Rupert Potter (1832-1914), father of the children's writer and illustrator Beatrix Potter (1866-1943), took up photography in the 1860s when it was still a relatively new art form. An enthusiastic and skilled amateur, he was elected to the Photographic Society of London in 1869 and later contributed to photographic exhibitions. During long summer holidays to Scotland and the Lake District he recorded memorable occasions spent in the company of family and friends, in particular the artist, Sir John Everett Millais (1829-1896), the Liberal statesman, John Bright (1811-1889), and the Unitarian minister, William Gaskell (1805-1884). From 1871 to 1881 the Potters rented Dalguise House near Dunkeld in Perthshire. During this time Millais also spent long summer holidays with his family in Perthshire at Annet Lodge near Bowerswell. It was here that Millais executed many of his best known paintings and Rupert would assist by photographing backgrounds for paintings and sitters for portraits.

In October 1881 Rupert photographed Millais' wife, Lady Euphemia Millais (1828-1897), on the doorstep of Dalguise House. Born Euphemia Chalmers Gray, but known as Effie, Lady Euphemia Millais married the art critic, author, poet and artist John Ruskin (1819-1900) in 1846. Shortly after their marriage, however, Ruskin introduced Euphemia to his friend and protegée, Millais, and while she modelled for Millais' painting, The Order of Release (1853), she fell in love with him. In 1854 Euphemia annulled her marriage to Ruskin (he had refused to consummate their marriage) and married Millais the following year.

Euphemia Millais sits beside Henry Reeve (1813-1895), writer for The Times and editor of The Edinburgh Review.