For International Women’s Day 2018, we celebrate the life and work of Anna Atkins, a pioneer of photography. She pushed the technology of her day to its limit, breaking new ground and created cyanotypes that remain beautiful works of art to this day.

What is a Cyanotype?

The cyanotype was an early method of photography invented in 1842 by Sir John Herschel, the astronomer son of William Herschel, the discoverer of Uranus. The first thing you need to create a cyanotype is photosensitive paper. Anna Atkins was the daughter of a chemist, and friend of Herschel and so fortunate to be familiar with these chemical processes that you could do with patience and skill at home.

Once you have the paper prepared, place an object  over the paper, fix some glass over  to keep it in position and expose it to the sun. The result is a photogram, a photo made without a camera focussing the image.