Dorothy Wilding

Dorothy Frances Edith Wilding (10 January 1893 – 9 February 1976) was an English professional portrait photographer from Gloucester, who established successful studios in both London and New York. She is known for her portraits of the British royal family, some of which were used to illustrate postage stamps, and in particular for her studies of actors and celebrities which fused glamour with modernist elegance. Val Williams noted Wilding's combination of business savvy and deep understanding of aesthetic impact: 'nobody knew better than Dorothy Wilding the power of the photograph to create or destroy the desired image.'

Early life Dorothy Wilding was born in Longford, a village on the edge of the City of Gloucester, in 1893. She wanted to become an actress or artist, but these careers were not encouraged by her uncle, in whose family she lived, so she chose instead photography, which she started to learn from the age of sixteen. Wilding obtained studio experience with the American portraitist Marion Nielson, before working as a re-toucher for Richard Speight in New Bond Street; in 1914, she opened her first studio.

An autobiography, In Pursuit of Perfection, was published in 1958.

Portraits Besides members of the royal family, Wilding photographed many famous people, including filmstars and celebrities of the 1920s and 1930s. Wilding is also known for her pictorial style nude photographs which include the dancer Jacqes Cartier and the artist's model Rhoda Beasley, photographed shortly before her early death.