(Summary). 

On the grounds of the investigation into the archival documents and photo documentation of the Historical Archives and partially of the Maritime Museum of Kotor, it has been found out that the photographer's trade commenced in Kotor in 1860's in the photo studio of Anton Jelaska, the first Kotor photographer. Then followed: Karlo Veber, senior an junior, Frano Laforest and his heirs, Rudolf Smodlaka, Eleonora Prelesnik and others. 

Antonio Jelaska was first mentioned in the archival sources of 1854 when he asked for permission to open a retail trade of Kotor. The first mention of his studio is found in a document from 1866 in connection with an incident. It is know that Jelaska had worked in Dubrovnik before he moved to Kotor but we luck archival data that would enable us to continuously follow his work. From a letter of the Kotor Municipality from 1892, we learn that Anton Jelaska in the meantime died and his "photo bureau" was closed. This trade was continued by Karlo Veber who moved to Kotor from Dalmatia in 1880 and settled there permanently. In 1881 Karlo Veber submitted a request to the Kotor Municipality for permission to present to Archduke Rudolf with four "photographic views of Kotor" made on occasion of his visit to this town. 

At the same time the job of a photographer was being done by Frano Laforest, the founder of the photographer's family that worked in Kotor an Boka Kotorska in general for about fifty years. The oldest preserved photograph in the investigated sources is a group photograph of St. George's Congregation on the way back from St. Vincenco's church in 1889. At the time Frano Laforest was still working in Dubrovnik but already in 1893 he was on the list of taxpayers in Kotor and was given permission to place a glass showcase on Square of Arms (Trg od oruzja). 

Gabriela Laforest had a studio in Kotor but at the same time she run one at Tivat until 1919. After 1935 she muved to Hercegnovi and became partners with Eleonora Prelesnik who had run the Laforest studio in Kotor since 1921. Her studio employed numerous photographers of whom the best known were: Gruic, Zupanic, Stankovic and Cirigovic. In the meantime her son, Srecko (Felix) Laforest, joined her in the family trade and in that way the Laforest studio from many years provided high-quality photographs, from those of private individuals, through picture postcards to getting up of various printed publications. 

We are short of more detailed information on the work of Karlo Veber, junior. However, much more significant in this period is the work of Rudolf Smodlaka who opened his photo-studio next to St. Clara's church in 1909, where he sold picture postcard, too. 

This study about the first photographers in Kotor is only the first step in the research of the origins of the photographic activities in this town and in Boka Kotorska in general.