Robert D. Robinson (1882-1964) was born in Lafayette, IN, grew up near Lincoln, NB, and came to Grand Rapids in 1922. He learned photographic portrait work during the World War I years at Camp Sherman, near Chillicothe, Ohio, after working in “wild west” shows and as a movie extra in Hollywood. He worked successively for Fast Photo and the Camera Shop. In 1930 Robinson opened his own photographic studio at 150 E. Fulton Street. He retired in 1945 and sold his interest to his two nephews Shelly and Bud Robinson. Robinson never married.

Henry Shelly Robinson (1901-1981) was born near Lincoln, NB and grew up in Muskegon, MI, later moving to Grand Rapids, MI. In 1921 he went to work in his uncle's photographic studio at Camp Sherman. The next year he returned to Grand Rapids and went to work for The Camera Shop, owned by Walter K. Schmidt. In 1935 the Camera Shop was forced to lay off its work force, a victim of the Great Depression. Borrowing against his life insurance policies, Robinson purchased an interest in his uncle's studio. Robinson retired in 1975. In 1923 Robinson married Ruth Lundquist, they had three children, Eugenia, Edwina, and Shelly Van.

Reuben D, "Bud" Robinson (1899-1978) was born near Lincoln, NB, and grew up in Muskegon, MI, later moving to Grand Rapids, MI. He worked as an electrician, sales person, and mechanical inspector until 1935 when he joined his brother at the Robinson Studio, having briefly worked as a photographer in 1925. Bud did most of the in-studio portrait work. He retired in 1964. Robinson was married to Elois Miller, they had 2 children.

Raymond C. Walen (1927-1982) was born in Grand Rapids and graduated from Catholic Central High School. After military service in the army, Walen became a staff photographer for the Robinson Studio in 1955. During the 1960s he became a partner in the studio, buying it outright in 1975. Walen and his wife Mary Beth had two children.

Note:

There were earlier photographers named Robinson on Canal or Monroe Streets, from 1900 to 1920. These were C.B. Robinson, L.B. Robinson, and Leo C. Robinson. It is unknown, at this time, if there were related to the Robinson of the Coll. 125 Robinson Studio, or if any of those earlier works may be represented here.

Robert D. Robinson opened the Robinson Photographic Studio in 1930 at 150 E. Fulton. In 1933 the studio was moved around the corner to 7 Jefferson SE, where it remained until it closed in 1989. The Studio specialized in portraits until 1935 when Robinson's nephew, H. Shelly Robinson, a commercial photographer, joined the studio. The next year Shelly's brother, Reuben D. "Bud" Robinson joined the partnership taking over much of the in-studio portrait work.

One of the Studio's early commercial clients was The Grand Rapids Herald, the local morning newspaper, located less than two blocks away. In 1938 the Herald hired the Studio as their exclusive photographer of regional stories. The resulting work load caused the Studio to hire several more photographers. The relationship lasted until 1950, when the Herald hired several of Robinson's employees as newspaper staff photographers.

In 1945 Robert sold his interest in the business to his two nephews. Following World War II the Studio's commercial work expanded dramatically, as did it portraiture with the addition of skilled hand-colorists, such as Rebecca Heyboer. The studio also began doing extensive school portrait work and wedding photographers during the 1950s and 1960s.

In 1963 Bud retired and sold his interest to Shelly, who in 1975 also retired and sold the Studio to one of the staff photographers, Ray Walen. After Walen's unexpected death, his widow, Mary Beth, sold the Studio in 1983 to another staff photographer Wayne McFarland. In 1986 McFarland tentatively sold the Studio to Jeffrey L. Strayer. The Studio closed in March 1989 and reverted to McFarland, who sold the collection and all attendant rights to the Grand Rapids Public Library in May 1989.