Hoarfrost on Birches, c. 1905, Geoffrey Roland Ballance (British, 1874-1934), Photograph, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Bailey Audigier, 1934.1.AU.518.
Geoffrey Roland Ballance, commonly known as G.R. Ballance, took up photography while convalescing from tuberculosis in Switzerland in his early 20s. An avid outdoorsman himself, he quickly became a noted photographer of winter sports, the natural world, and the mountain scenery of Switzerland, Austria, and Italy, and later also took photos of famous sites around Europe. His photos were published in several photo magazines of the era, and purchased as photographic souvenirs.