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Charles Weidner, born Karl Weidner on July 22, 1867, in Jagstheim, Germany.

After immigrating to the United States around 1880, Weidner became  a distinguished figure in the realm of photography and postcard publishing in San Francisco. His contributions to visual documentation and the postcard industry are a rich tapestry of San Francisco's history and evolution.

After establishing his photographic studio in San Francisco, Weidner ventured into the postcard publishing business in 1900 under the imprint of Goeggel & Weidner. The partnership with Goeggel lasted until around 1903. Weidner's approach to printing was unique in that he produced his own cards to meet demand, resulting in variations of the same cards, with either divided or undivided backs.

In total produced 694 numbered post cards, including chromolithographs, black and white, cyanid, sepia, and even embossed cards. His collection also included a 58-card set of the Panama Pacific International Exposition, produced in collaboration with the Albertype Co. in 1915, alongside real photo cards documenting historic events such as the visit of the Pacific Fleet to San Francisco.

A hallmark of Weidner's work was his exclusive use of his own photographs. His photographic works were also distributed by other publishers, including Newman, Pacific Novelty, and Rieder, often identifiable by a copyright line for "photo only" by Charles Weidner. His photographs also graced contemporary books, such as Gertrude Atherton's "California, An Intimate History" and publications about the San Francisco earthquake of 1906.  Beyond the San Francisco, his work extended to Berkeley, the University of California, Marin County, the orchards of Santa Clara Valley, and scenic locales like Yosemite.

By the turn of the century, Weidner had also established himself as a significant photographer, documenting the rapidly changing landscape of the city. His marriage to Margaret Horstmann in 1897 connected him further to the city, as the Horstmann family was well-established in San Francisco.

A critical moment in Weidner's career was the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, a catastrophic event that he documented with poignant clarity. His photographs from this period are not just historical documents but also personal narratives, as they often feature his own family members and the neighborhoods they inhabited. The images of his family doing laundry in the street post-earthquake, in front of their residence are particularly evocative, capturing both the devastation of the earthquake and the resilience of its survivors.

Weidner's work extended beyond the earthquake, with a particular focus on San Francisco's urban landscape and major events and included a number of panoramas. 

In his later years, Charles Weidner served as a staff photographer for the San Francisco Examiner, Sunset Magazine, and Camera Craft, continuing to contribute to the city's visual narrative.