In 1893, the bustling streets of Oslo, Norway, were the stage for an innovative and, at the time, somewhat mischievous endeavor by a 19-year-old university student named Carl Størmer. Størmer, intrigued by the art of photography and the candid moments of everyday life, became one of the earliest pioneers of street photography. His approach, however, was unique and required a bit of cunning and technical ingenuity.

While Carl Størmer did not build the camera himself, he did come across a remarkable device that would allow him to take quick and discreet photographs of people on the streets. The camera Størmer used was a type of "concealed camera," which had been invented by C.P. Stirn in 1886. Known as the Stirn Concealed Vest Camera, it was designed to be hidden under clothing and could be operated secretly.

Størmer's interest in discreet photography was driven by his desire to capture genuine, unposed moments. He aimed to photograph people as they were, without the self-consciousness that a visible camera might provoke. This method allowed him to document the true essence of daily life and the authentic expressions of his subjects.

The Concealed Vest Camera was invented by Robert D. Gray, notes Camerapedia. In 1886, C.P. Stirn bought the rights to the device, and his brother Rudolf manufactured them in Berlin. The camera came in two sizes, “one for making four 6cm wide round exposures… the other with a smaller lens funnel, for making six 4cm wide round exposures.” Marketed by Stirn & Lyon in New York, the cameras sold by the tens of thousands (as the ad above informs us).

Størmer’s own camera was the smaller version, as we learn from his comments to the St. Hallvard Journal in 1942:

The future scientist, soon to be known for his work on number theory and his status as an authority on polar aurora, took around 500 such secret photographs. (See 484 of them at the Norwegian Folkemuseum site.) He even managed to get a shot of Henrik Ibsen, just above.

Reflecting on his experiences in a 1942 interview with the St. Hallvard Journal, Carl Størmer recounted his adventures with a touch of nostalgia and amusement. He revealed how he managed to capture the unguarded moments of prominent figures and everyday people alike.

"I would walk around Karl Johans gate, mingling with the crowd, and with a slight movement of my hand in my pocket, the camera would click. The expressions I captured were genuine, free from the artificiality that comes when people know they are being photographed," Størmer explained.

He also shared some of the challenges he faced: "It wasn't always easy. Sometimes the film would jam, or the lens would get obscured by my clothing. But the results were worth it. Those images, now historical records, show a side of life that posed photographs could never capture."

Størmer's photographs remain valuable historical documents, offering a glimpse into the past and the everyday lives of people in late 19th-century Oslo. His pioneering efforts in street photography paved the way for future generations of photographers who seek to capture life in its most authentic form.