Julia Margaret Cameron – Exhibition

Julia Margaret Cameron – V&A Exhibition

I first saw Julia Margaret Cameron (1815 – 1879) work at the Dimbola Lodge museum, which use to be her home on the Isle of Wight.The museum and gallery has a permanent collection of Cameron’s’ work, which I remember being unusual and extremely significant, mainly because it broke two of the perception of photography. Firstly a woman, getting recognition as an accomplished photographer in a male dominated field, which is even more remarkable considering it, was the nineteenth century. Cameron secondly questioned the general rules of photography, which even by today’s standards could be frowned upon in some circles.

The Exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum is showing from 28 November 2015 – 21 February 2016. Julia Margaret Cameron was one of the most experimental photographers of the 19th century and the V&A exhibition includes a comprehensive display of her work. As one of the most celebrated women in the history of photography I cannot help but admire her approach, which in some areas was ahead of her time. Cameron had a great knowledge of classical painters and this can be seen by the way she posed her subjects. The exhibition includes a selection of test photographs which for me where the most fascinating as they give you a real insight into Camerons photographic skills as an artist and as a printer. I really like the way she way able to combines images in the darkroom with such flare and eye for detail. One of Cameron’s most consistent approaches to photography was to have her subjects slightly out of focus, a technique that can still have mixed reactions today. Personally I really like her approach of removing any possible self imposed rules that could stifle her creativity.