Panoramic View of Frere Camp Taken from the Front of an Armoured Train, November 29th, 1899

This rapid panorama isn't as smooth as the average 'Phantom Ride' - an early example of 'shaky-cam' war photography? Filmmaker WKL Dickson asked that the British public 'not too severely judge this picture,' demonstrating not only his awareness of the poorer quality of the image, but also his recognition of the importance of its content. The sequence is a military twist on the popular 'phantom ride' genre, captured from a moving train, and shows glimpses of the troops at rest. In sharp contrast to parade films this film shows soldiers and horses out of formation, providing insight into everyday life in camp.