Probably more than me because I knew nothing. But when I learned that it was a book about algae and also published by the first female photographer, I had to wonder why I never heard about this before. Granted, algae are not the most photogenic subjects. However, the cyanotyping film process made them perfect for the technology of the day.
Then it occurred to me that it may have been a more perfect subject for other reasons. Algae are some of the simplest living creatures on earth; Many of which are composed of a single cell. God’s miracle. So, I closed my eyes and imagined myself seeing photos in a book for the first time in the mid-1800s and being introduced, not to a family portrait or a picture of a farm landscape. But something that really made me wonder about creation itself.
God often has a way of working a miracle with His right hand while another is brewing in His left. Next time you witness a miracle, look for God’s left hand at work as well!
These Beautiful Images of Algae Were the First Photos to Illustrate Any Book | Atlas Obscura
“In 1843, the first book ever to be illustrated with photographs was published. Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions documented species of algae in ethereal, blue splendor. Its author, Anna Atkins, was as pioneering as the book she published; she is widely recognized as the first female photographer.” read more at atlasobscura.com