Both Foster-Rice and University of Chicago art history professor Joel Snyder said the photos from inside the Eastland were taken with bulky, professional cameras using artificial lighting to illuminate the scene. Foster-Rice said the photographer made conscious choices to frame the shots, and likely used the man who can be seen leaning over the water in one image as a point of reference and scale. He also said the photos would have taken quite a bit of time to set up, considering all of the equipment needed to take the images.