Evelyn Cameron: Pioneer, Photographer

Ewen & Evelyn Cameron emigrated from Britain to eastern Montana in the late 1800s. They came for their honeymoon, a hunting trip, and decided to stay!

Ewen's passion was studying the region's birds. He published his findings in ornithology journals such as The Auk, often including photographs by Evelyn.

Uncharacteristic of most women at the time, Evelyn and her camera traveled alone across the region, often gone from home for days at a time. She made small photo albums for settlers and workers, many from Chicago, who would send them to family "back East" so they could see what life on the plains was really like.

During her travels she amassed a collection of thousands of photographs documenting plains life and developed a deep love for the beauty of the land, evident in her work. Following her death in 1928, her photograph collection and other personal items were moved to the basement of a friend's house and soon forgotten. It wasn't until the late 1970's that Cameron's photo-negatives and personal diaries would be discovered and shared with the world.

After studying and sorting through the photos and diaries, Donna Lucey published Photographing Montana, 1994-1928: The Life and Work of Evelyn Cameron in 1990. The book includes over 150 examples of her stunning photography and excerpts from her diaries, paining a vivid portrait of pioneer life.

Additionally, a 2005 documentary, Evelyn Cameron: Pictures From a Worthy Life periodically airs on PBS and is available on DVD.

Check out the book Photographic Montana at PSU Libraries. PSU students may request the video Pictures of a Worthy Life through PSU Interlibrary Loan.

For more about Evelyn Cameron, check out "The 100 Most Influential Montanans of the Century" and The National Cowgirl Museum Hall of Fame. PSU students can access the articles referenced on this site using the Libraries' Citation Linker.