No luck so far but I've enhanced the image as much as possible based on the photograph in case it helps someone else - http://imgur.com/hK1C9

Here's a better quality image - http://i.imgur.com/ABXWU.jpg

Still no luck, but a few notes -
1. The man is standing behind a movie camera, not a film camera. Note his right arm, which is parallel to the ground and appears to be winding film.
2. The man is of African descent. I've looked into black filmmakers between 1890 and 1940 and this doesn't seem to be any of the better-known ones.
3. The simple background, lack of shadows around the cameraman, and the overall "flatness" of the image leads me to consider that it may be a painting rather than a photo , though I am by no means married to this idea - just something to think about.

I dont believe the photographer is african american.I believe he is caucasian, but his face is in the shadow of the camera.I think it is a photograph, not a painting, but that its taken with a pinhole or a box camera. I would estimate it before the 20's, most likely in the teens. The camera and tripod both look to be of that era.

I wonder if the "simple background" is actually a lot of snow and ice. The way that he is standing makes me think he may have been making an effort to keep his footing.

Have you tried writing to the photographer via his website?

http://www.menossifotografo.com/contact/