Pteris rotundifolia - Early photography, Public domain image

Anna Atkins is best known for her pioneering work in photography, particularly in the use of cyanotype printing. She was born in 1799 in Kent, England, into a family of scientists and artists. Her father, John George Children, was a chemist and mineralogist, while her mother, Hester Anne Children, was a talented artist. Atkins was educated at home by her mother and was exposed to scientific ideas from an early age. She developed a keen interest in botany and began collecting and pressing plant specimens. In the 1820s she became interested in photography, which was then a new and experimental field. Atkins began experimenting with cyanotype printing, a process that uses a light-sensitive chemical to produce blue and white prints. She used this technique to create a series of photograms, or camera-less photographs, of plant specimens. These images were some of the earliest examples of photographic art and are now considered important works of botanical illustration. Atkins published her work in a book entitled 'Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions" in 1843. This book is considered the first book to be illustrated with photographic images and is a landmark in the history of photography. Atkins continued to experiment with photography throughout her life, producing images of ferns, feathers and other natural specimens. She also corresponded with other photographers and scientists, sharing her knowledge and techniques. Anna Atkins died in 1871, but her legacy lives on as one of the pioneers of photography and botanical illustration. Her work has inspired generations of photographers and artists and is still studied and appreciated today.

Anne Dixon began her career as a photographer in the 1840s, when photography was a relatively new and experimental medium. She initially worked with the calotype process, in which photographic negatives were created on paper coated with silver iodide. This process allowed multiple prints to be made from a single negative, making photography more accessible and affordable. Dixon's photographs were primarily portraits of her family and friends, as well as landscapes and architectural studies. Her style was characterised by simplicity and naturalism, with a focus on capturing the essence of her subjects without embellishment or artifice. Despite her relative obscurity today, Dixon was recognised as a talented and innovative photographer during her lifetime. Her work was exhibited at the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London, which showcased the latest advances in science, technology and the arts. Dixon continued to work as a photographer until her death in 1877, leaving behind a legacy of images that provide an insight into the life and culture of mid-19th century England. Her contributions to the field of photography have been largely overlooked by historians, but her work remains an important part of the history and development of the medium.