Photography was considered objective documentation and was commissioned by the government to immortalize the demolition and reconstruction of urban areas. He contributed to the construction of bridges, monuments, skyscrapers. He faithfully documented the expansion of transportation facilities, roads, railroads, steamships and bridges. Photographs such as William England's "Niagara Suspension Bridge", or Charles Marville's "Tearing Down Avenue of the Opera", are both a testament to the lens's unrivaled ability to capture a moment in time.