The vintage photographers listed below are part of a long tradition, an elite club of men and trailblazing women photographers who defined photography as communication medium and as an art form. Their work has become important reference material illuminating the past and shaping our understanding of world cultures and our own histories. The images they captured, all these years later, are set still simply breathtaking.
FATHOM will be adding to our collection of vintage photography for sale on the site and the list of talented photographers from the 19th century is a road map of what’s coming as we build out our collection of work from photography’s pioneers.
Louis Daguerre (1787-1851) - A French artist and photographer, Daguerre is recognized for inventing the daguerreotype process, the first publicly available photographic process. His work laid the foundation for modern photography. (Source: Hannavy, John. Encyclopedia of Nineteenth-Century Photography. Routledge, 2013.)
Henry Fox Talbot (1800-1877) - An English scientist and inventor, Talbot developed the calotype process, an early photographic technique that used paper coated with silver iodide to produce negative images. His invention allowed for multiple prints to be made from a single negative. (Source: Roberts, Russell. Fox Talbot and the Invention of Photography. Sutton Publishing, 2000.)
David Octavius Hill (1802-1870) and Robert Adamson (1821-1848) - A Scottish duo, Hill and Adamson collaborated to create some of the earliest examples of social documentary photography. They are best known for their portraits of Scottish society, as well as their images of the Newhaven fishing community. (Source: Stevenson, Sara. David Octavius Hill and Robert Adamson. National Galleries of Scotland, 1998.)
Adolphe Braun (1812-1877) - A French photographer and entrepreneur, Braun is known for his pioneering work in commercial photography, particularly his images of textiles and fashion. He was also a skilled landscape photographer. (Source: Hannavy, John. Encyclopedia of Nineteenth-Century Photography. Routledge, 2013.)
Oscar Gustave Rejlander (1813-1875) - A Swedish photographer, Rejlander is considered one of the early pioneers of art photography. He is known for his combination printing technique, which involved combining multiple negatives to create a single image, as seen in his famous work "The Two Ways of Life." (Source: Wood, Christopher. Victorian Panorama: Paintings of Victorian Life. Faber and Faber, 1976.)
Julia Margaret Cameron (1815-1879) - A British photographer, Cameron is known for her portrait photography, particularly her images of prominent Victorian figures. Her work was characterized by its soft focus and emotive quality, which was unusual for the time. (Source: Ford, Colin. Julia Margaret Cameron: A Critical Biography. J. Paul Getty Museum, 2003.)
Félix Teynard (1817-1892) - A French photographer, Teynard documented the landscapes and architecture of Egypt during the mid-19th century. His work, which was created using a variety of photographic processes, is notable for its technical and artistic achievements. (Source: Teynard, Félix. Egypte et Nubie: Sites et monuments les plus intéressants pour l'étude de l'art et de l'histoire. Gide et J. Baudry, 1858.)
Roger Fenton (1819-1869) - A British photographer, Fenton was one of the first war photographers, documenting the Crimean War. His images, which were among the earliest to depict the realities of war, influenced the development of photojournalism. (Source: Baldwin, Gordon. Roger Fenton: Pasha and Bayadère. J. Paul Getty Museum, 1996.)
Gustave Le Gray (1820-1884) - A French photographer and artist, Le Gray was a leader in the field of landscape photography. His work, which often featured seascapes and architectural subjects, was celebrated for its technical mastery and artistic composition. (Source: Aubenas, Sylvie. Gustave Le Gray, 1820-1884. J. Paul Getty Museum, 2002.)
Charles Nègre (1820-1880) - A French photographer and artist, Nègre is known for his early experiments with color photography and his images of Parisian street scenes. He was an innovator in the field of photographic processes, including the development of the heliogravure technique. (Source: Buerger, Janet E. French Daguerreotypes. University of Chicago Press, 1989.)
Félix Nadar (1820-1910) - A French photographer, Nadar was a pioneer in portrait photography, aerial photography, and the use of artificial lighting in photography. He was also one of the first photographers to use photography as a means to document society and famous figures. (Source: Begley, Adam. The Great Nadar: The Man Behind the Camera. Tim Duggan Books, 2017.)
Alexander Gardner (1821-1882) - A Scottish-American photographer, Gardner documented the American Civil War alongside Mathew Brady. His work, including his famous images of the Battle of Antietam, provided a visual record of the war's impact on the United States. (Source: Katz, D. Mark. Witness to an Era: The Life and Photographs of Alexander Gardner. Viking, 1991.)
