Since its first appearance, photography has changed in terms of the process of creation and its social and artistic role. Through the study of the historical context and photographs of tradition in the area of the city of Zadar, the paper highlights and clarifies the importance of the activities of the Brkan brothers. Ante and Zvonimir Brkan enriched the post-war environment in Zadar by founding the photography salon "Man and the Sea" and by their photographic activity. The problem of the work of the two brothers is studied in their similarities and differences and in their uniqueness in expression. The process of their work and the choice of content itself is viewed through the prism of global influences and personal style. The paper analyzes themes and styles of the photographic opuses of the Brkan brothers, the display of photographs at exhibitions, and considers the problem of protecting and preserving the oeuvres.