The Photographer and His Setting

From his public debut as photographic artist in 1853, Francis Bedford was singled out for praise, ultimately lauded as the best landscape photographer of his generation. By 1864, reviewers could confidently state, “Mr F. Bedford surpasses himself, which is about the highest praise we know how to award.“ 1 One of the most famous and widely admired English landscape photographers, Francis Bedford (1816–94) in most respects typified and represented his generation of “photographic artists.“ The major, and significant, difference between Bedford and most of his peers was that Bedford was able to bridge successfully the perceived chasm between amateur, artistic photographer and professional entrepreneur. This was no small feat. Bedford’s work may be studied for the significant contribution he made in shaping the standards for success in a new medium. These standards addressed several realms at once—artistic endeavor, commercial success, and the tension inherent in photography between “art“ and “science.“ As a first-generation photographer, his skill at interpreting current needs and values in his society joined with technical and aesthetic skills to give him profound influence in shaping his newly emerging field and the society in which he operated.