I have never heard of Sarah Anne Bright — So thank you, Susanne for showing me something new! I think about this all the time: How many of my own posts tend to focus on male imagemakers. Thanks for the reminder to be intentional about the people and pictures we publish. I hope you're well!
This was forwarded to me by Andy Adams, Susanne. I publish Shadow & Light Magazine, and I recently did a self-survey of male/female photographers I have covered in its 10-years of publication. And the winner is... women, by a large margin. Which got me to thinking... and I am still thinking about it. I do have some ideas, but I will need to percolate them for a while longer. Thanks for your post!
The question of gender in art-making, here, photography, isn’t so much about numbers as perspectives.
It is certainly the case that women faced more challenges in the 19th century in finding either approbation, resources, or time in experimenting with the new forms of photography despite what interest they may have had. Certainly, men like Daguerre, Matthew Gardner, Timothy O’Sullivan, and Henry Fox Talbot could both fund studios and travel about in socially accepted ways in a manner not so clearly open to women tied to children and domestic responsibilities.
That said, women of the 19th and early 20th centuries did stand out and make remarkable images. Julia Margaret Cameron, Gertrude Kasebier, Laura Gilpin, and Berenice Abbott, all were prominent photographers. Women photographers in the mid-to-late 20th and 21st centuries have made great contributions to the field. Margaret Bourke White, Dorothea Lange, Imogen Cunningham, Mary Ellen Mark, Sally Mann, and so many more have created wonderful images.
But what sets these names apart is merely the images they made of their worlds from their perspectives. You can liken some of Frederick Sommer’s images to those of Olivia Parker’s. You can compare some of Berenice Abbott’s images to Paul Strand’s. You can look at Laura Gilpin’s images alongside those of Ansel Adams. There are differences worth noticing that enhance our appreciation of our world.
Look at Kasebier’s image entitled “Miss N” portrait of Evelyn Nesbit (1903). It is a beautiful image without regard to anything else, but wonder if a male could have made that image, especially in 1903. Consider Sally Mann’s portraits of her children in “Immediate Family” and wonder how she captures such innocence and self-possession in the naked bodies and private moments of her children. Her perspective lies within the nexus of being an artist, a mother, and a woman.
Self-portraiture has long been an artist’s prerogative, but consider how men and women artists have differed in such work. Men have often focused on the face, the torso, usually clothed. Women, especially in photography, have focused on the nude body, often with facial obstructions, sometimes with hands or objects such as plants or simply blur or positioning the face just out-of-frame. Lucas Samaras did some self-portraits in a similar manner, but these seemed intellectual foremost and less an emotional exploration of the self. Cindy Sherman takes make-up to extremes.
My point is only that it is what women have brought to photographic images in revealing their personal perspective on our world that makes women photographers worth exploring as “women photographers.” And I think there is tremendous value in seeing how women have viewed the world differently from their male counterparts, although it is complementarity that matters rather than difference because complementarity extends our sense of the world.
I also always believe images must stand on their own without concern for the particulars of the artist, even if it is the particulars which inform the image.
Good luck in your query. Enjoy the fact that women made (make) incredible images but also consider how they saw (see) the world and what it means that they’ve shared their view.
Wonderful story, love what you're doing Susanne, please keep at it.
The Victorian era of photography is filled with female photographers. There's a book featuring lots of them, let me see if I can find it and I'll share the details.
I just ordered Passing Time by Sage Sohier- an exemplary B&W photographer! If I could take a photo as good as the lead image on her website, I could retire my camera and rest happy, knowing I had accomplished something worthwhile...
I do have more books by _different_ male photographers around the house, although I'm afraid to count how many Annie Leibovitz books I own!!! I thought I'd mention my most recent book purchase, however, introduced to us by Tomasz, by Ms. Nina Papiorek. I LOVE this book. I also bought a couple of prints to go with it. International shipping costs, but worth it. Link to book is on the top right of her website, once you get there.
This is great Susanne - a really interesting read. I had never heard of Sarah Anne Bright so it is lovely that you have chosen to write about her.
There is not enough recognition of female photographers which is such a shame as there are some really talented ladies out there with so much to offer.
I am really looking forward to the rest of this series.
This is great. I’m sharing with not only my granddaughter but my nieces and their daughters. Some of whom love photography. So important to bring her forward to receive what recognition is due her. Thank you for this.
Thank you for writing about this topic. I have been meaning to comment. First of all, Al is so right.
I get so frustrated with the male dominance in photography and the under representation of women. Or if women get represented, it is often a stereotypical representation. I think it is awesome that the first known photograph was created by a woman. I will look up Sarah Anne Bright. He
On Instagram the majority of featured photographers are male. Though there are some women who are featured, but that is so rare that my expectation on some of the platforms is another image from a guy. Thank you for talking about this Susanne. It is such an important topic...equal representation of the many talented photographers out there.
I've been trying to learn more about female photographers of the past, so I'm excited to read more. Loved this post, Susanne. What an interesting story (and video) about Sarah Anne Bright. Thank you!
This edition truly resonates with me... As a female photographer, I can assure you that male photographers are overrepresented. If I look at my bookshelves, the same observation is evident.
I have never heard of Sarah Anne Bright — So thank you, Susanne for showing me something new! I think about this all the time: How many of my own posts tend to focus on male imagemakers. Thanks for the reminder to be intentional about the people and pictures we publish. I hope you're well!
