Carl Moon Biography

Carl E. Moon

"Vision Maker"

(1879-1948)

Photographing Native Americans in their natural state was the principal aim of Carl Moon. He tried to show the Indian as he lived before civilization hampered his freedom, warped his views of life and changed his picturesque customs and mode of dress.

Carl Everton Moon was born in Wilmington, Ohio. He became interested in Native American at an early age. After High School Moon served in the National Guard and decided on photography as a vocation. After apprenticing for 6 years he opened a studio in Albuquerque, New Mexico to begin photographic "art studies" of the Southwestern Indians.

Carl E. Moon

He set up a photographic studio and began making his first collection of photographs and paintings of the Pueblo Indians. For the next seven years he was in charge of the Fred Harvey Headquarters at the Grand Canyon in Arizona.

Grace Moon

Grace Moon

It was here that he met his second wife, Grace Purdie. They were married on June 5, 1911. They had two children, a son Francis and a daughter Mary Caryl. Carl and Grace settled in Pasadena, California in 1914.

Over the next few decades Carl Moon became renowned nation wide and his work was exhibited at The National Museum in Washington, D.C., the American Museum of Natural History, New York and at the invitation of President Theodore Roosevelt, at The White House.

Over the years he formed friendships with his subjects that enabled him to spend weeks at a time in tribal villages, learning about their culture.

"Moon's Hand-Colored Photos"

Moon's hand-colored photos were known as 'Lytrit work", something that was never attempted outside of such establishments as Sarony in New York. The effect of a beautiful drawing is given to a photograph, the artistic effect being only equaled to the pastel and water color given the portraits which were enlarged from ordinary photos. Moon then framed them and sold them to companies for display in public places for customer viewing. Early in his career Moon realized the great effect photography could have on advertising. Moon who later became the official photographer for the Santa Fe Railroad may have been hired for his knowledge about advertising as well as his ability as a photographer.

In 1906 Moon sold the photograph "Meguelito" to the American Lumber Company for advertising purposes such as calendars and logos. He then sent letters to many major companies all over the U.S. to offer his photographs for their use. Some of the companies that used his photographers were: American Lumber Company, Seneca Coal Mining Company, The Knapp Company, Fred Harvey Compamy, Seneca Camera Company, Wells Fargo, Stetson Hats and Red Garter Saloon in Virginia City, Nevada. Buffalo Bill Cody, a friend of Moon's used his photo "The Warrior" on many of Cody's posters which advertised his Wild West Show. Also the Mays Drilling Company, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma and Martin Ranchero used his photos. Martin Ranchero was owned by Charles M. Martin a famous writer of western stories who was a personal friend of Moon as was General George Patton, a native of Pasadena.

Carl Moon saw himself as a visual historian belonging to both the scientific and artistic communities.

Carl Moon's camera and equipment

Carl Everton Moon or Karl as he sometimes spelled his name, was born October 5, 1879, in Wilmington, Ohio. He was the son of Sylvester Bronston, a noted country physician of his time, and Lucy Brunetta (Gudgeon) Moon. Before 1914 he always used a "K" from 1914-1917 mostly a "K" and sometimes a "C". After February 1918 he always used a "C".