The Story of Roger Fenton: The World’s First War Photographer

Nov 29, 2024

Matt Growcoot

A sepia-toned image shows an old photography van with a man seated on it, and a barren landscape with cannonballs scattered on a dirt road, evoking a historic wartime scene. — Roger Fenton’s mobile darkroom, left, *Valley of the Shadow of Death*, right.

Roger Fenton is best known for Valley of the Shadow of Death, one of the oldest-known photos depicting war. His relatively short 10-year photography career sparked accusations that he was a government propagandist while simultaneously being praised as one of the medium’s pioneers.

Fenton, a member of the British landed gentry, took portraits of Queen Victoria and her family as well as images of odalisques; Muslim concubines. But it is the Crimean War (1853 to 1856), fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, and the United Kingdom, that he is best known for.

Two vintage photographs side by side. On the left, a woman stands beside a seated man holding a book. On the right, the same couple sits together, both with serious expressions. The man holds a rolled document. They wear 19th-century formal attire. — Fenton took portraits of Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert.

A person in traditional attire reclines on a patterned rug, holding a stringed instrument. They wear a headband and embroidered clothing, surrounded by ornate pillows and a decorative jug, creating a serene and nostalgic ambiance. — A reclining odalisque. Fenton shared a fascination with the romantic lives of Muslims.

Fenton was not the only or first photographer in Crimea. The Library of Congress notes that prior to Fenton, the British sent two photographers to Crimea but neither of their work survived. One of them, Richard Nicklin, captured the war but he was lost at sea, along with his assistants, photographs, and gear, when their ship sank because of a hurricane.

And so in February 1855, Fenton stepped up to this daunting and terrifying role as one of the world’s first war photographers and set sail to Crimea having purchased a wine merchant’s van to use as a mobile darkroom.

A sepia-toned historical photograph shows several large sailing ships docked in a harbor. The scene includes workers, horse-drawn carts, and stacked crates on the dock, set against a hilly backdrop. — The H.M.S. Diamond and H.M.S. Wasp anchored in the harbor at Balaklava. March 1855.

A group of people gathered outside a makeshift wooden structure and tent in a hilly landscape. Some are seated while others stand, dressed in 19th-century military uniforms and attire. A woman in a dress is among them, interacting with a soldier. — A group of men from the 4th Light Dragoons being attended to, 1855.

A sepia-toned photo of a military encampment in a valley. Numerous tents are set up on a barren landscape. A lake and hills are visible in the background, with faint outlines of structures or trees. Smoke rises in the distance. — Guards Hill church parade, Balaklava in the distance, 1855.

In the 1850s, photography was in its infancy and Fenton used a large format wet plate collodion camera, a standard technology of the mid-19th century. This method involved a labor-intensive process where a glass plate was coated with a collodion solution, sensitized with silver nitrate, and exposed in the camera while still wet. The equipment was cumbersome and required immediate on-site development, which Fenton accomplished using a horse-drawn mobile darkroom he brought to the Crimean War.

A sepia-toned image of a man sitting on a vintage photographic van, which is a covered wagon with large wooden wheels, labeled "Photographic Van." The van is parked on a barren landscape, evoking a historical setting. — Roger Fenton’s mobile darkroom. His assistant is presumably the man sitting on the wagon.

Two men are sitting outside near a rugged campsite. One man, seated on the ground, is handing a bottle to a man standing nearby. They are surrounded by various camping gear, including pots, bags, and a tent in the background. — Major Edmund Gilling Hallewell, 1855.

Fenton’s Raison D’etre

Quite what Fenton’s objectives were is a little murky. He traveled to Crimea under royal patronage and with the assistance of the British government. His trip was organized by William Agnew, a publisher who wanted to mitigate some of the negative press the war had been getting back home in England.

While Valley of the Shadow of Death suggests a brutal battle, Fenton did not document the full horrors of war that would have been all around him. The Crimean War, caused by geopolitical tensions, claimed the lives of nearly half a million people.

