Talbot’s image defies easy interpretation. It is not a typical group portrait. The face of the young man in the window is obscured by shadow, a hat and what appear to be goggles. The faces of the men below are turned away from the camera. One holds his hat in his hand. His discarded coat lies nearby. The doorway is half open. Did it provide access to the young man on the upper floor, or did he climb the ladder? The building is Lacock Abbey, Talbot’s home and the site of much of his experimentation with photography. Are these his friends, family, or assistants? Are they engaged in an experiment, a rescue or a more mundane activity? Only Talbot and they knew for certain.