Eleven Year Career

Taking a quick look at the image above you may think that it's a great contempary portrait of a beautiful woman. It may come as a surprise to find out that the photograph was taken in 1864 and is of the actress Ellen Terry who was just 16 when the photograph was taken.

This image was taken by Julia Margaret Cameron who was a celebrated photographer during the Victorian era. As well as shooting her own work based on Arthurian and other legendary themes, Julia Margaret Cameron was also a celebrity photographer photographing such people as Charles Darwin and others. Incredibly Cameron's career only lasted 11 years, with the photographer only picking up a camera when she was 48.

I just love the timeless quality of the images - especially that of Ellen Terry. A great post by the Photography News website has further images by Julia Margaret Cameron. The Victoria and Albert Museum website also have a very informative page about the photographer worth checking out.