Between distinctive aesthetic and dangerous toxicity: A Dirty History of Photography

How is chemical photography intertwined with environmental pollution, industrial capitalism, and British imperialism? At the end of April, we welcomed Michelle Henning and Sarah James to the Gallery to discuss Henning’s new book, A Dirty History of Photography: Chemistry, Fog and Empire. They talked about her investigation of Ilford Limited’s archives, the connections between fog and photography, and the impact this pollution had on both image-making and society.

The fog was the main talking point of the evening, with the speakers balancing a discussion between its distinctive aesthetic and its dangerous toxicity. For people living in London at the time, the fog was disgusting. It smelt horrible, made it extremely difficult to see, and ultimately was a threat to life. Photographically, however, it became romantic. Henning spoke about how it created an opaque backdrop against which a cliched image of imperial London was captured, from Beefeater hats and police helmets to buses and buildings. These film noir-esque images were actually very difficult to shoot, as early photographic emulsion made the yellowish-brown tones of the fog appear darker in a positive print. 

Ilford Limited, one of Henning’s key research topics for the book, were in a constant battle with airborne pollution during the interwar period. Their photographic emulsion would react with the chemicals in the air, creating a hazy veil effect on images commonly known as ‘fogging’.

“The London fog was full of chemicals, such as hydrogen sulphide, which reacted with chemicals in photographic emulsion and fogged the film. I’d never made the connection between actual fog and fogging in the darkroom […]. I started to think, if fogging is literally something that is connected to the fog, what is fog doing to photographic materials? And what are photographic materials able to tell us about the polluted atmosphere of London?” – Michelle Henning, 2026

 

The book was originally written using a conventional academic structure, but this soon fell flat after Henning realised the long chapters were boring and difficult to finish. After being inspired by novels, she opted to write 36 less-disciplined chapters that allowed her to hop between historical periods of the 20th century and beyond.

However, not all of Henning’s research for this book was a success, which she discussed with James and the audience. After seeing images circulating online of a “contaminated” negative from the 1950s, she was intrigued if the damage to this photo was a direct result of the fog. Upon visiting the archive at Getty Images, she realised that there was basically no way of knowing if the fog had painted its own picture, or if the effect had been caused by the way the negative had been stored. Despite this, she spoke about the importance of reaching this dead end, stating that it made her consider the connection between these unanswerable questions and the elusiveness of fog.

And while the London fog has long since faded, we can still consider the ways in which photography continues to link with environmental damage. In an age where cloud storage feels infinite and new digital content is constantly being produced, it’s easy to forget that hoarding virtual clutter relies on data centres and non-renewable energy sources. By being mindful of what we decide to capture and store, we can collectively work to reduce modern photographic pollution and learn from the medium’s dirty history.

“A Dirty History of Photography: Chemistry, Fog and Empire” can be purchased in Open Eye Gallery’s independent bookshop for £30. 

The independent bookshop at Open Eye Gallery offers a curated selection of contemporary photographic works, independent publications, and creative tools for all ages. Our shop is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm (except exhibition changeover periods). Students can enjoy a 10% discount with a valid student card, and Arts Pass holders also receive additional discounts.

Text: Amy Sanderson