Victorian Photography - adult education class

Location: South Kensington Campus | Level: All Levels

Ever wondered why we are so obsessed with selfies, filters and images of 'fake news'? The story doesn't start with Instagram—it starts in the smog-filled streets of Victorian London.

Join tutor Arthur Charlesworth for an immersive 8-week journey into the nineteenth century's most disruptive technology - photography!

Photography didn't just capture the world, it reinvented it. From the first haunting daguerreotypes to the birth of cinema, this course explores how a chemical accident became the most powerful medium of visual imaging in human history.

Why Join This Course?

In a relaxed, social evening setting, we will peel back the layers of Victorian visual culture. You’ll discover:

• The First 'Photoshop': Learn how Victorians manipulated images to create ghosts, fairies, and 'perfect' portraits long before AI.

• London Through the Lens: See the city's transformation through stark, early photojournalism that exposed the reality of nineteenth-century life.

• Power and Identity: Explore how photography was used as a tool for colonial control—but also how it empowered women and marginalized voices to tell their own stories.

• The Art of Memory: Uncover the poignant (and sometimes eerie) world of Victorian mourning photography and how it shaped the way we grieve today.

• The Birth of the 'Image-Saturated' World: Trace the path from immersive stereoscopes to the very first moving pictures.

Are you ready to see the world differently?

Term dates

•  Autumn Term - week beginning 19 October 2026

For content enquiries: Contact Arthur Charlesworth at arthur.charlesworth@citystgeorges.ac.uk

For enrolment and booking enquiries: Contact Christian Jacobi at c.jacobi@imperial.ac.uk

Class recordings

These classes are not recorded.

Imperial certificates

There are no examinations or assessments for this course. However, attendance can lead to the award of an Imperial attendance certificate (T&Cs apply).