Frank Jay Haynes - Excelsior geyser. Photomechanical print.

Frank Jay Haynes was an American photographer best known for his photographs of the American West in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born on 28 October 1853 in Saline, Michigan, Haynes grew up in a family of photographers and learned the trade from his father. In 1876 he moved to Moorhead, Minnesota, where he set up his own photographic studio. Haynes became famous for his photographs of Yellowstone National Park, which he began taking in the late 1870s. He was the official photographer for the Northern Pacific Railroad and used his position to capture stunning images of the park's geysers, hot springs and wildlife. His photographs helped promote tourism to the park and played a key role in its preservation. In addition to his work in Yellowstone, Haynes also photographed other parts of the American West, including Glacier National Park, the Grand Canyon and Yosemite. He was known for his technical skill and artistic eye, and his photographs were widely published in newspapers, magazines and books. Haynes continued to work as a photographer until his death on 10 March 1921. His legacy lives on through his photographs, which are now considered important historical documents of the American West.