Imogen Cunningham “I want everybody to be a self learner.. I don’t believe in teaching, I believe in learning.”

A Little Bit About Imogen… Born on April 12, 1883 in Portland, Oregon. Her father named her after heroine of Shakespeare’s “Cymberine.” American Woman photographer known for botanical photography, nudes, and industry photography One of the first photographers to shoot nude photos Had one of the longest, most aesthetically influential careers as a photographer spanning a 75 year period Married a man named Roi and had three children with him, one being a set of twins

First Camera At the age of 18, Cunningham bought her first camera, a 4x5 inch view camera She actually lost interest and ended up selling her camera to a friend In 1906 she bought another camera and at this time Made her decision to be a photographer

In 1915 Imogen met Roi Partidge, married him and they had a son named Gryffyd She then moved with Roi to California where they had twin boys, Rondal and Padraic She had to adapt to her lifestyle of being home with her three children, so her photography centered more around them and the nature within her gardens and home. In 1921 Imogen reached a distinct turning point in her photographic career, where she began to focus more on textures of barks, trees, and flowers. Some of her most prominent and successful work is her botanical work. Family and Photography

More Developments In Her Career After her twins were born, Imogen was offered her first commercial photography assignment photographing the Adolph Bohm Ballet Intime At this time Imogen began to make her first sharp plant photographs 1923 Imogen made her first double- exposure photograph 1929 ten of her photos were exhibited in the infamous Film and Foto Exhibition in Stuttgart, Germany. At this time, she also had an exhibit at the Berkeley Art Museum

Imogen’s Unique Style From a Imogen’s Unique Style One of the first artists to photograph nudity within her photography. She photographed her husband Roi She was funny, she knew she was funny She was never afraid to take a risk or speak up about anything Condemned by a lot of people back then, but she jokes, talking about how people like to buy them now and look at the nude photographs

Family, Friends, and Inspiration Imogen was a very privileged photographer. She went through so many different stages of photography, and career throughout her life Imogen’s mother was never really interested in seeing the photographs taken of her Her father once said to her, “Why are you spending money on going to school to be a dirty photographer?” However he is the one who made her her first dark room. She jokes that since it was so long ago, that there wasn’t much light anyways. However, he did seem to encourage her at times. She enjoys talking about him. He actually recorded 8 hours of interviewing her “I was brought up on art. My father thought I had a great hand at art and sent me to art school. But he did not want me to become a photographer. “

Some of Imogen’s Thoughts.. “Everybody who does anything for the public can be criticized. There's always someone who doesn't like it. “ “I became kind of a drop-out in science after I came back to America. I wanted to photograph.” “I don’t resent anything.” “I told the students that whatever they did in class was for the wastebasket.” “I turn people into human beings By not making them in to God’s.” “I was invited to photograph Hollywood. They asked me what I would like to photograph. I said, Ugly men.” “I was poor. When you're poor you work, and when you're rich you expect somebody to hand it to you. So I think being reasonably poor is very good for people.” “There are certain things you don't discuss with Ansel, especially if you don't agree.” “Once a woman who does street work said to me, 'I've never photographed anyone I haven't asked first.' I said to her, 'Suppose Cartier-Bresson asked the man who jumped the puddle to do it again - it never would have been the same. Start stealing!’” “Which of my photographs is my favorite? The one I'm going to take tomorrow.” “Ansel [Adams] once said to somebody that I [Cunningham] was versatile, but what he really meant was that I jump around. I’m never satisfied staying in one spot very long, I couldn’t stay with the mountains and I couldn’t stay with the trees and I couldn’t stay with the rivers. But I can always stay with people, because they really are different.” “I always wished I'd photographed somebody on the john. Back then I only thought about it and I didn't have the nerve.” “I have a commitment, not a job. I don't plan on what I'm going to do. I let things happen.”

Where Is Her Art Now? Imogen’s art is located in various galleries to this current days, some of these galleries are: Art Expressions Gallery, San Diego CA Oceanside Museum, Oceanside CA Lumere Gallery, Atlanta GA G. Gibson Gallery, Seattle WA Photo Eye Gallery, New Mexico Photography West, Carmel CA Photo Laison, Lopez Island, WA Robert Tat Gallery, San Francisco CA Weston Gallery, Carmel CA

The Imogen Cunningham Trust Died June 24, 1976 She set up The Imogen Cunningham Trust before she died so that her negatives could be preserved, exhibited and even purchased

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