Four Generations of Photographing Shipwrecks: the Gibsons of Scilly

Here's an interesting family business: for four generations, the Gibsons of Britain's Scilly Isles have made a profession of photographing shipwrecks. Since 1869, the Gibson men have prowled the dangerous rocks off Land's End with their cameras, a modern twist on the ancient local tradition of salvage. Lots of images on their web site. Above, the Norwegian ship Hansy, wrecked on the Lizard in 1911.

The Gibsons are in the news now because they are auctioning off their collection of original plates and photographs, hoping to earn up to £150,000. The Mildred, 1912.

The Bay of Panama, 1898, carrying a cargo of Jute when it was wrecked with the loss of 18 men.

The Cita, 1997.

The Glenbervie, which was carrying a cargo of pianos, whisky, brandy, and rum when it wrecked in 1902. Novelist John Le Carre called the Gibsons' small museum an "Aladdin's cave."