Charles Martin Conlon (November, 1868 – 1945) was an American photographer born in Albany, New York who grew up in the neighboring city of Troy.
Conlon started his career working for New York City newspapers in the early 1900s, as a proof-reader, and took up landscape photography as a hobby. New York Evening Telegram editor John B. Foster, who also produced the annual “Spalding Base Ball Guide”, asked Conlon to take photographs of the players for the well known annual. Conlon later wrote in The Sporting News that “'[Foster] came to know about my hobby—taking pictures. He said to me one day, ‘Charley, they need pictures of ball players for the Guide, and there is no reason why you can’t take pictures of the players, as well as landscapes. It will be a good pickup for you, and it will be something for a day off.’” [1]