Today is International Women’s Day, so I thought it would be a good idea to show you a few female photographers who inspire me.
Historically, women have been underrepresented in this industry. It only takes a quick google search to see the facts and figures. I think it’s important to give a platform to some amazing female photographers so that their work can get the recognition it deserves.
Here are a few of my favourites.
Anna Atkins
Anna was an English botanist and photographer.
Her interest with photography began as a means of recording botanical specimens.
The photographs were taken for a scientific reference book called; British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions.
Part one of this book was printed and published in 1843 and in doing so it established photography as an accurate medium for scientific illustration.
She is considered to be the first ever female photographer and the first person to publish a book illustrated with photographic images.
Dictyota dichotoma, in the young state and in fruit. British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions. 1849–1850.
Francesca Woodman
Francesca was an American photographer known for her black and white abstract self-portraits.
Her photographs explored the human body and pushed the definition of a self-portrait with the help of a slow shutter speed.
After a failed relationship and an absence of outside interest for her photography, Woodman fell into a deep depression which ultimately led to her suicide in 1981.
Some say this emotion was reflected in her work, others say this narrative was placed on the images after her death.
Nevertheless, her photographs are beautiful and intriguing and they can still be seen displayed in exhibitions.
Polka dots. 1975
Fay Godwin
Fay Godwin was a British photographer best known for her black and white, landscape images.
Her love of walking led her to take up landscape photography although she had no previous formal training.
Her photographs usually explore the British countryside and coast and she often used her images to draw attention to environmental issues.
Leaping Lurcher. 1972
Gerda Taro
Gerda was a German born photographer.
Gerda moved to Paris after the National Socialists established control in Germany.
This is where she met her lover Robert Capa. Capa was a photographer so he was able to teach Gerda the techniques of photography.
She then became an independent photojournalist after covering the events of the Spanish Civil war in 1936.
Unfortunately, she died in 1937 during The Battle of Brunete as a result of an out of control tank.
Although her photographic career lasted less than a year, her work left a mark on the history of war photography.
Republican militia women training on the beach. Outside Barcelona. August 1936
If you have any other favourite female photographers I’d love to hear them in the comments below!
~Sasha Stretton
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