Temple at Paestum. Albumen print, Getty Museum. Public domain photograph.

Jane Martha St John was a pioneering female photographer in the early days of photography. Born in London in 1801, she was the daughter of a successful merchant and grew up in a wealthy family. She became interested in photography in the 1840s, when the new medium was still in its infancy. St John was one of the first women to take photography seriously and she quickly became adept at the art. She was particularly interested in portraiture and her photographs of children and young women were highly acclaimed. In 1847 St John became a member of the Photographic Society of London, one of the first photographic societies in the world. She exhibited her work at the Society's exhibitions and her photographs were praised for their technical excellence and artistic merit. St John continued to work as a photographer throughout her life and was highly respected in the photographic community. She died in London in 1882, leaving a legacy as one of the earliest and most talented women photographers.

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