Historical Heroines

Heroines of the past who were active at some point between the late 18th century and the mid-20th century.

From Alice to Yva, explore the archive of Historical Heroines and learn about the rich lives and careers of pioneering women photographers. As we continue our mission, our online archives will continue grow.

Researched, written and curated by our volunteers. If you would like to contribute to this valuable resource, sign up to volunteer today.

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Emma Rayson Barton

Emma Barton (1872–1938) was an English Pictorialist portrait photographer active between 1899 and the end of WW1 and at the height of her fame she was the most published female photographer of her time....

Eva Besnyö

Eva Besnyö

After being gifted a Kodak Brownie, Eva Besnyö went on to open her own photography studio where she continually adapted her style...

Fanny Foster

Fanny Foster

Fanny Foster was a British photographer hired to document the 1929-1931 archaeological excavation at the Vinča-Belo Brdo tell in modern-day Serbia...

Florence Henri, Self-Portrait, 1928, gelatin silver print

Florence Henri

Florence Henri did not just live through arguably the most exciting period in the history of art – she was at its very frontier...

Black and white photograph. Three women wearing ruffled dresses and hats, posed with one leg in front of the other.

Florence Vandamm

Florence Vandamm (1883 - 1996) was a portrait photographer who photographed over 2,000 Broadway productions in New York....

Francesca Woodman

Francesca Woodman

The work of Francesca Woodman, and life, is often cast with an air of melancholy. Discover her self-proclaimed "ghost pictures"....

Friedl Dicker-Brandeis

The Bauhaus-trained Austrian designer and artist who was killed in the Holocaust has recently become better known for her painting and art therapy than photography. But in the early 30’s she produced powerful anti-fascist photomontages...

Gerda Taro - Crowd at Morgue in Valencia

Gerda Taro

Gerda Taro (1910-1937) first woman war photographers, and the first to die in the line of work....