In 1855, photography started in India with the arrival of the first commercial photographer, William Henry Jackson. Jackson was commissioned by the US government to document the country and its people. He travelled across India, taking photographs of the landscape, people and architecture.
Jackson’s work was instrumental in opening up India to the Western world and his images are some of the earliest and most iconic photographs of the country. In the years that followed, other photographers came to India to capture its people and places. They included BrIt’sh photographer John Burke, who documented the final years of the BrIt’sh Raj, and American photographer Margaret Bourke-White, who captured images of India during the country’s struggle for independence.
Today, photography is an important part of Indian culture and there are many talented photographers working in the country. They continue to document India’s people, places and events, preserving its history and culture for future generations.
