The Hindu:

Bourne & Shepherd Studio, Kolkata, India. Photo by Biswarup Ganguly. Used under CC 3.0

A studio in India, founded by British photographers Charles Shepherd, Samuel Bourne and William Howard in 1840 will close its doors after 176 years in operation. Considered the oldest continuously operating photographic studio, Kolkata-based Bourne & Shepherd's current owner cites the recent major changes in photographic technology as a reason for the closure.

The studio was known for its portraiture, producing images of religious figures and government officials, from the British Raj era onward. Speaking to Indian publication The Hindu, a former employee explains that the shift to digital made it difficult for the studio to survive, saying 'How can you expect that a studio can operate in this generation where everyone is clicking photos from their mobiles and digital cameras?'

Though the studio will no longer be in operation, the current owner says that he'll continue to maintain the shop's collection of historic photos and equipment.

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