Photography was a women’s profession during the 1800s. More than 400 photo studios were owned and operated by women in Sweden, and Västerbotten and Gotland County had the highest number registered. When photography moves into the printed press in the 1900s, the profession is transformed. The number of female photographers dwindles, and the new profession press photographer is forever remembered as a man’s job.

When creating this exhibition, an old suitcase full of photographs and newspaper clippings helped change the image of press photography in the early 1900s. It contained material from Alma Haag’s portfolio, one of the first press photographers in Sweden. Her story became the starting point for this exhibition and for looking at press photography from a female perspective. Together, Haag’s, Dahlberg’s and Haarstad’s work span almost a century – if their work had been included when the history of press photography was written down, would it have changed how we see this profession?

The exhibition was created by Arianna Brommarco and Bettina Pehrsson for Marabouparken. Together with the Museum of Women’s History, Brommarco has made a selection of the original material for our museum. We will look closer at power, gender and class in connection with working life and history.