Phillip Prodger

Praise for Darwin’s Camera, out soon...

"Prodger narrates a fascinating exposition of the dawn of scientific photography." —Steven Pinker, author of How the Mind Works

"Once again Phillip Prodger has explored photography’s childhood and found there a network of hitherto unexamined meanings and connections that enrich our knowledge not only of the medium but of science, technology, and culture at large. Darwin’s Camera rethinks both the father of evolutionary theory and the evolution of the medium Darwin adapted to his needs. Fascinating, lucid, and beautifully researched, the book is a major contribution to the history of photography in context." —Rebecca Solnit, author of River of Shadows: Eadweard Muybridge and the Technological Wild West

"In this lucid, nuanced account, Prodger introduces visual and literary documents with archaeological precision to unearth Darwin’s groundbreaking use of photography in his work." —Julian Cox, Curator of Photography, High Museum of Art

"This illuminating book full of amazing insights into Darwin and the development and use of photography, is clearly written with engaging charm. Not just for the specialist, it will engage anyone concerned with history, photography, science in general and Darwin in particular, and the use of illustration in book production." —Paul Ekman, co-author (with Dalai Lama) of Emotional Awareness

"This is a scholarly and entertaining account of how Darwin not only changed the face of science, but also played a surprising role in shaping the visual culture of his time." —Martin Barnes, Senior Curator of Photographs, Victoria and Albert Museum

"Prodger elegantly interweaves two complex narratives. Replete with a multitude of telling anecdotes, Darwin’s Camera is an important contribution both to the history of science and to the history of photography." —Bernard Barryte, Curator of European Art, Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts at Stanford University

Welcome! This is the personal website of Phillip Prodger, Curator of Photography at the Peabody Essex Museum. This is the place to learn more about my publications, talks, and freelance exhibition projects.

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