Archibald Burns began as an amateur photographer in the 1850s or earlier, but did not appear in the Edinburgh trade directories as a professional photographer until 1867. Burns also took 26 photographs for the Edinburgh Improvement Trust, showing buildings in the old closes between the University and Cowgate, as they were soon to be demolished. Some photographs were published in a separate work entitled Picturesque Bits of Old Edinburgh also of 1868. From 1871 Burns became more interested in landscape photography, initially sharing Rock House with the family of photographer Thomas Annan. Ballantyne is today better remembered as a writer of children’s books, with The Coral Island his only lasting work. This was something of a bitter disappointment as he received a flat fee whist the publisher reaped a handsome profit.