Joseph Barmes already practiced photography before his wedding, as witnessed by the photos he took in 1904, two years before his wedding and he presented himself as "Photographer" and "Supplier of HM the Queen of the Netherlands", as witness the small advertisement from a newspaper, probably from the 20s or 30s.
Joseph Barmes was extremely royal. If there was an occasion where he could shake hands with the Royal Family or the Queen, then he took a day off for that, rented tails, top hat, dress shirt and bow tie, took a taxi and so he went to the palace on the Dam square. When the Royal Family came to Amsterdam, he was always given permission by the authorities to be standing at the front to take his photos.
His wife, Lucie Rueff, was not so happy with it, because they actually had no money for this. Taking a day off only cost money because not working meant no income that day. In doing so, there were costs by hiring clothing and taxi, but Joseph cared less about that. At home, he had also furnished his own dark room on the toilet and had a large safe where he kept everything such as papers and telegrams from the Royal House and thanks from the Queen once he had taken and delivered pictures.
When the book "Van Montelbaanstoren naar Minervaplein" was published in November 2004, it turned out that a photo was printed on page 80 by the hand of "Jozeph Barmes". The photo suggested the departure of the Royal Couple from the Portuguese Israelitic Synagogue on 28 September 1904. The photo appeared to come from the collection of old Jewish Amsterdam postcards by Jaap van Velzen and that collection is held by the Jewish Historical Museum. Upon inquiry, it appeared that three more photos by Jozeph Barmes are present in the collection.
Sources among others: family stories, recorded by the editors of Joods Monument and "Van Montelbaanstoren naar Minervaplein" was published in November 2004 by Bookshop van Blankenvoort and the Jewish Historical Museum.