Charles Darwin

The photograph by Julia Margaret Cameron of Charles Darwin was something that many British people were not familiar to. Not because of Charles Darwin, but because of the work of photography seen as art. This portrait type of photography by Cameron is supposed to seem like a painting and specifically, oil painting. The actual photograph was taken by Julia during a summer vacation in Freshwater, where Julia took breaks, and where Charles Darwin came with his family for vacation also. As she was known as a uprising photographer, Darwin asked her himself to take a portrait photograph of him and paid her money to take the picture.
In the picture, Cameron is not trying to portray Charles Darwin as a hero or someone she praises. Julia was always into capturing the picture as it really looked like in reality because she firmly believed that the essence of reality and beauty portrayed “invisible beauty” that would be diminished with decorations. The photograph is not pleasing when looked at in detail with the messy beard of Charles Darwin and no decorative or staged poses done by Charles Darwin. This gives it an elegant look for the eye, and makes it seem natural and in action. He seems in action because he is not directly looking at the camera lens,but he seems like he is observing something by him or taking interest in something.The work is definitely portraying the actual truth of Charles Darwin and pieces like this done by Julia have changed photography for today and made such thing considered as art.
The art piece itself does show the power of man and how the invention of technology like a camera can change the field of art for the next century and the advancement in technology man has able to accomplish. Charles Darwin himself is also portrayed in this photograph and he is one of the greatest men to progress humanity for mankind. It honors Charles Darwin in this photograph not by decoration, but by the simplicity and truth image of him.