Catherine Weed Barnes Ward (1851-1913) was one of the first professional women photographers. Born in Albany, New York, to a well-to-do, politically connected family, she visited Russia in 1872 with her father. While there, she became enamored with photography, which she pursued with enthusiasm. She became well known, with her works winning many awards and appearing in many publications, including Frank Lesley’s Weekly, various art magazines, and numerous books written by her husband, Henry Snowden Ward.
Catharine took up her life’s work during a period of great excitement and change in photography.
In the 1870s, the dry plate was invented, which allowed photographers to shoot plates and store them until they could return to their darkrooms. A portable darkroom was no longer needed. Photographers could develop images at leisure and explore ways the improve and enhance photographs in the developing process.
In the 1880’s, Eastman’s invention of rolled film that could only be developed in his labs, and simple cameras opened photography to a wide array of amateurs. Catharine became a gladiator in defending the value of well-done work by non-professionals, especially women, as a way of expanding our ability to see and understand the world with greater focus.
In 1890, she became assistant editor of the American Amateur Photographer magazine. In the 1889 inaugural edition, she published the article “Why Ladies Should Be Admitted to Membership in Photographic Societies, in which she argued for fair competition. She herself was a member of associations usually limited to men, including the National Photographers Association of America and the Camera Club of New York.
Here is an excerpt from her article.
“Let no lady so thrust aside think it best to organize a society of their own. This may be considered independence, but it would be far wiser to become members of some society which, possessing more commonsense will admit ladies and allow them to win their way by fair competition. Up to now the great weight of advantage in artistic and scientific improvement has been the private property of men, and woman, as yet, cannot by themselves attain much progress in such work. Let them get needful information and practical help wherever they can, and there are societies which are willing to give it. I say, therefore, to all societies, to give us a fair field and no favor; let us win our spurs side by side with our brothers, and the result thus gained will be worth all the trouble required. The day is coming, and will soon be here, when only one question will be asked as to any photographic work—is it well done?”
Catharine Weed Barnes American Amateur Photographer, Vol 1, 1889, p. 242
More about Catharine Weed Barnes
Catharine Weed Barnes. “Photography From a Woman’s Standpoint. ” The Photographic Times and American Photographer, December 27, 1889, Vol. XIX, No. 432, p.652-653.
Francis Willard and Mary Livermore, eds. “Catherine Weed Barnes. ” A Woman of the Century, 1892. p. 54
Margaret Denny. “Catharine Weed Barnes Ward: Advocate for Victorian Women Photographers” History of Photography. vol. 36, April 2012, pp 156-171.
Glass Plate Negatives by Catharine Weed Barnes Ward with biographic information by Margaret Lamar King. Contains links to many of her photographs.
For more views of her photographs see also:
The Real Dickens Land by Henry Snowden Ward. 1904
“Believe in your work; honor it with faithful service, ever ready to see your faults and to correct them.”
Catharine Weed Barnes
This is such a great quote and an excellent point for successful women being able to encompass not just women, but harness the power of their male colleagues too. I think Greta Thunsbury has given us an excellent example on this lately. She went out there and sat on a sidewalk and was noticed by a Big Businessman, and was able to work along with him, with people of all ages, to get her message spread with incredible success.