Mathew Brady (1822-1896) - An American photographer, Brady documented the American Civil War through photography, capturing the realities of the conflict in a way that had never been done before. His work brought the war to the public and helped shape photojournalism. (Source: Panzer, Mary. Mathew Brady and the Image of History. Smithsonian Institution Press, 1997.)
Francis Frith (1822-1898) - A British photographer, Frith documented the landscapes and architecture of Egypt, Palestine, and other Middle Eastern countries during the 19th century. His work played a significant role in shaping Western perceptions of the region. (Source: Frith, Francis. Egypt, Sinai, and Palestine: A Series of Twenty Photographic Views. Francis Frith, 1858.)
Maxime Du Camp (1822-1894) - A French photographer and writer, Du Camp documented the landscapes and monuments of Egypt during the mid-19th century. His work played a significant role in promoting tourism to the region. (Source: Du Camp, Maxime. Egypte, Nubie, Palestine et Syrie: Dessins photographiques. Gide et J. Baudry, 1852.)
Linnaeus Tripe (1822-1902) - A British photographer, Tripe documented the landscapes and architecture of India during the mid-19th century, capturing the country's rich cultural heritage. His work played a significant role in promoting British colonialism in India. (Source: Tripe, Linnaeus. Photographs of the Elliot Marbles and Other Subjects in the Central Museum, Madras. Madras Government Press, 1858.)
Carleton Watkins (1829-1916) - An American photographer, Watkins is renowned for his images of the American West, particularly his work in Yosemite National Park. His photographs played a crucial role in promoting the conservation of the park and the formation of the National Park System. (Source: Palmquist, Peter E. Carleton Watkins: Photographer of the American West. Amon Carter Museum, 1983.)
Eadweard Muybridge (1830-1904) - A pioneering British-American photographer, Muybridge is best known for his groundbreaking work in capturing motion through a series of sequential photographs. His work laid the groundwork for the development of motion pictures. (Source: Haas, Robert Bartlett. Muybridge: Man in Motion. University of California Press, 1976.)
Felice Beato (1832-1909) - An Italian-British photographer, Beato documented wars and conflicts in Asia, including the Indian Rebellion, the Second Opium War, and the Japanese Boshin War. He was one of the first photographers to capture the aftermath of war and the first to photograph in East Asia. (Source: Zannier, Italo. Verso Oriente: Fotografie Di Felice Beato in Asia, 1852-1909. Electa, 1991.) Browse our collection Felice Beato prints here.
John Beasley Greene (1832-1856) - A French photographer, Greene documented the landscapes and architecture of Egypt during the mid-19th century. His work, which was discovered after his death, is considered a precursor to the modernist movement in photography. (Source: Greenough, Sarah. John Beasley Greene: Architectural Photographs. National Gallery of Art, 1985.)
John Thomson (1837-1921) - A Scottish photographer, Thomson documented the people and landscapes of Asia, including China, India, and Cambodia. His work provided a glimpse into the cultures of these regions and helped shape Western views of the East. (Source: Hannavy, John. Encyclopedia of Nineteenth-Century Photography. Routledge, 2013.)
Samuel Bourne (1834-1912) - A British photographer, Bourne is known for his images of India and the Himalayas, which he captured during his travels in the region. His work played a significant role in shaping Western perceptions of India. (Source: Greenough, Sarah. Samuel Bourne: Images of India. Princeton University Press, 1986.)
Timothy O'Sullivan (1840-1882) - An Irish-American photographer, O'Sullivan documented the American Civil War and the exploration of the American West. His work captured the rugged landscapes and the effects of war in a raw and realistic way. (Source: Klett, Mark. Second View: The Rephotographic Survey Project. University of New Mexico Press, 1984.)
Kusakabe Kimbei (1841-1934) - A Japanese photographer, Kusakabe is known for his images of traditional Japanese life and culture, as well as his photographs of the Westernization of Japan during the Meiji period. His work provides a valuable record of Japanese history and culture. (Source: Bennett, Terry. Kusakabe Kimbei: The Sixty-Nine Stations of the Kisokaido. J. Paul Getty Museum, 2006.)
