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George Washington Wilson was born in Scotland in 1823. Trained as both an artist and a photographer he became well known as a portrait photographer for the middle class as well as wealthy families around Scotland and eventually worked for the Royal Family in 1854. His relationship with the Royal Family would lend him the title of Photographer Royal for Scotland and he would continue to take photographs of them as well as of various locations and landscapes around Britain. As George Washington Wilson's company expanded he sent his head photographer, Fred Hardie and son, Charles Wilson to various locations including Australia, South Africa, Morocco and Spain. In 1888 George Washington Wilson passed the business to his sons Charles, Louis and John. He died March 1893.

James Valentine was born in 1815. He attended school at the University of St. Andrews in Fife, Scotland where he studied photography. Valentine ran an engraving and printing business in Dundee, Scotland called James Valentine and Co. and in 1851 his company added portrait photography to its services. He became the photographer for the Royal Family in 1867 but died in 1879. James Valentine's sons, William and George Valentine continued the business and went on to commercially sell photograph landscapes and tourist landmarks of the United Kingdom in 1882 and later picture postcards in 1898. In 1914, as the company grew they focused mainly on postcards and greeting cards.