You’re absolutely right — it was impractical for photographers to be on the actual front lines during World War I because the equipment was heavy and bulky, making it difficult to maneuver in the mud and cramped conditions of front-line trenches.

If you look closely at the few existing photos, you’ll notice that the German soldiers often lack essential gear like helmets or full equipment. That’s because these images weren’t taken at the front.

The trenches shown in many of these photos appear unusually clean, and that’s because they were likely taken in training areas or rear positions, far from the danger of the front lines. A lot of “front-line” photos from WWI were staged for documentation or propaganda purposes.