I've never heard of this courageous and bold woman photographer either. Thank you for sharing her story, and your writing and research are excellent. I recently discovered your Substack and I'm loving it. You have put into words everything I have gone through/am going through/desire to get to. Thank you for being an inspirational and courageous woman as well.
Thank you for introducing us to this incredible artist. Her work is moving and exquisite. I know on a very low level what it is like to see one's photographs "appear" in the chemicals. What a marvel that is.
I love it that you love so much about her work and life.
I love it that you are such a fine photographer yourself (but somehow seem not to allow that).
I love it that each of us has an opportunity to follow a bliss (no matter what age). Confidence and satisfaction follow. We can reach heights unimaginable by taking first steps.
I love your responses to my letters, Miki! This is lovely. (I suppose I don’t acknowledge that I’m a god photographer because it takes so little skill these days with our smartphones. I’m in awe of what Cameron had to do to make just one image.)
I love this and sheepishly hadn't known about her connection to Woolf--such a beautiful thing to see a woman arrive at an art moderately later in life, and then go on to be so admired for her work and mastery. And that supportive marriages in art can exist. ;) Also--I LOVE Tove Jansson and cannot wait to read what you thought!
Yes, incredibly! I love stories about late bloomers, particularly women who find their artistic calling after the hard work of childrearing diminishes and space opens up in their lives.
Of the things Anne loves about Cameron I'd add one of mine: that she was a professional photographer from the start (when there hardly was such a thing yet), not an "amateur," as she was called for a long time. When I published a biography of Cameron that was still a dominant view, mostly because of her gender and class.
I also admire Cameron's efforts at illustrating literature with photographs, which didn't really take off in publishing. See her images for Tennyson's Idylls of the King, which are genuinely poetic in some way but were less well received.
I haven't seen this Jeu de Paume exhibit yet but am looking forward to it!
Thank you, Victoria, for sharing what you love about Camerson, and your biography! It looks like a wonderful book. And your new project sounds fascinating as well!
Love Julia Margaret Cameron! That photograph of Florence could be Alice Liddell, couldn't it? Her work is so similar to Lewis Carroll's (without the slightly creepy factor).
The signage identifies the girl as her great-niece Florence Fisher. The photograph of Alice Lidell that Victoria links to below was also in the exhibition. Such an interesting connection!
Just for the record, I meant "Florence looks so much like Alice that she could be mistaken for her..." and not "I think that's Alice Liddell!" Sometimes I'm not as articulate as I would like to be!
(I think JMC was punning on Florence’s name in posing her against the floral backdrop. It could have been cliche, but in the other photo she makes Liddell look defiant.)
I love learning about this woman!
I've never heard of this courageous and bold woman photographer either. Thank you for sharing her story, and your writing and research are excellent. I recently discovered your Substack and I'm loving it. You have put into words everything I have gone through/am going through/desire to get to. Thank you for being an inspirational and courageous woman as well.
I never heard about this inspiring woman photographer. Thank you for sharing this amazing story.
I’m inspired to read the book....ordering it from my library
Wonderful! Let me know what you think of it.
Thank you for introducing us to this incredible artist. Her work is moving and exquisite. I know on a very low level what it is like to see one's photographs "appear" in the chemicals. What a marvel that is.
I love it that you love so much about her work and life.
I love it that you are such a fine photographer yourself (but somehow seem not to allow that).
I love it that each of us has an opportunity to follow a bliss (no matter what age). Confidence and satisfaction follow. We can reach heights unimaginable by taking first steps.
Go; do likewise.
I love your responses to my letters, Miki! This is lovely. (I suppose I don’t acknowledge that I’m a god photographer because it takes so little skill these days with our smartphones. I’m in awe of what Cameron had to do to make just one image.)
I love this and sheepishly hadn't known about her connection to Woolf--such a beautiful thing to see a woman arrive at an art moderately later in life, and then go on to be so admired for her work and mastery. And that supportive marriages in art can exist. ;) Also--I LOVE Tove Jansson and cannot wait to read what you thought!
I love that you love all of those things! Cameron really is remarkable. So glad you enjoyed the letter.
Cameron sounds like she was a fascinating woman. I love that she didn't start photography until she was 48. How inspiring!
Yes, incredibly! I love stories about late bloomers, particularly women who find their artistic calling after the hard work of childrearing diminishes and space opens up in their lives.
Of the things Anne loves about Cameron I'd add one of mine: that she was a professional photographer from the start (when there hardly was such a thing yet), not an "amateur," as she was called for a long time. When I published a biography of Cameron that was still a dominant view, mostly because of her gender and class.
I also admire Cameron's efforts at illustrating literature with photographs, which didn't really take off in publishing. See her images for Tennyson's Idylls of the King, which are genuinely poetic in some way but were less well received.
I haven't seen this Jeu de Paume exhibit yet but am looking forward to it!
Links:
JMC's Idylls of the King: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/269582
From Life, my biography of Cameron: https://www.victoriaolsen.com/
Thank you, Victoria, for sharing what you love about Camerson, and your biography! It looks like a wonderful book. And your new project sounds fascinating as well!
Thank you so much for going there for US. The photographs are quite moving. And I love hearing about Cameron’s belief in her own vision.
Yes, so inspiring!
Love Julia Margaret Cameron! That photograph of Florence could be Alice Liddell, couldn't it? Her work is so similar to Lewis Carroll's (without the slightly creepy factor).
The signage identifies the girl as her great-niece Florence Fisher. The photograph of Alice Lidell that Victoria links to below was also in the exhibition. Such an interesting connection!
Just for the record, I meant "Florence looks so much like Alice that she could be mistaken for her..." and not "I think that's Alice Liddell!" Sometimes I'm not as articulate as I would like to be!
Ah yes, that makes sense too! No worries.
You have a good eye! JMC did photograph Liddell as a young adult and the image is very similar to this one of Florence-- see here:
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/270819
(I think JMC was punning on Florence’s name in posing her against the floral backdrop. It could have been cliche, but in the other photo she makes Liddell look defiant.)