A giant bellows camera dominates one side of a courtyard portrait, its folded black body and brass lens facing a seated guest. Her celestial velvet dress carries embroidered stars and moons, with a broad fan collar framing her face. A small crescent prop rests in her hands as she glances toward the photographer.

The vintage camera portrait includes the preparation as well as the costume. The photographer adjusts the large wooden apparatus, while cobbles, autumn ivy and distant fair tents establish the setting. The unusual scale of the equipment gives the scene its playful tension: an elaborate outfit, an enormous camera and a brief exchange before the picture is taken.