Information and discussion on all aspects of British photographic history

Michael Pritchard's Blog (1,825)

Harry Hammond 1920-2009

Harry Hammond, described as the first great photographer of British rock'n'roll has died aged 88. Hammond chronicled the first decade of that music up to and including the Beatles and the Rolling Stones and photographed every major American star who visited Britain.

A number of exhibitions of his work, including one at the Victoria and Albert Museum, were held from the 1980s. The V&A also acquired his archive.

A full obituary is… Continue

Added by Michael Pritchard on March 14, 2009 at 6:02 — No Comments

NMeM Job: Senior Development Executive

The National Media Museum, Bradford, and National Railway Museum, York, - both part of the National Museum of Science and Industry - are recruiting a Senior Development Executive - Trusts & Public Bodies at a salary of £28,000pa and located in Bardford.

The role is described: A number of exciting capital projects are currently underway at both museums and your role will be to identify and apply to appropriate grant giving bodies to help us reach our aim.

You will help… Continue

Added by Michael Pritchard on March 11, 2009 at 21:12 — No Comments

Photographic history course brochure

De Montfort University, Leicester, has launched the course brochure for it's new full-time MA course titled Photographic History and Practice which starts in October 2009. The university is currently recruiting students for what is the only course of it's type within Europe or the United States. A scholarship is available to fund, in part, one place. Full details are due to be announced shortly and will be posted here.

DMU has been active over recent years in making… Continue

Added by Michael Pritchard on March 11, 2009 at 8:00 — No Comments

Scott Polar Research images online

The collections held by the Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge, are among the richest in the world for the study of polar environments. Work began in April 2007 on the Freeze Frame project to capture and preserve its archive of historical images in digital form. This launched on 4 March 2009 and includes some of the most iconic polar images by Herbert Ponting, through to daguerreotypes and modern prints and slides.… Continue

Added by Michael Pritchard on March 11, 2009 at 8:00 — No Comments

EXCLUSIVE: Kodak donates archive to libraries

In a generous move Kodak has donated its British company archives to the British Library and its research department's library to De Montfort University in Leicester. The donations safeguard the material in perpetuity as the company continues its worldwide reorganisation. The material comes from the company's British corporate headquarters and the company's… Continue

Added by Michael Pritchard on March 3, 2009 at 8:30 — 2 Comments

NMeM praises Flickr Collaboration

The National Media Museum has praised its collaboration with Flickr, the online photograph sharing website...Joanna Drag reported in the British Journal of Photography.

The full article is available by clicking here. Part of the article is reproduced below:

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Initially started by the US Library of Congress and Flickr in January 2008, the project aims to give the public easier… Continue

Added by Michael Pritchard on March 2, 2009 at 20:00 — No Comments

Bradford's NMeM increases visitor numbers

The National Media Museum in Bradford has shown an increase of 4 per cent in visitors. The Association of Leading Visitor Attractions survey showed 745,857 people visited the museum in 2008 compared with 2007. The museum, which has had free admission since it first opened in 1983, has seen a gradual increase in visitor numbers over recent years as new galleries have been opened and existing ones refurbished, reversing a previous… Continue

Added by Michael Pritchard on February 27, 2009 at 14:00 — 1 Comment

Olive Edis collection of autochromes at auction

A remarkable collection of autochromes, photographs and diascopes by Mary Olive Edis Balsworth (1876-1955), whose self-portrait is shown right, is being offered at auction on 5 March 2009. All of the items have been at Edis's studio and house in Sheringham since her death under the ownership of Cyril Nunn and, until now, rarely seen. The autochomes include a number of rare Canadian scenes.

Nunn died last year and recently Olive's collection of Sheringham and Norfolk… Continue

Added by Michael Pritchard on February 24, 2009 at 21:30 — No Comments

Companion Guide to Photography in the National Galleries of Scotland (revised edition 2009)

Since the practical invention of photography in the 1840s, Scotland has been at the centre of the history and development of the medium. The Scottish National Portrait Gallery – which houses the Scottish National Photography Collection – and the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, hold outstanding collections of photographic art spanning three centuries. Included are figures such as D.O. Hill and Robert Adamson, Julia Margaret Cameron, Thomas Annan, Alfred Stieglitz, Robert… Continue

Added by Michael Pritchard on February 23, 2009 at 21:00 — No Comments

Fifty British Calotypes

This is the title of a new publication from the long-established photography dealer and collector Robert Hershkowitz. 2008. The book begins with an introducution to Hershkowitz's relationship with British calotype and salt print photography before illustrating full-page fifty photographs. These range from Roger Fenton, Thomas Sutton, Calvert Jones, Linneaus Tripe, Thomas Keith, Clifford and others. The illustrations do the original prints full justice.