A historical photograph depicts three men in military uniforms sitting outside a canvas tent. Two seated on the ground and one on a chair. The backdrop is a blurred, barren landscape, evoking a wartime setting. — Colonel Brownrigg and two Russian boys, Alma and Inkermann, 1855.

A sepia-toned photograph depicting a cluttered shipyard with several people standing among debris and ship parts. There are two large ships docked on the right and a white building in the background against a hilly terrain. — The wharf in Balaklava, Crimea.

Three men in 19th-century military attire sit and drink around a wooden table outside a rustic cabin. Two pour drinks while one leans forward. Another man stands at the doorway, watching. A hat rests on the ground. The scene is sepia-toned. — From left, Capt. John George Brown, Brevet Lt.-Col. Alexander Low and Capt. George Thorne George, all of the 4th Dragoons, in Crimea. 1855.

Granted, it was not easy to even take a picture in the 1850s. Long exposure times meant that action scenes were impossible and it was also extremely hot when Fenton was there; making his large format camera even more difficult to operate.

But ultimately, Fenton refrained from capturing anything too grisly which was either a pre-arranged deal with the British government and the publisher William Agnew. Or, it was just an implicit understanding between a member of the landed gentry and a government keen to keep negative images out of the public’s view.

A sepia-toned image of an open landscape featuring a barren field with sparse vegetation. Two tents are visible on the right side, and a few more structures or tents are in the distant background under a wide, hazy sky. — The plateau of Sevastopol.

A black and white photograph depicting a historical harbor scene with several sailing ships docked. In the foreground, there are dark-roofed buildings and a tree. Hills are visible in the misty background. — View of Balaklava, Crimea.

Two women tend to a soldier lying on the ground. One woman holds a bottle and cup, while the other supports the soldier's head. The scene appears to be from the past, with historical clothing and a barren landscape in the background. — Wounded Zouave and Vivandiere, May 5, 1855.

Cholera and the End of the War

The main objective of the Ottoman, French, and British alliance was the destruction of Russia’s main naval base Sevastopol. Fenton had photographed the plateau in front of Sevastopol and intended to photograph the port following an assault in June 1855.

However, the assault failed and Fenton, suffering from cholera, decided to pack up his van and sail back to England. Sevastopol did eventually fall in September and was photographed by James Robertson.

A woman in 19th-century attire wears a dark dress with a fitted jacket, apron, and cap. She holds a parasol and stands on a dirt path, looking to the side. The background is blurred. — A vivandière in Crimea.

A sepia-toned historical photo shows a group of soldiers in uniform relaxing in a camp. They are gathered around a table with tents in the background. The scene conveys a moment of camaraderie during a military campaign. — 8th Hussars cooking hut, 1855

A historic black and white photo of a harbor filled with sailing ships. Cannonballs and large anchors are scattered in the foreground. Hills and buildings are visible in the background. The scene is bustling with maritime activity. — Supply wharf in Balaklava, Crimea.

Post-War

Although Fenton may have been one of the world’s first government propaganda photographers, his work was never exploited in this way. By the time his prints went on sale in November 1855, the public had lost interest or grown tired of the Crimean War which was now over thanks to the fall of Sevastopol.

A sepia-toned photograph shows a barren battlefield landscape from the Crimean War. Cannonballs are scattered along a dirt road, which winds through a desolate and hilly terrain under a pale sky. — *The Valley of the Shadow of Death*, April 23, 1855.

A vintage black and white photograph of a man seated next to a table. He wears a dark suit with a patterned shirt and a bow tie. His hair is styled back, and he gazes directly at the camera. The background is a simple draped curtain. — Roger Fenton self-portrait.

William Agnew, the publisher, disposed of Denton’s unsold prints, and by 1862 Fenton had given up photography for good, selling off all his gear. He died in 1869 without knowing that his work would later be recognized by historians as important documents of the era.

Image credits: Photographs by Roger Fenton.