Secrets of the Darkroom | Alfred Buckham

Alfred Buckham (1879 - 1956) was a daredevil photographer. A maverick of early aviation, he first took to the skies as an aerial reconnaissance photographer during the First World War. His approach to flying was characterised by a rather relaxed approach to safety, never letting the fear of imminent danger curtail his adventures in the air. In the darkroom, he created his own unique style of photography. He combined multiple negatives — of land, sky and aircraft — to make enthralling images that convey the exhilarating experience of flight, but with a little added drama. In this film, we explore some of the techniques he employed to create his unique composite photographs. Artwork by Andy McGregor. This film was produced for the free exhibition 'Alfred Buckham | Daredevil Photographer', on now at the Portrait until Sun 19 April 2026. Find out more on our website: www.nationalgalleries.org/exhibition/alfred-buckham-daredevil-photographer Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nationalgalleries/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/NatGalleriesSco Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natgalleriessco/ The National Galleries of Scotland would like to thank the Buckham family for their support and for lending so generously to the exhibition. This exhibition has been made possible with the assistance of the Government Indemnity Scheme provided by Scottish Government. Thanks also to all the wonderful players of the People’s Postcode Lottery, who have made the exhibition and the production of this film possible.