The book, text plus fifty… Continue

Added by Michael Pritchard on February 12, 2009 at 20:30 — No Comments

A London Presence?

The location of Bradford for the National Museum of Photgraphy, Film and Television (now the National Media Museum) was always a bit problematic for Britain's London-centric visitors and arts community - notwithstanding the fact that there are almost as many potential visitors within an hour travel time of Bradford as there are to London. Overseas tourists unless they are persistent are reluctant to take a three hour train ride; scholars wishing to access the museum's collections have no… Continue

Added by Michael Pritchard on February 1, 2009 at 8:00 — No Comments

NMeM seeks a Creative Director - Exhibitions

The National Media Museum is seeking a Creative Director - Exhibitions of international calibre to develop and deliver an exciting, enhanced vision for the content of its temporary exhibitions programme, as it delivers on its goal to be the best museum in the world for inspiring people to learn about, engage with and create media. Key to this goal is the ambition to create a showcase gallery in London to raise the profile of the Museum with new audiences in the nation's capital and to… Continue

Added by Michael Pritchard on January 31, 2009 at 12:00 — No Comments

Brought to Light: Photography and the Invisible, 1840-1900

Alison Morrison-Low wrote a review of this book for the Times High Education Supplement which can be found by clicking here

The first part of the review is below. The exhibition on which the book is based will be at the Albertina in Vienna from 20 March and should be worth visiting.

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A lavish catalogue illuminates the secrets of scientific… Continue

Added by Michael Pritchard on January 31, 2009 at 11:00 — No Comments

British camera website

A new website has been launched which provides images and previously unpublished information about British camera manufacturing companies and their products. The site can be accessed here: www.earlyphotography.co.uk

Added by Michael Pritchard on January 31, 2009 at 11:00 — No Comments

NMeM acquire unknown Cameron album

The National Media Museum in Bradford has purchased the historically important and unique photograph album, Miniature Edition of Mrs Cameron's Photographs From the Life, 1869 by the eminent British Victorian photographer Julia Margaret Cameron. This acquisition has been made possible through funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (£10,000) and £5,000 from The Art Fund, the UK’s leading independent art charity. Exclusive details of the content and pictures are given… Continue

Added by Michael Pritchard on January 31, 2009 at 11:00 — No Comments

January / St Andrews Library

There's doesn't seem too be too much happening in the UK now other than the events already posted. One website which is worth taking a look at is http://special.st-andrews.ac.uk/saspecial/ which will take you to the University of St Andrews Photographic Archive. Lots of fascinating material from Sir David Brewster to Valentine and later material, too. Recommended!

Please feel free too add anything to this site that is relevent… Continue

Added by Michael Pritchard on January 24, 2009 at 20:21 — No Comments

English Heritage aerial survey

Although not strictly history of photography, more the photography of history, English Heritage has identified almost 1,000 new archaeological sites along the North East coast, including ship wrecks, wartime defences and remains of medieval salt factories. A team of English Heritage-funded archaeologists examined thousands of aerial photographs of the coastline, stretching from the Scottish border to Whitby, and pieced together the most up-to-date record of the wealth of historical sites… Continue

Added by Michael Pritchard on January 18, 2009 at 12:22 — No Comments

British photographic history in the 1970s

I would draw readers attention to a one day conference on British photographic history in the 1970s being held on 14 March in Birmingham. Speakers include Colin Ford, Jane Fletcher, Paul Hill, Peter James, Carolyn Bloore and others and promises to be a fascinating day. Full details are in the 'Events' section.

Added by Michael Pritchard on January 12, 2009 at 9:28 — No Comments

MA in Photographic History - feedback needed

Professor Stephen Brown is asking for feedback on the proposed title of a new MA photographic history course which launches at De Montfort University in October 2009. He writes..."We want to make sure the title conveys as accurately as possible what the course is about. So would you mind mailing me (sbrown@dmu.ac.uk) with a few words or a sentence summarising what this title means to you please? "MA Photographic

History and Practice".

Full details of the course which is being… Continue

Added by Michael Pritchard on January 12, 2009 at 9:11 — No Comments

The Education of the Eye

The education of the eye. History of the Royal Polytechnic Institution 1838-1881.

Brenda Weeden

Cambridge: Granta Editions, 2008.

The Polytechnic Institution in London plays an important part in the early history of photography being the place where Richard Beard established his daguerreotype portrait studio in 1841. This was Europe's first commercial photographic studio. The Institution was one of a number of commercial enterprises presenting science to… Continue

Added by Michael Pritchard on January 6, 2009 at 9:00 — No Comments