In 1950 a professional photograph was typically a 10 × 8 in (25 × 20 cm) black and white print that was passed to a designer and then a printer to appear in a magazine.
It was then discarded, filed or forgotten. In 1980 a professional photograph might also be a handsome work of graphic art, generally twice the size of its predecessor.
It might be made by hand, in one of a variety of craft processes,expressly for exhibition in and preservation by museums.
It was usually made to last: printing was to archival standards.
Quite frequently it was issued in a signed and strictly limited edition.