His father Gösta Florman established a photography firm in Kristinehamn, Värmland.

In 1900 the company changed its name to Ateljé Florman and control passed to Ernest.

[1] Florman's short film Konungens af Siam landstigning vid Logårdstrappan is often referred to as the first completely Swedish film.

[2] The recording equipment had been brought there by the French film photographer Alexandre Promio, as he was in Sweden doing work for the Lumière Brothers to present his new medium.

One was Slagsmål i Gamla Stockholm and was filmed by Promio with Florman as an assistant.