Artisans played a central role in the European town as it developed from the Middles Ages onwards. Their workshops were at the heart of productive activity, their guilds were often central to the political and legal order of towns, and their culture helped shape civic ritual and the urban order. They paid special attention to the processes of economic, juridical and political change that have made the 18th and early 19th centuries a period of such significance.
Photographing artisans brings all kind of challenges, as their workshops are typically underlit and crowded. It also takes time to gain their trust, so they perform their craft and you capture their spirit.
You might be interested in learning how to photograph artisans and ancient cultures in
Turkey (February 2023).