Louis Lafon (French, active 1870–1890) was a French photographer active during the late 19th century, primarily in the 1870s through the 1890s. His work is notable for its precise composition and sensitive rendering of architectural subjects, landscapes, and urban scenes during a time of rapid modernization in France. Working with albumen and early gelatin silver prints, Lafon documented a world caught between tradition and transformation, often capturing the quiet dignity of ordinary spaces with a measured, almost meditative gaze.
Though little is known about his personal life, Lafon's photographs reflect a trained eye attuned to symmetry, light, and texture - hallmarks of the period's emerging photographic aesthetics. His images serve both as artistic studies and as historical documents, preserving the subtle atmospheres of a changing France. Today, his photographs are held in public and private collections, appreciated for their quiet elegance and enduring sense of place.