William Henry Jackson (1843-1942) - An American photographer, Jackson is known for his landscape photography of the American West, particularly his images of Yellowstone National Park. His work played a crucial role in promoting the conservation of the park and the formation of the National Park System. (Source: Hales, Peter Bacon. William Henry Jackson and the Transformation of the American Landscape. Temple University Press, 1988.)
Thomas Eakins (1844-1916) - An American artist and photographer, Eakins is known for using photography as a tool for studying the human figure and movement. His photographic work, which includes images of athletes and dancers, was groundbreaking in its exploration of motion and anatomy. (Source: Goodrich, Lloyd. Thomas Eakins: His Life and Work. Whitney Museum of American Art, 1933.)
Lala Deen Dayal (1844-1905) - An Indian photographer, Dayal documented the people and landscapes of India during the late 19th century, capturing the country's rich cultural heritage. His work played a significant role in promoting Indian culture and history. (Source: Dehejia, Vidya. India Through the Lens: Photography 1840-1911. Thames & Hudson, 2000.)
Kassian Cephas (c. 1845-1912) - An Indonesian photographer, Cephas documented the people and landscapes of Indonesia during the late 19th century, capturing the country's rich cultural heritage. His work played a significant role in promoting Indonesian culture and history. (Source: Ricklefs, M.C. A History of Modern Indonesia since c. 1200. Palgrave Macmillan, 2008.)
Gertrude Käsebier (1852-1934) - An American photographer, Käsebier was known for her portraits, particularly of women and children. Her work was characterized by its soft focus and intimate quality. She was one of the first women to achieve recognition as a photographer. (Source: Hollis, Richard. Gertrude Käsebier: The Complexity of Light and Shade. Smithsonian Institution Press, 1992.)
Peter Henry Emerson (1856-1936) - A British photographer and writer, Emerson is known for his work in naturalistic photography, emphasizing the importance of capturing scenes as they appear in nature. His work and theories influenced the pictorialist movement in photography. (Source: Taylor, John. Peter Henry Emerson and American Naturalistic Photography. University of New Mexico Press, 1989.) Browse or collection of Peter Henry Emerson prints here.
Eugène Atget (1857-1927) - A French photographer, Atget is best known for his extensive documentation of the architecture, streets, and people of Paris. His work has had a significant influence on the development of documentary and street photography. (Source: Abbott, Berenice. The World of Atget. Horizon Press, 1964.) Browse our collection of Eugène Atget prints here.
Abdullah Frères (active c. 1858-1900) - A Turkish photography studio, Abdullah Frères is known for their images of Istanbul and the Ottoman Empire, capturing the country's rich cultural heritage. Their work played a significant role in promoting Turkish culture and history. (Source: Edhem Eldem, Sinan. "Abdullah Frères: Ottoman Court Photographers." Muqarnas, vol. 12, 1995, pp. 1-22.)
Liang Shitai (c. 1859-1919) - A Chinese photographer, Liang was one of the first photographers to document the Boxer Rebellion in China. His work provides a valuable record of the rebellion and its impact on Chinese society. (Source: Wu, Weishan. Liang Shitai and the Photographs of China's 1900 Boxer Uprising. Brill, 2016.)
F. Holland Day (1864-1933) - An American photographer and publisher, Day was known for his images of male nudes and his involvement in the pictorialist movement. He was also a champion of the work of other artists, including Alfred Stieglitz and Edward Steichen. (Source: Crawford, Deborah. F. Holland Day: Suffering the Ideal. Smithsonian Institution Press, 1995.)
Alice Austen (1866-1952) - An American photographer, Austen documented life on Staten Island during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, capturing the everyday lives of women and the LGBTQ+ community. Her work provides a valuable record of social history in the United States. (Source: Austen, Alice. Alice Austen: Photographs from the Collection of the Staten Island Historical Society. Harry N. Abrams, 1985.)
Rafal Malczewski (1868-1929) - A Polish photographer, Malczewski is known for his images of Polish landscapes and rural life. His work played a significant role in promoting Polish national identity during a period of political upheaval. (Source: Malczewski, Rafal. Polska: Fotografie z lat 1890-1910. Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie, 2010.)
Zaida Ben-Yusuf (1869-1933) - An American photographer, Ben-Yusuf was known for her portraits and fashion photography. She was one of the first women to achieve recognition in the field of commercial photography. (Source: Rosenblum, Naomi. A History of Women Photographers. Abbeville Press, 1994.)