After beginning his career painting portrait miniatures, George Washington Wilson discovered the newly emerging art form of photography, and soon began making a name for himself with his photographic portraiture. Spurred on by a growing public interest in stereoscopy, Wilson created a thriving enterprise selling beautifully crafted stereo cards of Scottish landscapes to visiting tourists. As his reputation grew, he began to attract the attention of some high-profile patrons. Prince Albert commissioned him to photograph the construction of Balmoral Castle, and he also captured many historic portraits of Queen Victoria, who would later honor him with the title "Photographer to the Queen."