An upcoming exhibition at the National Media Museum showcases some of the most important photographs ever taken. Here are the highlights. Mildly NSFW on account of nudity.
The National Media Museum's upcoming exhibition Drawn By Light: The Royal Photographic Society Collection - which was previously based at London's Science Museum - is a selection of historically important photos taken from the Royal Photographic Society's huge archive of over 250,000 images.
The exhibition charts the development of photography from the 1800s right through to the present day. It includes this haunting heliograph image called Un Clair de Lune ('Moonlight'), which is considered to be the very first successful photograph. It was taken by French inventor Joseph Nicéphore Niépce who was born exactly 250 years ago on 7 March 1765.
Un Clair de Lune, 1827, Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, The RPS Collection © National Media Museum / SSPL / Via nationalmediamuseum.org.uk
War photography also features prominently in the RPS selection. As well as this striking image of a London fire guard taken in 1944 by John Hinde, an early pioneer of colour photography, the exhibition also includes images from the Crimean War in 1855 right through to unfolding present day conflicts.
Here are 20 more incredible photos from the exhibition, which will run from 20 March- 1 June 2015 at the National Media Museum in Bradford.
A fire guard, 1944, John Hinde, The RPS Collection © National Media Museum / SSPL / Via nationalmediamuseum.org.uk
Soldiers of the Sky, 1940, Nickolas Muray.
Nicolas Muray was a Hungarian born American portrait photographer and Olympic fencer who had a 10 year relationship with the artist Frida Kahlo. He produced this vibrant wartime propaganda image for Vogue.
Soldiers of the Sky, 1940, Nickolas Muray, The RPS Collection, National Media Museum © Nickolas Muray Photo Archives / Via nationalmediamuseum.org.uk
