Lunchtime Lecture: The Evolution of Nature Photography through the V&A Collection

Nature – its forms and cycles – has fascinated photographers since the beginning of the medium. The camera as a scientific and artistic instrument revolutionised image-making of the natural world. As a means to capture animals, botanicals, fungi, and other organisms, the camera was and is seen as a powerful ally in naturalism and conservation. Join Mary Phan for a talk which will focus in on the Nature Conservancy Council Collection within the Royal Photographic Society Collection. A collection spanning from the Victorian to the Postwar era in Britain, this talk will introduce and discuss evolving technologies, applications, and visual cultures of nature photography.

Mary Phan is Curatorial Fellow in Photography, supported by The Bern Schwartz Family Foundation, at the V&A.