Behind the Lens

Photography makes boundless time travel possible. This rings true at Photo London, where more than 400 photographers from over 30 countries are being showcased this week at Somerset House through May 19. Among workshops and a dynamic line-up of talks, a homage to groundbreaking women photographers past and present is at the heart of the international photography fair’s programming.

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For its ninth edition, Photo London spans the medium’s dawn to current creative experimentation. Rooted in social dynamics and intimate portraiture, iconic images on display traverse fashion, music, travel, and more. Solo exhibitions feature previously unseen shots in color by Helen Levitt and works by Lee Miller, a fashion photographer turned war correspondent. Other highlights include works by contemporary luminaries, such as award-winning British photographer Lydia Goldblatt, Dutch photographer Jacquie Maria Wessels, and British photographer Siân Davey.

Elsewhere at the fair, curated group exhibitions spark new dialogues among today's most exciting photographers. Photo London’s new initiative, Positions, brings together works by five emerging talents who investigate beauty, curated by acclaimed British Sri Lankan author and journalist Charlotte Jansen. A standout is “Silent Stories,” a selection of images from over three decades by celebrated French art photographer Valérie Belin, who has been awarded Photo London Master of Photography. Belmond, a pioneer in luxury travel, returns for its second year as a partner for one of the four exhibitions that make up Photo London’s public program. The group exhibition “Shifting Horizons” is made up of new photographs by Coco Capitán, Letizia Le Fur and Rosie Marks shot across three Belmond locations: inside the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, along Italy’s breathtaking Amalfi Coast, and at Cape Town’s Mount Nelson Hotel. From pioneering women photographers to international perspectives, all works spotlighted by Photo London this year capture the many complex minds behind the lens.

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‍Photo London runs through May 19, 2024, at Somerset House in London, England at Strand, London WC2R 1LA, United Kingdom.