accounts of the Enterprise’s visit comes from Janice Beall Taylor, whose parents both worked at the dealership in the 1930s.
Her mother, Mary Anna Slater, was the bookkeeper at Reed Brothers and was eight and a half months pregnant at the time of the blimp’s arrival. Not wanting to miss the chance of a lifetime, Mary Anna called her physician, Dr. Hartley, to ask if it was safe to fly.
Only if I can go, too!” the doctor reportedly replied.
True to his word, the doctor and the expectant mother took to the skies. Janice often jokes with her children that she technically enjoyed her first blimp ride two weeks before she was even born!
Preserving the Legacy
The visit of the Goodyear Blimp was more than a marketing stunt; it was a moment that captured the imagination of a generation. Thanks to Lewis Reed’s foresight in bringing his camera into the cockpit, we have a permanent record of Rockville’s landscape from a time when “aerial photography” was a daring new frontier.
Today, these images serve as a bridge to the past, reminding us of the days when a silver giant in the sky could bring an entire city to a standstill.
July 7, 1928: The Automobile That Helped Build Chrysler and Became Part of Rockville History
𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗵𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘇’𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗗𝗼𝗱𝗴𝗲-𝗣𝗹𝘆𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝘁. Embroidered with the dealership’s name, it reflects the years when Reed Brothers proudly represented both Dodge and Plymouth.
In 1930, Reed Brothers expanded its showroom by adding the Plymouth line, marking an important milestone in the dealership’s history. When Plymouth debuted in 1928, franchises were reserved exclusively for Chrysler dealers. Two years later, Chrysler opened the brand to Dodge and DeSoto dealerships, allowing established dealers like Reed Brothers to offer the new low-priced automobile. With the addition of Plymouth, the dealership officially became Reed Brothers Dodge-Plymouth, broadening its appeal to a growing market of budget-conscious buyers.
The timing proved ideal. As the nation entered the Great Depression, Plymouth quickly emerged as one of America’s three best-selling automobile brands, joining Ford and Chevrolet at the top of the industry. More than just a successful new model, Plymouth became the financial backbone of Chrysler Corporation. Its combination of affordability, dependability, and advanced engineering attracted thousands of customers during the country’s most difficult economic years. The steady sales of Plymouth automobiles helped sustain Chrysler through the Depression and played a pivotal role in securing the company’s future as one of Detroit’s major automakers.
For Reed Brothers Dodge-Plymouth, the addition of the Plymouth franchise brought many new customers through the showroom doors in Rockville. Families who wanted the quality and engineering of a Chrysler-built automobile at an affordable price found exactly what they were looking for in Plymouth. The brand would remain an important part of the dealership’s identity for nearly four decades.
Below: Salesman Raleigh Chinn’s business card, printed after 1930, reflects the dealership’s new identity as Reed Brothers Dodge-Plymouth following the addition of the Plymouth franchise.
Business card courtesy of Jane C. Sween,
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Copyright Notice
Reed Brothers Dodge History (1915-2012) by Jeanne Gartner is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.
Reed Brothers Dodge History 1915 – 2012 
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