A major retrospective of Alfred Buckham (1879-1956), the pioneering aerial photographer who served with distinction in the First World War, opens at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery on Saturday 18 October 2025.
The exhibition, Alfred Buckham: Daredevil Photographer, showcases over 100 works spanning the photographer's remarkable career, from his wartime service to his groundbreaking civilian aerial photography of the 1920s and 1930s.
Buckham enlisted in the Royal Naval Air Service from the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in June 1916 at the age of 36, training at Chingford and later serving at Redcar. Initially posted as a mechanic, he transferred to aerial reconnaissance photography duties and was commissioned as a temporary Flight Lieutenant. Following the amalgamation of the RNAS and Royal Flying Corps in April 1918, he continued his service with the newly formed Royal Air Force.
Based at various stations including Cranwell and Farnborough, Buckham flew reconnaissance missions in aircraft including the Avro 504 and DH9. His duties involved photographing enemy positions and British installations, often operating cameras whilst his pilot manoeuvred at low altitude. During his service, he was involved in nine crashes. The most serious resulted in multiple injuries including eleven broken bones, damage to his lungs, and the loss of a kidney.
Despite medical advice never to fly again, Buckham returned to aerial photography after demobilisation in 1919, continuing to work from open cockpits throughout the 1920s and 1930s.
The exhibition highlights Buckham's technical mastery and artistic vision. Working from open cockpits at altitudes up to 20,000 feet, he employed modified cameras and self-devised techniques to capture dramatic cloudscapes and aerial views. His practice of leaning out of aircraft to obtain the perfect angle, whilst secured by rope, became central to his photographic method.
Buckham's photographs required extensive darkroom work, often combining multiple negatives to achieve his distinctive aesthetic. This labour-intensive process could take weeks for a single image, producing works that straddled the boundary between documentary record and fine art.
Curated by the National Galleries of Scotland, the display includes vintage prints from British and international collections, many rarely seen in public. Highlights include Buckham's celebrated image 'The Heart of the Empire' (1928), showing the City of London through dramatic clouds, and several photographs from his wartime service.
The exhibition also features previously unpublished material from private collections, offering new insights into Buckham's working methods and the development of aerial photography as both a military tool and artistic medium.
Anne Lyden, Director-General of the National Galleries of Scotland, says:
Buckham transformed aerial photography from a purely functional military practice into an art form. His work provides a unique perspective on both the technological advances of the early aviation era and the changing British landscape between the wars.
Though largely forgotten after his death in 1956, Buckham's influence on aerial photography was profound. His images appeared widely in publications during the 1920s and 1930s, shaping public perception of aviation and modernity. His wartime experience directly informed his civilian work, bringing military reconnaissance techniques to bear on artistic photography.
The exhibition runs until 19 April 2026 at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh. An accompanying publication featuring essays on Buckham's military service, technical innovations, and artistic legacy is available from the gallery shop.
