Famous Women Photographers
Women are mostly neglected when the history of early photography is discussed although they played an important role. Today, famous women photographers are getting the acclaim they deserve.
Very little is written about famous women photographers in the early histories of photography. It was hard work and involved smelly chemicals and was not thought suited for females. Despite this there were actually many women pioneers in the early days of photography. They just rarely received credit for the work that they did. Many of them were assistants to their husbands or relatives. While history acclaimed the male photographer, the female was mostly forgotten.
A very good study of this early time can be found in “A History of Women Photographers” by Naomi Rosenblum. The book is published by the Abbeville Press (ISBN 1-55859-761-1). It tells the story of these long forgotten women photography pioneers in much detail. An example of the attitude of the society toward their work is the case of one lady who was a partner with her husband for many years, and after his death continued to run his photography studio until her death many years later. Her death certificate listed her as a “61 year old women with no profession.”
Near the beginning of the 20th century and onwards, women made steady progress in the field of photography. It was not really a case of them being more involved, but rather a case of them finally getting recognized for their contributions. It was a changing time and the idea of women as craftsman and artists was becoming more and more accepted. By mid century, as the world began to recover from World War II and the new technological age began, women had achieved equal status in photography as in most other fields.
Today, there are many famous women photographers. One example is Anne Geddes. This woman was born in Queensland, Australia. She picked up a camera for the first time in her mid 20’s and taught her self how to take and develop pictures. She developed a style that was marked by simple structure and very strong and immediate visual impact. Her books of photographs have sold over 18 million copies and have been translated into 23 languages.
Women have been involved in photography since its early beginnings. They did not receive much recognition for their contributions at first. Yet, this did not stop them. It was the love of photography and their vision of its potential that drove them to pursue it and not the idea of fame. Today, the famous women photographers of our time have taken their rightful place.