This was forwarded to me by Andy Adams, Susanne. I publish Shadow & Light Magazine, and I recently did a self-survey of male/female photographers I have covered in its 10-years of publication. And the winner is... women, by a large margin. Which got me to thinking... and I am still thinking about it. I do have some ideas, but I will need to percolate them for a while longer. Thanks for your post!
The question of gender in art-making, here, photography, isn’t so much about numbers as perspectives.
It is certainly the case that women faced more challenges in the 19th century in finding either approbation, resources, or time in experimenting with the new forms of photography despite what interest they may have had. Certainly, men like Daguerre, Matthew Gardner, Timothy O’Sullivan, and Henry Fox Talbot could both fund studios and travel about in socially accepted ways in a manner not so clearly open to women tied to children and domestic responsibilities.
That said, women of the 19th and early 20th centuries did stand out and make remarkable images. Julia Margaret Cameron, Gertrude Kasebier, Laura Gilpin, and Berenice Abbott, all were prominent photographers. Women photographers in the mid-to-late 20th and 21st centuries have made great contributions to the field. Margaret Bourke White, Dorothea Lange, Imogen Cunningham, Mary Ellen Mark, Sally Mann, and so many more have created wonderful images.
But what sets these names apart is merely the images they made of their worlds from their perspectives. You can liken some of Frederick Sommer’s images to those of Olivia Parker’s. You can compare some of Berenice Abbott’s images to Paul Strand’s. You can look at Laura Gilpin’s images alongside those of Ansel Adams. There are differences worth noticing that enhance our appreciation of our world.
Look at Kasebier’s image entitled “Miss N” portrait of Evelyn Nesbit (1903). It is a beautiful image without regard to anything else, but wonder if a male could have made that image, especially in 1903. Consider Sally Mann’s portraits of her children in “Immediate Family” and wonder how she captures such innocence and self-possession in the naked bodies and private moments of her children. Her perspective lies within the nexus of being an artist, a mother, and a woman.
Self-portraiture has long been an artist’s prerogative, but consider how men and women artists have differed in such work. Men have often focused on the face, the torso, usually clothed. Women, especially in photography, have focused on the nude body, often with facial obstructions, sometimes with hands or objects such as plants or simply blur or positioning the face just out-of-frame. Lucas Samaras did some self-portraits in a similar manner, but these seemed intellectual foremost and less an emotional exploration of the self. Cindy Sherman takes make-up to extremes.
My point is only that it is what women have brought to photographic images in revealing their personal perspective on our world that makes women photographers worth exploring as “women photographers.” And I think there is tremendous value in seeing how women have viewed the world differently from their male counterparts, although it is complementarity that matters rather than difference because complementarity extends our sense of the world.
I also always believe images must stand on their own without concern for the particulars of the artist, even if it is the particulars which inform the image.
Good luck in your query. Enjoy the fact that women made (make) incredible images but also consider how they saw (see) the world and what it means that they’ve shared their view.
Thank you for sharing this story! I'm excited to see this series continue.
Wonderful story, love what you're doing Susanne, please keep at it.
The Victorian era of photography is filled with female photographers. There's a book featuring lots of them, let me see if I can find it and I'll share the details.
Thank you for a wonderful post! The video link as well. Appreciate your words. Yes, found you as I am a female artist.😊
I just ordered Passing Time by Sage Sohier- an exemplary B&W photographer! If I could take a photo as good as the lead image on her website, I could retire my camera and rest happy, knowing I had accomplished something worthwhile...
https://sagesohier.com/8qliwilxt8o7eskhs8h6285hsz9c1k
Thanks for this focus on female photographers. I look forward to reading and seeing more.
Great post, Susanne. There are so many amazing female photographers and they often don’t get the credit they deserve. Thank you for sharing this.
I do have more books by _different_ male photographers around the house, although I'm afraid to count how many Annie Leibovitz books I own!!! I thought I'd mention my most recent book purchase, however, introduced to us by Tomasz, by Ms. Nina Papiorek. I LOVE this book. I also bought a couple of prints to go with it. International shipping costs, but worth it. Link to book is on the top right of her website, once you get there.
https://www.photosnack.email/p/nina-papiorek?r=2ias38&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
This is great Susanne - a really interesting read. I had never heard of Sarah Anne Bright so it is lovely that you have chosen to write about her.
There is not enough recognition of female photographers which is such a shame as there are some really talented ladies out there with so much to offer.
I am really looking forward to the rest of this series.
This is great. I’m sharing with not only my granddaughter but my nieces and their daughters. Some of whom love photography. So important to bring her forward to receive what recognition is due her. Thank you for this.
Thank you for writing about this topic. I have been meaning to comment. First of all, Al is so right.
I get so frustrated with the male dominance in photography and the under representation of women. Or if women get represented, it is often a stereotypical representation. I think it is awesome that the first known photograph was created by a woman. I will look up Sarah Anne Bright. He
On Instagram the majority of featured photographers are male. Though there are some women who are featured, but that is so rare that my expectation on some of the platforms is another image from a guy. Thank you for talking about this Susanne. It is such an important topic...equal representation of the many talented photographers out there.
I've been trying to learn more about female photographers of the past, so I'm excited to read more. Loved this post, Susanne. What an interesting story (and video) about Sarah Anne Bright. Thank you!
This edition truly resonates with me... As a female photographer, I can assure you that male photographers are overrepresented. If I look at my bookshelves, the same observation is evident.
Let's change that! ;)