Photography began life as an expensive, dangerous, and selective process, open to the few. Only significant images, such as important occasions, would be recorded. It was only with the introduction of the first small cameras at the end of the nineteenth century - most notably the Kodak camera, which required no knowledge of processing - and the Box Brownie, that photography became available to all. It is photographs, which now provide the footholds for families to their own pasts, creating an awareness of their own identity, providing solid evidence they existed. What is often trivialised by professional photographers is likely to be tomorrow's delight for archivists.

Schmid has gathered a collection of German photographs taken throughout the twentieth century and arranged them according to subject, accomplishment, and origin. He is interested in this so-called trivial form, which in reality chronicles our lives, and wishes to conserve what is seen as essentially temporary. He has produced a form of classification, a comparative series like that in natural history collections where like objects are placed together. But rather than following a hierarchical structure, he has looked for recurring patterns. The results question the honesty of such photography, its artificiality, and, in the case of some selections, their authenticity.

Encased in picture frames anything from nine to 12 small images stare out at you, images of everyday, and not so everyday, life. We see babies in the bath, in buggies, in playpens. The whole history of a human life is portrayed, from birth to courting couples, weddings to family parties, anniversaries, Christmas gatherings. Among them are holiday snaps, skiing, hiking, bathing, sunbathing, and travelling abroad. There are views of family cars, family houses, the rooms inside them; tables set for special occasions.

To complete the description of the amateur photographer Schmid includes the inevitable mistakes, heads removed, over exposures, out-of-focus shots.

This is popular culture and history; a recording of particular instants only captured on film. It is unreal in a sense, with the subject posing, a scene selected and pinned down to be relived over and over again.

Of the hundreds of amateur photos collected and arranged by Joachim Schmid, the fact they are from Germany is of no importance - the same topics appear in snapshots taken in Britain over the century. Even the war pictures of soldiers grouped with their friends, or visiting their sweethearts echo the same sort of pictures taken the world over. It is a fascinating picture book, with reminiscences for everyone.

n Taking Snapshots: Amateur Photography in Germany from 1900 to the Present, until Jan 9, Stills Gallery, Edinburgh. The Stills seeks unwanted photographic gear, working or broken, for an installation by artist Tomoko Takahashi planned for January. Call 0131 622 6200 to make a donation.