The original lady in red

25.05.2015 20:00

Creating romantic, sepia-toned images is a cinch now that we have Instagram filters to play with.

But back in the early 21st century, taking a picture was an entirely different process, requiring patience, precision and a very talented eye.

Dreamlike snaps of a young woman in red posing at Lulworth Cove, Dorset, in 1913 have now been revealed as some of the earliest surviving colour photographs.

The images, which are currently on display at the National Media Museum, Bradford, are among a collection of the world's oldest surviving photographs.

The woman in question was teenager Christina O'Gorman, posing for her father, electrical engineer and photographer Mervyn O'Gorman back in 1913.

Mervyn was 42 at the time when he took the images of his daughter, who languidly sits, in an array of vibrant red outfits, including a swimsuit, a cloak and a shirt.

The teen, characterised by her long strawberry-blonde hair, poses in different scenarios on the beach at Lulworth Cove in the English county of Dorset and appears unaware of her father.

The National Media Museum explained: 'The comparatively long exposure time has given the sea a glassy quality and the large aperture setting and narrow depth of field has put Durdle Door in the background into soft focus.'

The repetition of the red attire was due to the fact that the vibrant colour captured particularly well in an autochrome process.

Mervyn died in 1958, with his wife Florence passing 27 years beforehand in 1931. As to Christina's life, there are no recorded details.

(dailymail.co.uk)