Lora Webb Nichols

Lora Webb Nichols (1883-1962) was an American photographer, best known for amassing a collection of 24,000 negatives of the town Encampment, Wyoming. These negatives are widely acclaimed for providing a unique and intimate insight into the daily life and activities of residents in the small Wyoming mining town.

Lora was sixteen when she was first gifted a camera. From this moment, Lora’s talent was apparent, and she would go on to become a focal point in the history of her local area and, more widely, the history of American women photographers. Lora was interested in documenting how people interacted with each other in their everyday life, and has posthumously been described as a ‘community photographer’ who bridged the gap between personal and commercial photography. Her photographs spanned from domestic scenes to images of workers or the landscape around her.

Lora was a keen diarist, whose records have enabled a deep insight into her passion for photography, as well the trajectory of her personal life. Notably, while Lora created most of the images that form her collection, some of the photographs were taken by her mother and sister – the subjects of many of her early photographs.

Some of Lora’s most notable work highlights her ability to portray unique moments of women’s lives and friendships. She documented images of young girls playing outside, or intimate portraits of her friends, such as the image of Nora Fleming breastfeeding her new-born. Other photos also feature close familial bonds, such as a mother tending to her daughter’s hair.

Lora Webb Nichols’s photography spanned a wide range of subjects. Her online archive, which traces her photography over many decades, provides an insight into just how expansive her work was. Many historical moments, such as times of economic change or the ‘pack trips’ which people in Encampment would go on were captured and are remembered due to Lora’s ability to provide a window into everyday life.

Lora’s work was part of the broader advent of women photographers observed across America in the early twentieth century. The increasing availability of photography studios and camera equipment made photography a more accessible practice for women. Lora’s work is reminiscent of other great women photographers of the period, such as prolific American street photographer Vivian Maier. In recent years there has been a ‘rediscovery’ of these great women photographers, which in the case of Lora Webb Nichols has resulted in a photobook of her work being published in 2021.

You can find Lora’s archive online or follow their work on Instagram.

All images have been used courtesy of the American Heritage Center.