Baudoux, Ernest

• Baudoux, Charles-Ernest

• Ernest Baudoux

Charles Ernest Baudoux, born in France around late November of 1827. He moved to Jersey with his wife and son in 1869. He made his name primarily in portrait photography but also photographed property, the landscape, significant social occasions, and pretty much anything of note or interest throughout the late 19th century.

Baudoux set up his studio in 1869 at 56 New Street and soon embarked on a project to capture a detailed panorama of St Helier. Using the wet collodion process, which required a mobile darkroom to develop glass plate negatives on-site. Baudoux demonstrated both technical skill and an eye for Jersey’s architectural landscape. His panoramas of St Helier were among the first of their kind.

He was clearly an experienced and accomplished photographer prior to his arrival in Jersey, however there are no known records of his photographic practice prior to his arrival in Jersey.

In his studio, Baudoux produced portraits of Jersey’s wealthier residents. His use of a sliding plate mechanism allowed him to take two exposures on a single glass plate, giving him the option to select the best image. Retouching was a common practice at the time, and Baudoux applied it extensively to enhance his subjects, particularly improving their complexions and removing imperfections.

Baudoux's work, which consists of over 1,300 surviving photographs held in the Société Jersiaise collection, remains a key resource for understanding Jersey’s history. Examples of his work can also be found in the collections of the Bibliothèque National Français; the Harry Ransom Centre, Texas; and the Alexander Turnbull Library; Wellington.

Baudoux died on 24 May 1897, he was buried at Almorah Cemetery three days later.

Baudoux’s impact on Jersey’s photographic heritage is significant, and his work remains an important part of the island’s visual history.