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Location: South Kensington Campus | Level: All Levels

Ever wondered why we are so obsessed with selfies, filters and images of 'fake news'? The story doesn't start with Instagram—it starts in the smog-filled streets of Victorian London.

Join tutor Arthur Charlesworth for an immersive 8-week journey into the nineteenth century's most disruptive technology - photography!

Photography didn't just capture the world, it reinvented it. From the first haunting daguerreotypes to the birth of cinema, this course explores how a chemical accident became the most powerful medium of visual imaging in human history.

Why Join This Course?

In a relaxed, social evening setting, we will peel back the layers of Victorian visual culture. You’ll discover:

• The First 'Photoshop': Learn how Victorians manipulated images to create ghosts, fairies, and 'perfect' portraits long before AI.

• London Through the Lens: See the city's transformation through stark, early photojournalism that exposed the reality of nineteenth-century life.

• Power and Identity: Explore how photography was used as a tool for colonial control—but also how it empowered women and marginalized voices to tell their own stories.

• The Art of Memory: Uncover the poignant (and sometimes eerie) world of Victorian mourning photography and how it shaped the way we grieve today.

• The Birth of the 'Image-Saturated' World: Trace the path from immersive stereoscopes to the very first moving pictures.

Are you ready to see the world differently?

Term dates

•  Autumn Term: week beginning 19 October 2026 until week ending 11 December 2026

For content enquiries: Contact the tutor, Arthur Charlesworth, at arthur.charlesworth@citystgeorges.ac.uk

For enrolment and booking enquiries: Contact Christian Jacobi at c.jacobi@imperial.ac.uk

Class recordings

These classes are not recorded.

³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ certificates

This course has no exams or assessments, so you can focus on enjoying your learning. Regular attendance may also lead to the award of an ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ attendance certificate. (T&Cs apply).