Legacy Heroines

Heroines of the past who were active at some point between the mid-20th century and the early 21st century.

From Agnès to Ylla, explore the archive of Legacy 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.

Eve Arnold

Eve Arnold

Photographer who rebelled against the homogeneous narrative with which women were typically represented in the public eye....

Portrait Evelyn Hofer (Detail), 1951

Evelyn Hofer

The German-born American artist Evelyn Hofer (1922-2009) is considered one of the foremost female photographers of the ‘New Objectivity’ style....

Fay Godwin, 1931 - 2005

Fay Godwin

A pioneer of black and white photography, Fay Godwin (1931 - 2005) was renowned for her landscapes of the British coastline and countryside....

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"....

Franki Raffles

Edinburgh-based Franki Raffles (1955 - 1994) was a social documentarian and feminist photographer who died tragically young....

Gisèle Freund

From assignments for Life and Time Magazine, Gisèle Freund is most well-known for her candid portraits of literary greats and artists...

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