Laval, Claude C.

Claude C. Laval was born in New York City on November 8, 1882, and was educated in New York, Brooklyn, and Chicago. After working in civil engineering in Pennsylvania, he began his photography career in 1901 with the R. W. Johnston Studios in Pittsburgh. He relocated to Fresno, California, in October 1906, where he partnered briefly with C. H. Atkinson at the Angelus Studio before establishing his own commercial photography business on North Van Ness Avenue.

As a pioneer in modern commercial photography, Claude introduced the first circuit camera, smokeless flash apparatus, and motion picture camera to Fresno. He became the official photographer for the San Joaquin Valley Counties Association, produced films for the 1915 San Francisco and San Diego Fairs, and documented events for the Gaumont Weekly and local fruit associations. Married to Sadie M. Cheesman of Pennsylvania, with whom he had two children, Claude C., Jr. and Virginia May, he later partnered with F. C. Ninnis in 1918 to operate one of the most advanced laboratories in the state.