A groundbreaking new publication from RRB PhotoBooks examines the underappreciated role of photography in one of the most ambitious botanical projects of the early twentieth century. The original work, 'Trees of Great Britain and Ireland,' was created by Henry John Elwes and Dr. Augustine Henry between 1906 and 1913, resulting in a monumental seven-volume series that documented over 500 tree species across 2,022 pages. This contemporary release marks the first time that the photographic elements of this Victorian-era endeavor have received dedicated scholarly attention, featuring 64 litho-printed reproductions accompanied by an analytical essay from photography historian and writer Michael Pritchard.
The original project emerged during a period of intense Victorian fascination with systematic cataloging of the natural world, when new printing technologies and photographic processes were revolutionizing both scientific documentation and artistic expression. Elwes and Henry's collaboration represented a pinnacle of this movement, combining meticulous botanical research with visual documentation. The volumes utilized collotype reproductions, a photographic printing process prized for its exceptional tonal range and ability to preserve fine details from the original negatives. This technique allowed the publishers to maintain the subtle gradations and textures that were essential for accurately representing the trees' characteristics, from bark patterns to leaf structures.
Despite photography's integral role in the publication, the identities of most contributing photographers were largely omitted from historical records. Research into the project has uncovered only sparse documentation, primarily through property owners who supplied photographs and through Elwes's own manuscript notes on the book's production. Only two photographers, identified simply as M. Wallis and M. Foster, receive any mention in the original volumes. Under Elwes's close direction, these photographers approached their subjects with scientific objectivity, carefully composing images that captured each tree's distinctive silhouette, key identifying features, and environmental context. When necessary, they included detailed close-ups of specific botanical elements. Human figures were deliberately incorporated into many compositions to provide scale reference, a practice that also inadvertently documented the social context of these landscapes.
The photographers worked under strict guidelines designed to create a uniform typological aesthetic throughout the series, suggesting that numerous uncredited contributors received identical compositional instructions. This standardization reflects the Victorian emphasis on systematic classification and the desire to create a cohesive visual archive. The new publication from RRB PhotoBooks not only reproduces selected images but also contextualizes them within the broader history of scientific photography and the specific challenges of botanical documentation in the field. Pritchard's essay explores how these images straddled the line between scientific record and artistic composition, representing a critical moment when photography was establishing its credibility within academic and scientific communities.
The contemporary volume, scheduled for release in November 2025, measures 240 x 320 millimeters in portrait format and will be available in two editions. The standard paperback version is priced at thirty-five euros, while a special edition at seventy-five euros includes an authentic collotype print sourced from the original publication. This dual-tiered offering makes the material accessible to both general readers and serious collectors. The book also includes a postscript by Björn Andersson, providing additional contemporary perspective on the project's legacy. RRB PhotoBooks has positioned this release as a crucial contribution to the history of photography, illuminating how early practitioners contributed to scientific knowledge while navigating the technical limitations and aesthetic conventions of their era.
This publication arrives at a time when scholars are increasingly recognizing the importance of vernacular and scientific photography in understanding both historical processes and the development of photographic language itself. By restoring attention to the uncredited photographers and analyzing their methodology, the book challenges traditional narratives that have focused primarily on the botanical content rather than the visual strategies employed. It serves as a testament to the collaborative nature of large-scale scientific projects and the often-anonymous craftspeople whose technical expertise made such endeavors possible. For contemporary audiences, it offers a window into how Victorians visualized and systematically recorded the natural world, providing valuable insights for historians of science, photography, and environmental studies alike.
