Edward Coote

Edward Coote took theatrical photos so sharp they freeze a split second of greasepaint and gaslight. He aimed his camera at actors exactly when their stage faces cracked open—just before the bow—so the print still holds the heat of performance. You can see one in the Guy Little collection where a comedian’s grin is halfway to a smirk, the moment before the audience laughs. Look for the one labeled “Guy Little Theatrical Photograph” to spot that split-second glow.