Anniversary

[ColinL]

Without doubt a formal portrait in the mid 19th C would have been only available to the upper middle class but the mass expansion of the industry in the last quarter allowed many people to have a photo as a special occasion.

There were many studios in Hastings all competing for business as is show in the directory.
http://www.photohistory-sussex.co.uk/HASTINGSdirIL.htm

Fred Judge (Judges postcards) was situated where Marriott's is today and there were many around the town centre. Photographers would station themselves on the prom and elsewhere.

Nowadays of course we have the 'selfie', in which, for some unknown reason people like to pout , probably showing off their Botox and lads as if they are screaming

[Richard]

In that case ColinL there were some much earlier instances of seaside photographers than I had thought possible:

https://www.photohistory-sussex.co.uk/Hastings1.htm