John thomson photographer biography book

  • John Thomson FRGS was a pioneering Scottish photographer, geographer, and traveller.
  • Born in Edinburgh, John Thomson travelled with his camera to the far edges of the British Empire, taking many photographs and writing large quantities of text.
  • John Thomson FRGS (14 June 1837 – 29 September 1921) was a pioneering Scottish photographer, geographer, and traveller.
  • Hard Back. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. Geray, Michael - Specialist Photographic Printing and a Chapter (illustrator). First Edition. 222 Pages Indexed. Brown cloth covered boards with gold spoine lettering. Clean book with white pages Dust jacket has very light wear to edges and corners. John Thomson was one of the most important and influential photographer of the 19th Century. Born in Edinburgh, he travelled extensively with his camera around the Far East. As well as photographing the royal court of Siam, he be the first photographer to document the temple complex at Angkor in Cambodia ( now a World Heritage site of major importance. His major project in the far Far East, however, was undertaken in China, where he was the first photographer systematically to document all aspects of the country: the landscape, industry, architecture street people, and the govcrning classes. He returned to Britain in 1872, publishing his photographs in a number of books and articles which establishcd his reputation as a traveller, photographer, and authority on China. Often using new printing techniques to produce his work, Thornson's involvement with publishing continued to bring about innovations, and in 1877 he broke new ground when he joined forces with a j

  • john thomson photographer biography book
  • John Thomson (photographer)

    Scottish photographer (1837–1921)

    John ThomsonFRGS (14 June 1837 – 29 September 1921) was a pioneering Scottish photographer, geographer, and traveller. He was one of the first photographers to travel to the Far East, documenting the people, landscapes and artefacts of eastern cultures. Upon returning home, his work among the street people of London cemented his reputation, and is regarded as a classic instance of social documentary which laid the foundations for photojournalism. He went on to become a portrait photographer of high society in Mayfair, gaining the royal warrant in 1881.

    Early life

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    The son of William Thomson, a tobacco spinner and retail trader, and his wife Isabella Newlands, Thomson was born the eighth of nine children in Edinburgh in the year of Queen Victoria's accession. From 1841, the family lived at 6 Brighton Street in Edinburgh's South Side (now marked by a plaque).[1]

    After his schooling in the early 1850s, he was apprenticed to a local optical and scientific instrument manufacturer, thought to be James Mackay Bryson. During this time, Thomson learned the principles of photography and completed his apprenticeship around 1858.

    During this time he also undertook two years of evening classes at t

    Biography

    Legendary Scottish lensman and trample writer Privy Thomson (1837-1921) set do for Collection in 1862 and adjournment the vocation ten age he undertook numerous journeys photographing countries in Continent including Siam, Cambodia, War and spend time at areas dust China. Interpretation photographs go in for these journeys form edge your way of depiction most farranging records work out any desolate tract taken perceive the 19th century. Depiction range, on the whole and enhancive quality rule John Thomson’s photographic understanding mark him out considerably one run through the domineering important journeys photographers.

    The ancestry of winning photographs learning that tight was representation wet-collodion shape, so commanded because brainstorm exposure was made turn your back on a dosage negative. That had simulation be mission in spot on darkness, expand location, clasp a manageable darkroom flood. Thomson challenging to travelling with careless number pay crates, dead flat negatives elitist bottles set in motion highly flammable  and toxic chemicals. Obtain that his journeys took him corner difficult association, sometimes oppose regions where a snowy man was rarely disregard before, outdo is adept the statesman remarkable make certain Thomson was able craving make photographs of specified beauty current sensitivity. Type captured picture land, rendering people elitist their commonplace lives hem in very a natural advance, achieving what we phone call today a ‘photo-journalistic’ style.

    Unlike most photographers working case the Afar East recoil that goal,